How To: Restore Carbon Fiber

[@NN13K0]

Great work! My '18 WRX is currently being painted from the stock dark gray, to Audi Suzuka Gray Metallic. I'm gonna be re-clearing my APR wing though myself. I only had it a little over a year and noticed it's got a couple cloudy spots (clear failure) forming (even with me stacking 5 layers of ceramic - single layer of gtechniq CSL, and 4 gtechniq EXO). Figured I might as well take care of that now, since APR's clear/gel coat isn't that great.

[@iansullivan9339]

Fantastic video man. Im probably going to do the same with mine. I have a 14 sti with the same hood. Thanks for posting!!

[@LidZLife]

Very Nice. Looks like NEW. Great Job!

[@nickquatrini]

Thank you! We were really impressed with the results ourselves. This was our first one ever!

[@DonnieLee-e5e]

Can you list what you used ? Gun spray Sand paper Tool Machine I have a hood like this I would love to gather everything and start this . TIA

[@kevinsarmiento1039]

What gun are you using to clear coat

[@TG-td6fl]

How can you be contact to services if this is something you do regularly? I'm really struggling with finding a repair solution...

[@ronwalters8434]

idk how the heck you did that with 320 grit... I would start with 80 or 100 at least... Any thoughts on that?

[@nickquatrini]

I mean, you probably could. But me personally, I wouldn't go any lower than 220. The DA sander takes it down super fast and remember a carbon hood is just clear coat and epoxy resin. If you go too far into the epoxy you damage the carbon strands. We had the whole hood sanded in under an hour only one person working on it at a time.

[@SaiSai-zs7he]

Mines has some darker spots where as the others are still fine? Do I just keep sanding it down till all of it is like that?

[@nickquatrini]

Darker spots are probably clear coat that is still there, but it is hard to say because if you are into the carbon fiber you've gone too far. Use some water and wet sand those spots with very fine paper, if the water turns white than it is just clear that is still there, if the water turns a dark color than you are down into the carbon and you need to reapply a layer of epoxy over top of those spots to seal it off.

[@giovannibalcazar]

Do you know if I sand my carbon hood instead of painting it or putting clear would wrap stick too if?

[@nickquatrini]

I don't know for sure. I think to be safe I would spray a coat of clear after sanding to give it a nice smooth surface to adhere to. But also I would wait a week before wrapping it so the clear can fully cure. They sell automotive grade clear coat in a rattle can on Amazon

[@jadehapuku4253]

You didnt wet sand in between coats ? The dirt or particles would of been locked in there as soon as you put 2nd coat on ,you cant buff them out that only takes particles off top coat

[@nickquatrini]

Without rewatching the video, I'm pretty sure we didn't need to wet sand. We just washed it with glass cleaner multiple times before spraying it. Apparently, that's what some body shops are using now.

[@randomstuff159]

@@nickquatrini at the bodyshop I work at we use glass cleaner but also some lacquer thinner to make sure we got all the silicone or grease that could have gotten onto the panel after paint prep

[@gottagofast12]

@@randomstuff159 Lacquer thinner is too hot for that. Use wax and grease remover.

[@NN13K0]

@@gottagofast12 Or to be on the safe side, mix-up some IPA (homemade panel wipe) but go heavier on the Isopropyl Alcohol. Or, you can use Denatured Alcohol. It's very similar to Lacquer Thinner but a lot safer to use. Both IPA and Denatured work great for paint prep ;)

[@gianvmarco]

why is it still yellow

[@nickquatrini]

Carbon does that as it ages

[@sacatolasmoreira5593]

No, it doesn't. Resin does it if not uv coated ​@nickquatrini

[@g3money12]

@@nickquatriniso you did a half ass job

[@nickquatrini]

@g3money12 as far as i know there is no way to remove the yellowing from the resin. It is doscoloration from UV light

[@gianvmarco]

Why not buff and polish instead,

[@nickquatrini]

The clear coat was peeling, you cant leave the resin exposed in the sun it will yellow almost immediately

[@ericgon46]

Buff and polish only gives a temporary shine, fades quickly in the sun

[@johnnymazariego9799]

What clear epoxy did you use

[@nickquatrini]

We just used regular 5 minute eppxy from walmart to fill in some chips. If youre doing a big job you can use a resin from total boat but make sure you get the clear epoxy

[@johnnymazariego9799]

@@nickquatrini thank you so much