FRP & CARBON FIBER PARTS

Important

Here is some information about the FRP and Carbon Fiber Finish offered at our web store. Please note that this is general information and a specific manufacturer may or may not offer these features.

FRP

FRP means Fibre Reinforced Plastic or Fibre Reinforced Polymer. The most commonly used name for this type of material is fiberglass. FRP is the most commonly used material in the aftermarket aerodynamics parts industry. It is light weight, can withstand enormous air pressure and, when made by a professional company, will fit perfectly onto a car body without any gaps whatsoever. Please note that we only sell original parts (no copies), so it is guaranteed to fit perfectly.

Most manufacturers leave FRP with a raw finish that needs to be painted. Some manufacturers offer a black or white gel coat option. Both the raw finish and gel coat options can be installed as-is, but will most likely not match your vehicle color. There may also be some scratches on the finish as they are meant to be painted. However, it’s possible to buffer (polish) the scratches and make the gel coat finish look shiny. Please don’t expect a perfect finish on FRP parts as they are designed to offer a solution less expensive than carbon fiber that’s meant to be painted.

Carbon Fiber

Carbon Fiber parts are, 95% of the time, FRP that is covered with a layer of carbon fiber. Even though carbon fiber is one of the lightest materials on the market, weight saving over FRP is minimal (unless Dry Carbon Fiber is used). Most people choose to pay the additional cost for carbon fiber to have a nice finish and give a racing look to their car. The carbon fiber finish is always ready to be installed and does not require extra polishing or painting.

Wet Carbon Fiber
Wet Carbon Fiber is a layer of carbon fiber that is put over a FRP base to give a deep glossy look. Weight savings are minimal, but the look is incredible and the part comes ready to be installed on the car (no painting is required). Since the part does not require any painting, it is often a cost-effective way to have a nice part on the vehicle.

Dry Carbon Fiber
Dry Carbon Fiber is a 100% carbon fiber part that uses less material and is usually about 70% lighter than Wet Carbon Fiber. It also has a matte finish. Producing it requires a strict quality control process and it usually costs much more to make. It’s very solid and is most commonly used on high performance or race cars.

We recommend having carbon fiber parts UV coated if the car is not parked in an indoor parking lot or under shade, otherwise the clear coating might turn white over time.

Painting parts

If you plan on painting your part, please first do a test-fit on the vehicle. It’s very important to make sure the part fits perfectly before having it painted.

We recommend having a professional with experience in fiberglass parts do the painting.

Never have any FRP or carbon fiber parts dried with a heater. The heat may cause the part to deform.