Hood cut outs are becoming very popular these days. Heat reduction and looks ( I don't like it ) seem to be the main reasons. Cars are designed to collapse upon impact in a designed manor. Does cutting the hood not jeopardize the structural integrity of the car? I guess the same could be said for carbon fiber body panels.

I have zero engineering skills so I am may be dead wrong but I doubt it.

 

I don't think that hood cutouts would be the determining difference from either living or dieing in a car accident.

Safety often takes a back seat when it comes to modding. But if done correctly you can mod and have an even safer car. ie. roll bars, seat belt harness, brakes etc.

If you are considering doing cut outs...you should be fine. The bumper/frame of the car is made to take the impact.

Tim

 

The hood doesn't provide any structural support really and same goes for crash saftey.

Crash saftey is in the frame (the crumple zones).


Cutting the hood won't effect anything

 

I have a vented hood but I don't plan on finding out what it's done to the structural integrity of my car!

 

I've often wondered about this. A metal hood is designed to fold and crumple in the event of a front end collision. Since a Carbon Fiber hood would not crumple, and would probably shatter instead of folding, does this create a safety problem for the occupants? In the event of a crash, I would hate to find my beautiful CF hood shooting through my windshield and decapitating me.

 

Keep us posted though

 

well for our cars, i think CF is stronger then aluminum

 

Is it possible to cut a CF hood and still maintain a smooth line? If not, do you need to sand it after? I heard the only way to make it smooth is if the hole was there before the baking.