engine and drivetrain FIBERGLASS hood & deck lid FEEDBACK needed!!!!!

[MaTiaS]

I need to replace my hood and probably my deck lid and I was considering getting the fiberglass replacements from Ireland Engineering. Have anyone done it? could I get some feedback please (installation, quality of material, paint recommendations, would old chromed trim fit on these, etc)... my car is a daily driver and I don't mind installing hinges and pins

[Guest Anonymous]

Unless they have changed them the Ireland pieces are reallyt better suited on a race car. Don't think you could have provisions for latches and hinges and they are very floppy. I laid a few strips of kevlar tape to my boot to stiffen it up.

If you are looking for nice street version call Hanmann Fibreglass/

Anthony

[jmr_1602]

I don't have the IE hood, but I do have the Korman FG hood. They incorporate a molded x-brace to stiffen it up a bit, and it's not as flimsy as I was expecting. I only notice it when I'm going freeway speeds (even then it's not bad.)

As far as painting it, I'm sure it's just like any other FG piece. I opted for using vinyl wrap. For the trim I just used chrome strips found at Autozone.

Personally, I'd rather have a stock hood, because lifting the hood off to check on little stuff gets bothersome.

[NickVyse]

If you want a stock replica, with all fixings and great quality..

http://www.americaninternationalracing.com/custom.asp?id=259246&page=56

as others have said most are race skins, these aren't

[c.d.iesel]

......and member Lee from Canada might chime in

on his experience with a flexi-hood - this is his car

[markmac]

I had an ireland hood ("skin") for my race car, no provisions for hinges, designed to be pinned in place. You do not want this if you have a street car. I didn't even want it for my race car, although fairly light weight you have to man handle it off, and then, lean it against something (car, wall, ground etc.,) or put it on the roof.....in my case when my car was prepared initially they had not homologated those GRP parts for racing so happily I have an OE steel hood and deck lid. Locking mechanism for hood is gone so it will be pinned at the back, but still alot easier than having to take it on/off. Ditto for the trunk lid. If you can find a set that has provisions for hinges and locking it would be fine, otherwise a big PIA I think for a street car.

www.alpinabmw2002.com

[TobyB]

Yeah, -1 for the racing lids as well, if it's a daily.

t

[Lee]

Yeah. I had (and still have) Korman's fiberglass pinned hood. As soon as I had received it, I wanted to return it. It had nothing to do with Korman's manufacturing. IE's hood would be the same. The problem is how much flex it has. Basically at driving speed, even with the hood pinned in 6 locations it will still lift, push, shake, warp.

Even for a racecar, I would suggest a double skinned hood with the stock reinforcements. Single skinned hoods, even with wooden crossed reinforcements are an effing joke.

Kermit Upton used to have a nice copy, but that was a loooong time ago, and we discussed it previously. The hood produced by the supplier mentionned a couple post above is the way to go. I was even told that their fiberglass hood fits better than the carbon fiber hood because fiberglass doesn't retract when curing as is the case with CF. Better fit and cheaper. And if you want a hood with exposed CF, perhaps you bought the wrong car... ;-)