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Installing Carbon Fiber Hatch


Bartman

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So I bought and received a carbon fiber hatch last week. I got it from Raceonusa and I'm very happy with the overall quality as well as the fit. I'm installing it using the stock hinge and latch and I thought I'd show a couple of pic's to show how it looks now. I can post more pic's and details of the installation process depending on demand. So far I had to remove the part of the hinge that was welded onto the old hatch and bolt it onto the Carbon Fiber hatch. Then it just bolted to the rest of the stock hinge still on the car.

 

It didn't come with the hole for the push bottom latch, so I drilled it myself and gave it the notches the same as the stock one has. It installed easily and looks like it will work great.

 

If you want any specific details or pictures, just let me know and I'll add them to this thread.

laurieanne 189_thumb.jpg

laurieanne 190_thumb.jpg

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Wow, yet again I need to say that has fantastic-awesomeness written ALL over it...

 

You are using stock glass if I'm not mistaken?

Thanks, and the plan is to reinstall the stock glass into the CF hatch.

 

The only stock items I probably won't install are the hatch weatherstrip seal and the strut that holds it up. I just bought a seal from 1 tuff z, but it appears the CF hatch is slightly taller and therefore won't close all the way with it installed. There are provisions to install the strut, but I would think it would need to have less pressure since the hatch is way lighter than the stocker. I'll have to find a seal that isn't as thick as the stocker as well.

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  • 5 weeks later...

I finally installed the stock glass, and boy was it a PITA. The thickness of the fiberglass made it really hard to get the weatherstrip installed on the hatch. Eventually I got it to work and it looks great. The latch is working and I trimmed down the hatch weatherstrip so that it sits where I want it without putting to much pressure on the hatch itself.

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Have any pictures of the underside of it and what you did to get the hinge to work?
I'll try to post up some pic's for you ASAP. There are quite a few pic's on raeonusa.com including one's of the underside http://www.raceonusa.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=826_827&products_id=27697&zenid=fdek4hcr0p22m8g7gbh0c8qph1

In fact, I just looked and they have a pic's with someone holding the stock hinge up to the mounting point on the cf hatch (image #32 and 34) and one of the threaded inserts on the hatch below the hinge mounting locations (image #33). I'll post up a pic with it bolted on ASAP.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looking good did you by any chance put the hatches on a scale? Iam asking because my hatch strut doesnt hold up the hatch its a 240 so its got only 1. The other day the damn thing fell on me (i had a rubber hammer wedged in while I was replacing a rear bulb but it slipped out) Just wondering if a carbon fibre hatch falling would be a significant in pain and weight hehe.

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Looking good did you by any chance put the hatches on a scale? Iam asking because my hatch strut doesnt hold up the hatch its a 240 so its got only 1. The other day the damn thing fell on me (i had a rubber hammer wedged in while I was replacing a rear bulb but it slipped out) Just wondering if a carbon fibre hatch falling would be a significant in pain and weight hehe.
The carbon fiber hatch weighs about 9.5 lbs, but the stock glass weigh's much more than that. If you really want light weight get a cf hatch and a lexan rear window.
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  • 5 months later...

I went on raceonusa's site and can't find it listed undet any of the s30 types... is it located somewhere else?

I just spoke with Raceonusa and they are in the process of sending their molds overseas to help reduce costs. If you want one now, you can still call them and get one made before the molds are sent out. Once they're shipped it will take a while before they start making them again.
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