How does everyone feel about the SEIBON hoods

86turboswap

New member
I am a dealer for SEIBON and figured I'd see what everyone thinks about the SEIBON hoods. I am thinking of running a group buy and selling them real cheap.


First off I want opinions from those that have seen them, installed them, bought them.

Second I want to gauge interest so If your Interested in a ST185 or ST205 Carbon Fiber Hood Speak Up.
 

Gary ST165

New member
Seibon Carbon bonnets >>> they fade eventually :(

IMG_0316.jpg



not mine, and i can't comment how old the above item is...
 

86turboswap

New member
If you guys remember I did have a ST16X hood with a ST185 RC/CS/A Vent and had seibon make it in carbon fiber.

I outlayed $2500 to make the mold.

Not a single person bought one.
I ended up with the only hood.

Seibon was not happy about it since I only paid about half the cost of the mold.
 

86turboswap

New member
Gary ST165":3rm4lx6w said:
Seibon Carbon bonnets >>> they fade eventually :(

IMG_0316.jpg



not mine, and i can't comment how old the above item is...

Fitment looks spot on. That hood is clearly scuffed or sanded, ready for painting. I have seen 100's of faded and UV damaged carbon fiber products and none that bad.

Remember I'm in AZ where 120 degrees is not uncommon I see UV faded CF hoods everyday.
 

Gary ST165

New member
86turboswap":197t4nd8 said:
If you guys remember I did have a ST16X hood with a ST185 RC/CS/A Vent and had seibon make it in carbon fiber.

I outlayed $2500 to make the mold.

Not a single person bought one.
I ended up with the only hood.

Seibon was not happy about it since I only paid about half the cost of the mold.


eh? i don't recall > where is the thread please, i would love to at least see a picture
 

LegacyofDan

New member
i find it really hard to believe that one had interest in the hood, i'm not calling you a liar, i'm just saying that you didn't market well at all. :|
 

mx6er2587

New member
86turboswap":1rtbqjv2 said:
Fitment looks spot on. That hood is clearly scuffed or sanded, ready for painting. I have seen 100's of faded and UV damaged carbon fiber products and none that bad.

I'd have to agree with this 100% there's simply no way for the entire hood to be so evenly and severely discolored with the scoop still in perfect shape unless its being prepped for paint. You know that would be a really neat look. A black hood with just the scoop in carbon...

anyway. My biggest issue with seibon st185 hoods is the fact that they are not direct oem replicas. They look like someone looked at a picture online than sketched up the hood design. Its not even close. Fix that and I might be interested.

You need to post some pictures and try selling that st165 hood again, I feel you would have a lot more sales this time around
 

Simba

New member
The gel coat they use is (obviously) not UV stabilized. You'd need to have it shot with a UV clear protectant if you want the carbon look, or just paint it otherwise.

Seibon's quality has slipped a bit of late, but they're still the only ones doing complex dry carbon parts anywhere. The fitment is generally quite good, too, so it kind of depends on what you want it for.

If you want a CF hood because it's light, paint it and it won't matter. If you want one because of the boy-racer bling crap, buy one that has UV stabilized epoxy.
 

86turboswap

New member
LegacyofDan":u7v1i887 said:
i find it really hard to believe that one had interest in the hood, i'm not calling you a liar, i'm just saying that you didn't market well at all. :|

I owned and operated 4gcelica.net for 5 years.
I knew just about every 4th genner there was at the time. ST16X
There was tons of interest, I ran a group buy, everyone was all over it, but didn't have the money. I received 2 deposits for the hoods and I needed at least 15 to have them produced. So then I refunded the 2 deposits, and I paid $2500 out of my own pocket to Seibon for the mold. Supposedly if I paid half the cost of the mold they would produce them 1 at a time. I kept the prototype hood. Not a single sale. Seibon has since misplaced or destroyed the mold. At least that was what I was told when I offered to pay another $2500 and come pick up the mold.
 

86turboswap

New member
What if I were to have the hoods sprayed with a PPG DCU2021 with UV Block.

The hoods would last a long long time without fade with that coat of clear.
 

darthripley

Moderator
it's just carbon fiber layed over a FRP hood correct?

i'd buy just an FRP hood, no C/F layed on top or on the underside.
it would make it a lot easier to paint w/a crapton less sanding required to get the C/F weave to not show when painted.
you would get the benefit of weight reduction without the tacky C/F look having it be only FRP.
 

86turboswap

New member
No, Seibon hoods are molded. Not overlayed.
It's a 2 peice mold.

the frame is made of Fiberglass and the top is made of carbon fiber they are molded together in the resin injection.
 

WarTowels

Active member
How about make a correct mold based on a real RC hood. Then give that person the first hood. And then I think more members would be serious about getting a Seibon.

Otherwise, the purists are just going to get a FI hood... I know that's what I plan on doing...
 
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