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GTI Carbonfibre Hoods....


RedRobin
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As there's a bit of discussion scattered around several threads, I thought it better to open a specific thread on the subject.

There's only two reasons to have a carbonfibre hood or bonnet: 1) To save weight, 2) To look good. And there's nothing wrong imo to want a mod for only cosmetic reasons. High quality CF is an expensive material and it's like Marmite - Most people either love it or hate it. When I first saw pics on the OSIR web site of a CF bonnet on a red Mk5 GTI, I thought "Wow!!" but I immediately thought that my money would be better spent on performance mods instead of something so cosmetic. I still wasn't very interested in a CF hood after doing my performance mods - I'm happy with the balance and driveability of the current state of my car and also don't want any more points on my licence! And then Riso posted pics on his OSIR web site of his latest creation with an extract vent. I've already got some of OSIR's CF products so I know their quality.

The good thing about OSIR's hood is that it's double skin and fixes to the GTI's stock fittings so that it opens and locks in exactly the same way and, as far as I know, doesn't need additional hood pins/latches. Being double skin it's heavier than single but it's much more rigid and still weighs only 17.6 lbs against the OEM 29.9 lbs. It's well UV lacquered to protect against yellowing and the extract vent is in the turbo area. Extracting any heat from the engine bay is a good thing to do anyway. If the stock VW soundproofing is not transferred from the VW bonnet, there will doubtless be a small increase in 'noise' - Music to my ears. I probably wouldn't be considering this mod if it didn't have the vent.

In the 1990's black bonnets and especially CF ones, were fashionable among street racers but the 'fashion' has been resurrected by the use of CF on performance cars. In my opinion the Mk5 GTI is able to successfully carry off the style but it won't be everyone's cup of tea, especially in the UK - Most of the Americans love all that. I would definitely have the sides professionally painted from the crease line over the headlights. Of course, one could paint the whole bonnet but that would seem to waste the opportunity to enjoy the carbonfibre's eye-candy and to pose grin.gif.

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If the prime reason anyone wants to buy one is to save weight i would recommend that theres an easier way, go on a diet themselfs its cheaper. tongue.gif

The amount of times i have been to car shows and owners have said it helps save weight when they look like SPericani2.gif i always find funny.

As for looks theres some cars from the 50/60/70s that had black bonnets as standard and i for some sad reason always had a soft spot for them.

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Jay, I'm not sure you can get a single skin with a vent. I wouldn't worry about people thinking we look like boy-racers - With quads exhausts we both already do! grin.gif

If I get one it won't be for weight saving, it'll be cosmetic but with the added bonus of the extract vent and a bit more sound inside the cabin.

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I think this is a total waste of time. I don't think it suits the GTI's image (which should be relatively understated, although I like Red Robin's car's looks). And a 6kg weight saving?? Silly on a car as heavy as a Mk5 GTI with its mega high centre of gravity.

I can't really see the point in spending much on tuning on our cars. They are large front wheel drive hatchbacks that weigh a lot. I think if you want a more dynamic 4 seater, get an E46 M3 or E46 M3 CSL. The centre of gravity on our cars must be incredibly high. I wore a top hat in the car the other day with no problems at all.

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Please can we call it a bonnet unless you are an American member. coffee.gif

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....I think you'll find that in my posts I've used both "hood" and "bonnet" terms. I tend to think of a bonnet as a woman's or child's hat but accept that it's a slightly quaint sounding British term for the hood of an automobile.

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[ QUOTE ]

I think this is a total waste of time. I don't think it suits the GTI's image (which should be relatively understated, although I like Red Robin's car's looks).

[/ QUOTE ]

....Most people on TSN seem to prefer a very understated look but there are no rules (yet!) about how we mod our cars. There's quite an established tradition of modding the GTI's going back to the Mk1. Btw, I'm glad to hear you approve of mine.....So far! grin.gif

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And a 6kg weight saving?? Silly on a car as heavy as a Mk5 GTI with its mega high centre of gravity.

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....Agreed that the weight saving aspect on the hood (Ooops! I mean bonnet grin.gif) alone isn't worth it unless you are considering weight savings elsewhere. But take someone like jason1 as an example: He wants what the Golf hatch body has to offer as a practical road car but he also wants to enjoy track days on a fairly regular basis. Perhaps if he didn't have family commitments and had more money, he might ideally like to get something like a Lotus as a second car to say a Golf TDI. So his consideration is to gradually mod and lighten his GTI in every way which is practical to him.

