Caring for Carbon Fiber - what does Oppo know?

"they-will-know-my-velocity" (velocitah)
03/10/2016 at 15:49 • Filed to: GTO+carbon fiber = a slim and weightless race car

I’m buying a new wing for the GTO. I have two options I like. They are essentially the same shape and both will be black. One is ABS and one is Carbon Fiber. The CF wing is actually about $60 cheaper and everything I have heard about the maker of the CF wing (Maverick Man Carbon) is good. The man himself did warn me though, CF needs to be cared for and even when maintained, the sun eats it.

EDIT* - The seller of the CF wing tells me that he usese PPG clearcoat with UV protectant on all his CF parts but it is inevitable that at some point the sun will get to the carbon and change the color of it. Apparently GM and Mitsu had problems like this with their units and still weren’t able to eliminate it entirely.

I figure, buy the CF and if it starts to get mangy, wrap it with black vinyl and call it a day. Any advice opponaughts?

DISCUSSION (28)

BeaterGT > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 15:51

Spoiler delete.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 15:52

I’m curious myself, Seibon has a hood for my 240Z and the only part of my original paint with some issues is the hood. So I was thinking of getting the hood and then wrapping the front fender to fender like the rally cars. Carbon is not period correct but I can hide it. I heard wet carbon is pretty much like paint and dry is tougher to deal with. But that is wet for sure. Keep it out of the sun, cover it if it will be out long. So I hear.

they-will-know-my-velocity > BeaterGT
03/10/2016 at 15:58

Done it and don’t really dig it. I prefer a wing, even if somewhat smaller. Both will be a ducktail style. I don’t need this car to look more like a Grand Prix.

they-will-know-my-velocity > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
03/10/2016 at 15:59

It will always be in the sun as long as the sun is shining so...I’ll probably end up wrapping it at some point. If those other guys weren’t so damn proud of their spoiler, I wouldn’t even bother with CF.

citizennick > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 16:00

Off topic but did you ever find wheels you liked? I went with some Forgestars mostly because of the broad sizes and offset you can get them in.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 16:01

I may just get a fiberglass hood, but the CF is really light. There is a couple hundred dollar difference so I may just get the glass since I’m not racing it or anything.

ceanderson920 > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 16:03

Is saving $60 worth the maintenance of the CF wing? I personally would pay the extra $60 so I don't have to maintain it as much.

interstate366, now In The Industry > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 16:04

I have a Vis CF hood on my 2001 Prelude. It’s a bit dull, but otherwise it’s held up well and I give it a little TLC every few months.

Kinja'd!!!

they-will-know-my-velocity > citizennick
03/10/2016 at 16:08

Actually...I recently found out that with the help of a wheel replica company and some spacers that adapt my lug pattern to match Chrysler...

I can run the SRT-10/Viper wheels. 20x8.5. I’m pretty sure I can get them to fit with a bit of fender massaging too...but if I don’t do that then I’ll get the TSW Bristols. I do love the SRT-10 wheel though, and no one has done that.

Kinja'd!!!

TSW Bristol -

Kinja'd!!!

they-will-know-my-velocity > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
03/10/2016 at 16:09

If you are going to wrap it anyway, I doubt there is a difference other than weight.

BeaterGT > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 16:10

I dig that or even the little lip (with the right colors). Anything is an improvement over the stock wing in my honest opinion.

RallyWrench > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 16:14

Is it raw finish or gelcoated? Don’t wax it, use quick detailer spray to clean it and you should be fine. If you want to protect if from sun, doing the wrap right off the the bat could help, as would a car cover, though that’s impractical all the time.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 16:17

Get it clear coated and keep it maintained by waxing it.

or get it painted black from the get go. It’ll look way better than a vinyl wrap.

they-will-know-my-velocity > BeaterGT
03/10/2016 at 16:17

Yeah especially since the last owner buffed through the paint on mine. Also, the CF version uses the old holes in the trunk lid so I can get rid of the little plastic hole plugs that are currently there.

Kit 'Haddy' Iwamatsu > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 16:17

Carbon fiber made by ‘small’ custom shops (AKA not an automaker) tends to degrade and actually start to unravel/delaminate after a year or so when exposed to sunlight. This is because they do not buy the ultra spendy UV stabilizers (runs around 2-5k per gallon delivered.) Several of my track cars have had this issue.

they-will-know-my-velocity > RallyWrench
03/10/2016 at 16:18

It looks to be coated in resin or some sort of gelcoat. It isn’t raw.

they-will-know-my-velocity > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
03/10/2016 at 16:19

Anything special required to clear it or can a homey with a spray can get that done? ‘Cause I am a homey with a spray can.

they-will-know-my-velocity > Kit 'Haddy' Iwamatsu
03/10/2016 at 16:23

So. If I get it clear coated, is there a clear coat with a UV protectant in it that would help? It isn’t a big piece so I could just get it cleared at my friends shop pretty easily.

Kit 'Haddy' Iwamatsu > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 17:03

UV resistant clear should help, or simply painting it with urethane paint.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 17:29

Oh for sure, the CF is amazingly light while the glass does cut it down a good bit. I don’t want to repaint the car and the hood is the problem so it’s really my only option, repainting the hood will never look like the patina on the original paint.

they-will-know-my-velocity > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
03/10/2016 at 17:39

Could just wrap the hood I suppose.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 18:06

No, the front of the hood was once bumped and they tried fixing it and matching the paint, the fix isn’t perfect and doing bodywork on the hood is silly since the paint will never look right.

they-will-know-my-velocity > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
03/10/2016 at 18:10

True. PLASTIDIP

AM3R shamefully returns > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 18:27

I'm sure a good clear coat should have you covered. My friend has a 2008 M3 with a CF roof and it's still looking new.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 18:50

judging from your other post, find out whether it has gel coat or not. That will determine what will stick to it.

There’s heaps of information from the boating crowd cause they often have gel coat that sits in the sun all day.

they-will-know-my-velocity > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
03/10/2016 at 19:32

I asked the guy who makes them. He uses a PPG clearcoat on them. Said that if it starts to come off just wetsand it and re-clear it.

f86sabre > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/10/2016 at 19:43

I’ve had my 2003 Evo since new and had to have its wing refinished a couple of years ago. I took it to a good body shop and they got it apart, sanded and refinished with a protectant clear. Looks amazing now.

I managed the composite engineers at work fr several years and you are right that resins don't like UV at all. That is why everything in aviation gets painted. It is the easiest way to deal with the problem.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > they-will-know-my-velocity
03/12/2016 at 02:43

Sweet. It shouldn’t be too hard to look after then.