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Base C7 hood material

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Old Jun 22, 2016 | 05:06 PM
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Default Base C7 hood material

I've read (and watched) conflicting information regarding the material used in the base C7 hood. Is it fiberglas or CF?? It's certainly light enough to be CF, but guessing it's fiberglas due to $$.
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Old Jun 22, 2016 | 05:09 PM
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Originally Posted by RichinCincy
I've read (and watched) conflicting information regarding the material used in the base C7 hood. Is it fiberglas or CF?? It's certainly light enough to be CF, but guessing it's fiberglas due to $$.
It's Carbon Fiber.
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Old Jun 22, 2016 | 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted by RichinCincy
I've read (and watched) conflicting information regarding the material used in the base C7 hood. Is it fiberglas or CF?? It's certainly light enough to be CF, but guessing it's fiberglas due to $$.
The hood is carbon fiber and so are the roof panels minus the transparent.

Last edited by air86; Jun 22, 2016 at 05:11 PM.
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Old Jun 22, 2016 | 08:14 PM
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Carbon fiber, and it is not that costly unless you want to see the weave pattern. That is a different process and the cost rises dramatically.
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Old Jun 22, 2016 | 09:43 PM
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If you're in the UK, it's carbon fibre.
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Old Jun 22, 2016 | 10:23 PM
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Have you lifted one? It seems like about 2 lbs. Carbon fiber.

Last edited by vettnutt; Jun 22, 2016 at 10:24 PM.
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Old Jun 23, 2016 | 05:44 AM
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Originally Posted by RichinCincy
I've read (and watched) conflicting information regarding the material used in the base C7 hood. Is it fiberglas or CF?? It's certainly light enough to be CF, but guessing it's fiberglas due to $$.
There is no conflicting info from Chevrolet - It is Carbon Fiber!
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Old Jun 23, 2016 | 06:25 AM
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They used the good stuff!
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Old Jun 23, 2016 | 06:29 AM
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Originally Posted by RichinCincy
I've read (and watched) conflicting information regarding the material used in the base C7 hood. Is it fiberglas or CF?? It's certainly light enough to be CF, but guessing it's fiberglas due to $$.
If you're interestested this is what was said in 2013 about the Stingray: "the new baseline Corvette is also the first production car to feature structural, Class A carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) body panels produced via a new out-of-autoclave "pressure-press" technology."

In addition the Corvette has not been made out of "fiberglass" for many years! It's made from SMC (Sheet Molding Compound or Composite, whichever you like to call it!) It has some fiberglass in the composite. The 2016 Corvette uses TCA Ultra Lite, a Class A body panel material (SMC), results in a 20 lb (9 kg) weight savings on the Stingray Coupe model. This is the first production use of CSP’s Ultra Lite advanced composite. For 2016 it now has significantly reduced the density– from 1.9 specific gravity for the 2013 model year, to 1.6 specific gravity for the 2014 model year to 1.2 for the 2016 model year. It uses treated glass bubbles to replace some of the Calcium Carbonate filler, resulting in a lighter density material.

Note the density of water is 1, it's getting close to floating!

Last edited by JerryU; Jun 23, 2016 at 06:32 AM.
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Old Jun 23, 2016 | 11:07 AM
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Originally Posted by JerryU
If you're interestested this is what was said in 2013 about the Stingray: "the new baseline Corvette is also the first production car to feature structural, Class A carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) body panels produced via a new out-of-autoclave "pressure-press" technology."



Note the density of water is 1, it's getting close to floating!
Not density of 1, specific gravity of 1 for water.
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Old Jun 23, 2016 | 11:28 AM
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Originally Posted by JerryU
If you're interestested this is what was said in 2013 about the Stingray: "the new baseline Corvette is also the first production car to feature structural, Class A carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) body panels produced via a new out-of-autoclave "pressure-press" technology."

In addition the Corvette has not been made out of "fiberglass" for many years! It's made from SMC (Sheet Molding Compound or Composite, whichever you like to call it!) It has some fiberglass in the composite. The 2016 Corvette uses TCA Ultra Lite, a Class A body panel material (SMC), results in a 20 lb (9 kg) weight savings on the Stingray Coupe model. This is the first production use of CSP’s Ultra Lite advanced composite. For 2016 it now has significantly reduced the density– from 1.9 specific gravity for the 2013 model year, to 1.6 specific gravity for the 2014 model year to 1.2 for the 2016 model year. It uses treated glass bubbles to replace some of the Calcium Carbonate filler, resulting in a lighter density material.

Note the density of water is 1, it's getting close to floating!
I believe 1972 was the last year for the fiberglass.
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Old Jun 23, 2016 | 01:44 PM
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The C3 ran through 1982 and was all fiberglass except the nose startng in 1973 and the rear clip starting in 1974.

I never owned a C4 and have no knowledge.

I did own a C5 and I'm fairly certain the hood was fiberglass, while the fenders and door panels were SMC. I believe that carried over to the C6.

The C7 has a CF hood and roof, and SMC for the fenders and door skins.
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Old Jun 23, 2016 | 04:45 PM
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Originally Posted by TEXHAWK0
Not density of 1, specific gravity of 1 for water.
density would need units!
How about 1 gr/cm3

Last edited by JerryU; Jun 23, 2016 at 04:50 PM.
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Old Jun 23, 2016 | 05:31 PM
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Just to reiterate, the hood is carbon fiber.
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