Aluminum body panels replaced with steel

wrxser · 02-28-2007, 12:39 PM

Just read in the new Subiesport that subaru is going to replace the lightweight body panels with zinc coated steel. Don't know if this will adversely affect performance, but I guess it could justify buying carbon fiber panels for future buyers.

Daweism · 02-28-2007, 02:47 PM

In the STi?

Of just lower models?

wrxser · 02-28-2007, 02:52 PM

All models with lightened body panels. Price of aluminum has gone through the roof.

Daweism · 02-28-2007, 02:54 PM

Why can't they replace it with carbon fibuuur?

Grunt · 02-28-2007, 03:01 PM

They should continue using aluminum and just charge us more?

***VSGTS14*** · 02-28-2007, 04:42 PM

cf aftermarket pieces ftw.
we only had an aluminum hood for the US car anyway.
the JDM cars are gonna get pwned they had more aluminum.

Daweism · 03-01-2007, 01:02 AM

How much more could it possibly cost?

A few hundred? I wouldn't mind...

T3h_Clap · 03-01-2007, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daweism

How much more could it possibly cost?

A few hundred? I wouldn't mind...

trust subaru, they know what they are doing.

a small increase in materials gets exponential when you think about how many cars it effects.

having steel isn't a bad thing.

the Hood, Roof and Trunk on the JDM Spec Cs will see the most damage.

hopefully this will open a market for replacement carbon roofs

anyway, the reason they don't use carbon is b/c that's MORE expensive then the aluminum.

Sideoiler · 03-01-2007, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daweism

How much more could it possibly cost?

A few hundred? I wouldn't mind...

Subaru must multiply that couple hundred bucks by the amount of production worldwide. There are many things that go into a decision of this type, supply is the main one. I heard there are only 2 alum. smelters operating worldwide, so demand is outpacing the supply and smelting is an extremely polluting process which requires massive amounts of electricity.

***VSGTS14*** · 03-01-2007, 09:34 AM

also subaru doesn't sell enough cars to possibly keep production using something expensive.

stretch · 03-01-2007, 12:33 PM

This sucks. The hood, roof, and trunk are all physically high up on the car. Replacing them with steel will raise the car's center of gravity, which is very bad.

I guess Subaru could use thin steel to keep weight down, but then I'd worry about strength.

Still, I understand that aluminum is getting too expensive. Ah well. I don't want the STI to get any more expensive than it is.

T3h_Clap · 03-01-2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stretch

This sucks. The hood, roof, and trunk are all physically high up on the car. Replacing them with steel will raise the car's center of gravity, which is very bad.

I guess Subaru could use thin steel to keep weight down, but then I'd worry about strength.

Still, I understand that aluminum is getting too expensive. Ah well. I don't want the STI to get any more expensive than it is.

you do realize that your car only has an aluminum hood right?

Daweism · 03-03-2007, 12:19 AM

Fiberglass???

T3h_Clap · 03-03-2007, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daweism

Fiberglass???

why not steel?

we don't have alot of aluminum on our cars.

**Digitalfiend** · 03-03-2007, 08:32 AM

This won't really affect us too much but losing the aluminum hood would suck - then again it would probably make all those people that buy c/f hoods to replace the stock aluminum hood (which is lighter

) happy.

Honestly, I would love to pickup a Spec-C aluminum trunk and roof (though the roof would require cutting and welding and probably isn't worth it as the sheet metal feels pretty thin already).

The nice thing I like about having an aluminum roof though is that it doesn't rust when it gets chipped. I had to constantly be on top of chips on my RSX hood because they would start to rust almost immediately if the chip went through the primer. My STi hood doesn't have that problem.

02-28-2007, 12:39 PM	#1
wrxser Spec C Club Car: 06 STI obp Fav Mod: My Wife Location: Newberg, Oregon Posts: 1,024 Join Date: Feb 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Aluminum body panels replaced with steel Just read in the new Subiesport that subaru is going to replace the lightweight body panels with zinc coated steel. Don't know if this will adversely affect performance, but I guess it could justify buying carbon fiber panels for future buyers. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

03-03-2007, 08:32 AM	#15
Digitalfiend Super Moderator Car: 08 DGM STI Fav Mod: My wife :) Location: Brooklin, Ontario Posts: 5,512 Join Date: Oct 2003 Trader Rating: (0)	This won't really affect us too much but losing the aluminum hood would suck - then again it would probably make all those people that buy c/f hoods to replace the stock aluminum hood (which is lighter ) happy. Honestly, I would love to pickup a Spec-C aluminum trunk and roof (though the roof would require cutting and welding and probably isn't worth it as the sheet metal feels pretty thin already). The nice thing I like about having an aluminum roof though is that it doesn't rust when it gets chipped. I had to constantly be on top of chips on my RSX hood because they would start to rust almost immediately if the chip went through the primer. My STi hood doesn't have that problem. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

02-28-2007, 02:47 PM	#2
Daweism Professional STI Racer Car: 1993 Toyota Camry LE Fav Mod: Cobb Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 837 Join Date: Jan 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	In the STi? Of just lower models?

02-28-2007, 02:52 PM	#3
wrxser Spec C Club Car: 06 STI obp Fav Mod: My Wife Location: Newberg, Oregon Posts: 1,024 Join Date: Feb 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	All models with lightened body panels. Price of aluminum has gone through the roof.

02-28-2007, 02:54 PM	#4
Daweism Professional STI Racer Car: 1993 Toyota Camry LE Fav Mod: Cobb Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 837 Join Date: Jan 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Why can't they replace it with carbon fibuuur?

02-28-2007, 03:01 PM	#5
Grunt Grassroots STI Racer Posts: 586 Join Date: Dec 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	They should continue using aluminum and just charge us more?

02-28-2007, 04:42 PM	#6
*VSGTS14* Muller Chevrolet Car: 08 Chevy 2500HD Fav Mod: a new 08 STi Location: Milford, NJ Posts: 9,967 Join Date: Oct 2004 Trader Rating: (11)	cf aftermarket pieces ftw. we only had an aluminum hood for the US car anyway. the JDM cars are gonna get pwned they had more aluminum.

03-01-2007, 01:02 AM	#7
Daweism Professional STI Racer Car: 1993 Toyota Camry LE Fav Mod: Cobb Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 837 Join Date: Jan 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	How much more could it possibly cost? A few hundred? I wouldn't mind...

03-01-2007, 09:34 AM	#10
*VSGTS14* Muller Chevrolet Car: 08 Chevy 2500HD Fav Mod: a new 08 STi Location: Milford, NJ Posts: 9,967 Join Date: Oct 2004 Trader Rating: (11)	also subaru doesn't sell enough cars to possibly keep production using something expensive.

03-01-2007, 12:33 PM	#11
stretch Silver Member Car: Aspen 2005 STi Fav Mod: TurnInConcepts.com Coilovers Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 1,808 Join Date: Mar 2006 Trader Rating: (2)	This sucks. The hood, roof, and trunk are all physically high up on the car. Replacing them with steel will raise the car's center of gravity, which is very bad. I guess Subaru could use thin steel to keep weight down, but then I'd worry about strength. Still, I understand that aluminum is getting too expensive. Ah well. I don't want the STI to get any more expensive than it is.

03-03-2007, 12:19 AM	#13
Daweism Professional STI Racer Car: 1993 Toyota Camry LE Fav Mod: Cobb Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 837 Join Date: Jan 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Fiberglass???