bmussatti

I saw this today, and thought I would share with the forum:


Question:

I purchased a carbon fiber 993 style hood for my black TT. At the time of my purchase I was told that it did not require any specific painting procedure. Once the hood was painted, the weave pattern of the carbon fibers are visible and are further accentuated in the sunlight. Please tell me what can be done to achieve a proper finish that will mimic the look of the adjacent metal sections. Is it too late to salvage this beautiful hood now that it has been painted? If it is not too late, please list the necessary steps to achieve a proper finish.

Answer:

Carbon fiber is a high quality replacement for fiberglas mat in the manufacture of your hood. Like fiberglas it has a weave that if not blocked carefully will be exposed,this will give a reflection that is uneven. Carbon that is resin rich will sand smooth rstill requireinf 2-3 coats of high build epoxy primer.Reblock the hood allow to cure and resand with 600 prior to paint. Spray with 3 coats black basecoat resand and rebase black. Three coats of clear followed by color sanding and polishing are in order. Carbon parts can be made to look like steel but it requires a bit more prep to prevent shrinkage of the final topcoat. On your paint have the shop resand the topcoat with 2000 then 3000 and polish the surface If it reappears you need to repaint the hood as described.
John Paterek - PCA WebSite - 1/29/2006