[Nqwjx30]

Hey guys

I need some help and ideas from you guys about fixing my cf vorsteiner hood, i just recently found out that there are some cracks on my hood, good thing is they are mostly in the vent area, but bad thing is that they are two crack go outside the vent area to the main hood area. if it is only on the vent area, i can paint them in jet black easily, but there are two extended cracks now, which is not very long, but it stil bothers me. so need some help with how to paint the hood which still leave the hood mostly carbon fiber, because i really love the carbon fiber. or you guys suggesting just to leave it? can i fix it without paint it? sorry for so many questions thanks guys.

some thoughts i came up with, maybe i can ask the bodyshop try to fix the clear coat to make it smooth enough, because the really thing bothering me right now is that the uneven clear coat surface which you could tell even standing away from the car, so if the clear coat surface is smooth enough, then in order to see the crack in the carbon fiber weave (if there is any), you need to stare at it. You guys think this is the best option so far? but still keep the photoshop coming
heres what im talking about the uneven surface clear coat cracks.




here are some pictures of the crack.


Please photoshop using this picture with the idea i have below


and the custom painting im thinking doing, please photoshop for me


and this is what im talking about after the car wash, water filling the cracks which make the cracks gone.



Please help me with this, and post up some photoshoped pics if possible thanks guys!

[Miami]

should we remove the poop stains too??? lololol

[Nqwjx30]

Originally Posted by Miami

should we remove the poop stains too??? lololol

lol just went to a car wash, i will take some pics so i can provide cleaner pics for people to photoshop for me

[Miami]

yeah i could do a muchhhh much better job with a hi-res pic.

[Nqwjx30]

Originally Posted by Miami

yeah i could do a muchhhh much better job with a hi-res pic.

hey man thanks, i have updated with some new pictures, but they are still very crappy, but it gives the overall idea what im planning to do, and something i found out interesting, that the water can fill up the crack and make it gone, im thinking if theres someway to add more clear coat right into the crack with the appropriate amount, maybe i can get this fixed.

[rollinstone157]

Originally Posted by nqxjx

hey man thanks, i have updated with some new pictures, but they are still very crappy, but it gives the overall idea what im planning to do, and something i found out interesting, that the water can fill up the crack and make it gone, im thinking if theres someway to add more clear coat right into the crack with the appropriate amount, maybe i can get this fixed.

You can fix carbon fiber, BUT the longer you leave it exposed, the worse it gets structurally. I'm a biker, and a lot of these road/racing bikes are made out of carbon. It's known that if you have carbon fiber weave pieces, and you get a scratch in them, you can use clear coat nail polish to paint in the crack in the finish, and then once you are done with your race, you can get it fixed. I think you just need a clear coat touchup, so I'd take it to a bodyshop that deals with carbon fiber and they can check to make sure that structurally it's OK, and then apply some serious clear coat. or, if you want to dance with the devil, you can do it yourself. Just get some ultra heavy duty clear coat and get to work.

[Nqwjx30]

Originally Posted by rollinstone157

You can fix carbon fiber, BUT the longer you leave it exposed, the worse it gets structurally. I'm a biker, and a lot of these road/racing bikes are made out of carbon. It's known that if you have carbon fiber weave pieces, and you get a scratch in them, you can use clear coat nail polish to paint in the crack in the finish, and then once you are done with your race, you can get it fixed. I think you just need a clear coat touchup, so I'd take it to a bodyshop that deals with carbon fiber and they can check to make sure that structurally it's OK, and then apply some serious clear coat. or, if you want to dance with the devil, you can do it yourself. Just get some ultra heavy duty clear coat and get to work.

wow thanks man for such long comment, i will try to take it to the best shop in long island and see what they can do.

[Miami]

its too hard to see the fading your talking about cus of the lighting of the picture...that trees shadow makes it next to impossible to tell.

THIS PICTURE IS REALLY hard to work with because of the weave LOL, but i think what rollingstone said would work out pretty well.

[Nqwjx30]

Originally Posted by Miami

its too hard to see the fading your talking about cus of the lighting of the picture...that trees shadow makes it next to impossible to tell.

THIS PICTURE IS REALLY hard to work with because of the weave LOL, but i think what rollingstone said would work out pretty well.

yeah, i think the crack gone after wash is kind of similar effect to what he talked about, so thats a better idea.

[rollinstone157]

I mean it's hard to tell from your pics, but as long as the hood isn't cracked all the way through, and it's just a scratch mostly in the clear coat, I will guarantee you that you can save it. But again, time is certainly a factor, and water certainly won't help the carbon maintain its strength. I'd use some clear polish like I suggested above as a temporary solution, just once every few days until you can get to the body shop and they can do the necessary repairs. But I must say...that's a killer hood you've got there. I'd do it on my car but I kind of like the mustache lines of the LCI hood (maybe I'm the only one )

[Nqwjx30]

Originally Posted by rollinstone157

I mean it's hard to tell from your pics, but as long as the hood isn't cracked all the way through, and it's just a scratch mostly in the clear coat, I will guarantee you that you can save it. But again, time is certainly a factor, and water certainly won't help the carbon maintain its strength. I'd use some clear polish like I suggested above as a temporary solution, just once every few days until you can get to the body shop and they can do the necessary repairs. But I must say...that's a killer hood you've got there. I'd do it on my car but I kind of like the mustache lines of the LCI hood (maybe I'm the only one )

Hey man thanks for the ideas and suggestion, i will try to take this to a body shop and get this fixed asap. do you think a body shop which has been in business for 20+ yrs can take care of this? if not i will probably to the best one in long island~~

[rollinstone157]

Originally Posted by nqxjx

Hey man thanks for the ideas and suggestion, i will try to take this to a body shop and get this fixed asap. do you think a body shop which has been in business for 20+ yrs can take care of this? if not i will probably to the best one in long island~~

No problem. It's not necessarily how long they've been in business, but more if they have the capability to work with materials. I know with Jaguars you can't just take them to any old body shop to get a dent fixed or paint touched up, because they bodies of those cars are made out of aluminum, and special tools, machines, and working environments are needed to repair aluminum (versus steel). I feel like carbon fiber is the same way. if this dealership looks at the clearcoat and assures you they can fix it, I'd go with them. If you're in the New York City suburbs like me, there are plenty of body shops around here, and high end ones at that. I'd try the ones that people you know recommend that own nice cars. But, in saying that, if the carbon fibers themselves aren't damaged, and it's just the clear coat, then almost any bodyshop should be able to give the affected areas some new clear coat. Just my 2¢