I'l be offering both styles of hoods for the 280zx. Custom designs will follow. I'll first be pulling molds off the stock style. Then I can use the hoods to design different styles. Customs probably run around $20 more than a stock style.

Anything you want to see, let me know. I'm working on designs as we speak. I'll be posting artwork either here or in the near future, on my website, as I come up with new designs. You guys can critique them and let me know what you do and do not like.

The site should be up in a couple of days.

Any one here capable of rendering a logo out of the kindness of their heart? I have a basic design on paper, but it need's to be rendered on a computer so I can put it on my site. Anyone who's interested send me a PM.

 

C'mon there has got to be more people than that who want a carcon hood.

 

No offense, but no thanks. I am not into making my car lighter. Or modifying, and changing the original structure. I never really cared for carbon fiber either. I am restoring my car the way I have always dreamed. A good old original Z. And I plan to attend the Z West coast nationals next year. Just my opinion, different strokes for different folks!

 

I guess not? you would think there would be more interest! He should advertise on ZCAR.com too... I'm sure some folks there would take part, even HybridZ.org

 

Thanks for the tips Lessthanjabo. I got a lot more feed back in the other post. I guess it's the deposit thing that's scaring people. No big deal. Once the product is on the market, that will be the real test as to whether or not there's a big enough demand. I was using this site to test the waters because this is the site I like to visit and the atmospere here is real nice. I have yet to receive a negative response to any of my posts. Once I'm ready to start selling I'll be in contact with every Z site and club I can find. I'm going to set up a mailing list on www.zspecgarage.com today, and I'll post when it's ready so anybody interested can submit their email address to be contacted for the grand opening and be entered to when a free hood. I'll be selecting winners from different parts of the country so my products can be spread out so people can see them.

Oh, and for WildmaN, I understand completely where you're coming from. I plan to do a restore on a Fairlady 1600 Roadster. That thing is going to be completely stock, save maybe for the engine. Haven't decided yet.

Good luck to everybody with their projects and thanks again for the support.

 

Hey as long as I get mine it is all GOOD

 

This is very interesting, and I would love to see it go through. If I were building my Z to a higher performance aspect this would be much more appealing. As it stands, I still might buy one, but currently am jumping on the "need to see fit/finish" before I delve into this. Though, once you start making non-stock hoods for the 280zx I will be extremely interested.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

let me know about the carbon fiber hoods... I have a white car and i like carbon hood fiber hoods on white cars..

 

Is it a 300 or a 280zx? I don't plan to offer a hood for the Z32 because theres already quite a few on the market. Good quality ones too. The 280zx will be my first offering, and I'll be following that with the s30 platforms and the Z31 as well. The Z32 might be a possibility in the not so near future.

As soon as I can secure a location to manufacture from, they'll be going into production. I'd do it out of my garage, but I don't have one and the weather out here doesn't permit such a project. I'll be updating here and on my site as things develop. Right now I'm stuck in a stalemate until I get that shop though.

www.zspecgarage.com

 

Uhhhh not to burst anybodys bubble. But if you guys haven't noticed our cars come with aluminum hoods, CF will only make it what like 3 pounds lighter i doubt that will take off weight reduction on your car. The only thing you can take off on your car that you won't need is the spare tire that's pretty heavy lol Or if you people have a 2+2 seater car you can remove the back seats other than that you can't really make the car lighter. I'm guessing you're all in it for looks?! I mean sure i'd want my car too look good but i'm in it for the speed i'm happy with my metallic house of colors blue paint i got on it =0)
_Chuck_

 

I'm guessing you're driving a Z32? The 280zx didn't come with an aluminum hood. Neither did the earlier Z's. I know the Z32 did, and I can't vouch for the Z31. But 3 pounds, give me a break. As small as the hood on the Z32 is, a REAL CF hood could come in at around 5lbs, as opposed to the atleast 20lbs it's gotta weigh now. No doubt though, the Z32 definitely has a lighweight hood from the factory, but CF also doesn't dent if someone sits on it like an aluminum one(aluminum is very soft).

And I think you're right. I think most people who buy CF hoods are in it for cosmetic purposes. Anyone who goes out and buys a $300 CF hood isn't serious about performance. Those hoods are made with low strength CF and even then it's still wrapped around fiberglass(adds weight). If you shop around for hoods by people like Seibon, you'll find a good CF hood. But take a look at the price. $600, $700, $800+. You pay for quality (and mass production). My hoods arent' going to be mass produced. I'm a one man operation, soon to be two, but I don't have the extra cost of employees. My shop is only going to cost me $400 a month to lease, that's why I chose this location. Because of these factors, I can produce a hood of the same quality, pure CF, and light weight, without having to cost nearly as much.