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I can't really see the point in spending much on tuning on our cars. They are large front wheel drive hatchbacks that weigh a lot.

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....Each to their own of course, but IMO there are some very worthwhile benefits in enhancing the handling, braking, and performance of our GTI's - Precisely because they are relatively large, heavy and FWD.

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I think if you want a more dynamic 4 seater, get an E46 M3 or E46 M3 CSL. The centre of gravity on our cars must be incredibly high.

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....I had a 2-door BMW previously and even considered the CSL but, absolutely fabulous as they are, I need what a hatchback offers and the CSL is a lot more money. I would love the new V8 M3 but again too much money and not suited to my load needs. I only like the look of the 2-door versions.

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I wore a top hat in the car the other day with no problems at all.

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....Proving what such a good allrounder the GTI is. But why would you actually wear your top hat while in a car?

IF I succumb, as I usually do, to my consideration of a CF bonnet, anyone will be forgiven for saying that they think I've gilded the lilly. I'm not even pretending to be considering it for weight reasons but I recognise it as a bonus, as is also the vent. I like the look of carbonfibre.....Or should that be carbonfiber?

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It would be interesting to see a Poll on CF bonnets...just a simple like / don't like.

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....A poll in general or specifically for the GTI?

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Personally I like the small CF additions that RR has done so far 169144-ok.gif but do not like the bonnet much at all....(so am I forgiven already RR blush.gif )

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.... beerchug.gif You're forgiven! grin.gif

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Just had a thought; the bonnet is part of the front crumple zone etc. So is putting in a large bit of brittle carbon fibre not going to effect this somewhat?

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....Now THAT is a major consideration! I've suddenly got cold feet over a carbonfibre bonnet mod! I haven't spoken to my insurers yet.

Thanks for pointing that out 169144-ok.gif.

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[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Just had a thought; the bonnet is part of the front crumple zone etc. So is putting in a large bit of brittle carbon fibre not going to effect this somewhat?

[/ QUOTE ]

....Now THAT is a major consideration! I've suddenly got cold feet over a carbonfibre bonnet mod! I haven't spoken to my insurers yet.

Thanks for pointing that out 169144-ok.gif.

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Don't think you'll have any worries with strength if it's the same stuff as used in Formula 1 ?

Carbon Fibre is used in Formula 1 due to its high strength to weight ratio ...probably saved Kubica's life the other week 169144-ok.gif

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[ QUOTE ]

Don't think you'll have any worries with strength if it's the same stuff as used in Formula 1 ?

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Granted Carbon Fibre has a high strength to weight ratio, but absorbing the impact to reduce the deceleration G's is the name of the game in normal cars rather than ultimate strength.

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Fiar play RedRobin. Each to his own etc. I reckon that keeping a Mk5 GTI standard and then buying a 8-10 grand Westfield/Caterham/Porsche 968/BMW E30 M3 is the way to go for track days any day of the month.

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....Absolutely! 169144-ok.gif. It's something which a lot of TSNers are doing and hats off to them. Personally, I don't want to start learning how to drive a second car, I don't have the garage space, nor do I want to spend the not so obvious costs for running a track car. Lastly, I don't want a relatively crappy road car. It's very much each to their own and according to a variety of personal circumstances.

169144-ok.gifbeerchug.gif

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[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Just had a thought; the bonnet is part of the front crumple zone etc. So is putting in a large bit of brittle carbon fibre not going to effect this somewhat?

[/ QUOTE ]

....Now THAT is a major consideration! I've suddenly got cold feet over a carbonfibre bonnet mod! I haven't spoken to my insurers yet.

Thanks for pointing that out 169144-ok.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't think you'll have any worries with strength if it's the same stuff as used in Formula 1 ?

Carbon Fibre is used in Formula 1 due to its high strength to weight ratio ...probably saved Kubica's life the other week 169144-ok.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

But there are different ways of building up carbon fibre. F1 tubs are put together in a different way to other components. If you want to look a Kubicas crash, look at how all that was left was the tub, everything else on the car had disintegrated into hundreds of shards of razor sharp CF. My guess would be that cosmetic bonnets aren't made from a particularly strong weave of CF. I'd be interested to hear more detail though. 169144-ok.gif

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