 

Oh by the way, that post was not meant to be hostile in anyway. I just had to get a point across. I apologize if it came off that way.

 

Heh, I WISH our 280ZX hoods were made of aluminum! I remember trying to lift up a 280ZX hood in the junkyard that didn't have its springs and it weighed a ton!

 

Hey J you think there is any way you can customize a 280zx hood to look like the 350z veilside hood. And if you could , could you give a rough estimate at how much you would charge.

 

I'll take a look at that hood and let you know. But I don't have any doubts that I could do it, it just takes a little time to sculpt shapes and cutouts and whatnot. As far as a price goes, count on it being far less than what you would pay for the 350z veilside hood. Premium Japanese companies charge premium Japanese company prices for their products. In Japan they don't have the same attitude as we do here in the US. They'd rather pay more for a name product then pay less for a no name brand. That's why companies over there charge so much. Those people don't do their own work, they get more respect for having a company like Veilside or Top Secret I do the work than they would if they did it themselves. Over here, you don't the respect unless you do it yourself. Different cultures.

 

I looked at the Veilside 350Z hood. It'll take some work, because of the louvers, but yeah, I'd be able to do that.

I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to everyone who was here when I first posted this thread for the delays in getting this project off the ground. Some of you showed quite a bit of support, not just here, but through emails too. I asure you that this will happen, soon. Like I've mentioned before, I've just run into some temporary setbacks lately that have slowed me down a bit. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress. Thanks for showing interest. This is the only site I've even mentioned this on, and all of you have been great in your feedback.

Don't worry, Carbon Fiber for the 280zx is on it's way. If I wan't so concerned about the quality of my products, they'd be available already. But I'm going to do this right the first time so everyone who wants to can experience the benefits of Carbon Fiber. Oh, and CF fenders will probably be available at the same time as the hoods.

 

Cool J just get me a quote and ill get the cash, and if you need a deposit no problem. TY J for looking into it.

 

Yeah I cant wait my car is 3 weeks away from the paint shop and I still have a ugly *** dent on my hood, I need one BAD ...I dont want my car to have brand new caddy pearl white paint and a dinged rusted hood.

 

iam soooooooooooooo down just let me know where to send the cash

 

I'm interested in thgse CF. I'm from Puerto Rico, would you send it here?

 

400 a month? How many square feet is it going to be man?

 

Whats the deal J??? I need one of these bad boys NOW!!! But seriously I am gonna be rolling around in a 450WHP with everything painted caddy pearl white except the hood because it has a huge dent in the front... Dont make me do it J..

 

In order, efrain, yep, I'll ship where ever parcel can be delivered. Even Antarctica if someones heart so desires. Can't guarantee you won't have to pay a little more for shipping though man. But yeah, you can get one too.

captaincaveman, I'd say it's 20x80. So that's what, 1600? I'm tired so correct me if I'm wrong. And the house is pretty descent in size with a full finished basement for storage so I don't take up shop space.

and last but not least s/c Soon my friend. I just go my car today. What a mess. The hood had some light damage when I left it in CA. Well, that light damage turned into a heap of rust. Apparently they've had a little rain out there since Feb. I had a source for donating a hood in good shape, I just have to check if it's still available. (source you know who you are , pm or email me). I still won't have the shop til Aug, but things are finally starting to come around. I promise all of you, it will definitely be worth the wait. If my products aren't up to you expectations, then may I be banned from this forum forever(keep in mind I have to release product before I can be banned ).

I'm also in the process of setting up a shop in Virginia. That won't be for a little while though. I decided the resources there will be a lot better than here in South Dakota. I'd have chosen CA or AZ, but the land in VA is mine NOW and just needs a shop built. I have future land in AZ, but that's not for some years to come for those who are in that area (s/c).

 

Oh, and on a side note. I had the car dropped off with a friend a few hundered mile from my home in Colorado. Anyways, while I was driving it back here to SD, the alternator locked up an hour from my house. Some nice young lady was kind enough to pull it onto her ranch across the hwy from where it broke down. Being 4th of july weekend, it'll be Tues, at the earliest before I get her fixed and home (thats if the alt. is in stock, not likely) and then I'll have some pictures of project Zspec up on my site. She's not pretty, but she's fast as hell and a blast to drive.