FRP is a composite material comprised of carbon fiber reinforced polymers. It is meant to be prepped, sanded, and painted; preparation may include using fillers and sanding.

What is partial carbon fiber?

Partial carbon fiber is a mix of FRP and carbon fiber. Partial carbon fiber hoods generally have the vents made of carbon fiber with the rest of the hood made of FRP. Bumpers generally have vents or trim pieces made of carbon fiber.

Are carbon fiber hoods carbon on both sides?

By default the top side of a carbon fiber hood is carbon fiber and the underside is FRP. Double sided carbon fiber hoods have both the top side and the underside made of carbon fiber.

What is dry carbon (pre-preg carbon)?

Dry carbon, also known as pre-preg carbon, is made with an autoclave manufacturing process. It is generally about 50% lighter and stronger than standard carbon fiber.

Which carbon fiber weave is used by default?

Standard 2x2 (3K) woven carbon fiber is the default if a listing does not specify the pattern. Products for Ferrari are made with 1x1 weave by default, and products for McLaren with V-shaped (book match) weave by default.

What is forged carbon fiber?

Forged carbon fiber is made from randomly arranged short carbon fiber strands combined with resin and compressed in a mold. It can be molded into more complex shapes than 3K woven carbon, its random fiber orientation improves impact resistance, and it has a distinctive marbled look.

How much extra do matte finish or special carbon fiber cost?

Unless otherwise indicated, special carbon fiber is a 20% extra option upon request and a matte finish is a 10% extra option upon request.

Carbon Material FAQs– Performance SpeedShop

Q: What does FRP or Carbon/Paintable mean?

The product is meant to be painted by the end user. It may be made of FRP, partial carbon fiber, or carbon fiber, and the customer does not get a choice between FRP or carbon.

This guide covers our carbon fiber parts: how they are made, the carbon fiber patterns and finishes available, which option you get by default, and which options cost extra. It is not an exhaustive list — contact us for anything not listed.

Default patternWoven 3K (2x2)

Default finishGloss clear coat

Matte finish+10%, made to order

Forged / Honeycomb+20%, made to order

Materials

What the part is made of. The material for each option is listed on every product page.

Carbon fiber

Vacuumed CarbonWet carbon

Real carbon fiber laid up with resin and cured under vacuum, finished with a UV protection clear coat. The most common construction for carbon fiber body parts.

Pre-preg CarbonDry carbon

Made from carbon fiber sheets that come pre-impregnated with resin and are cured under heat and pressure in an autoclave. Pre-preg parts are generally lighter and stiffer than vacuumed (wet) carbon parts, with a more consistent surface. Finished with a UV protection clear coat.

Dry carbon describes how the part is made, not how it looks — see Is dry carbon the same as matte?

Partial CarbonPartial vacuumed / partial pre-preg carbon

A combination of FRP and carbon fiber. On hoods, the vents are generally carbon fiber and the rest of the hood is FRP. On bumpers, the vents or trim pieces are generally carbon fiber. FRP areas come in primer, ready to be sanded and painted.

Single-sided CarbonHoods & trunk lids

Top side: carbon fiber with UV protection clear coat
Underside: FRP with matte black primer

Carbon fiber hoods and trunk lids are single-sided unless the listing says double-sided.

Double-sided CarbonHoods & trunk lids

Top side: carbon fiber with UV protection clear coat
Underside: carbon fiber with matte finish

Exposed Carbon to be PaintedUnpolished / partially polished carbon

Made of carbon fiber but supplied without a polished clear coat. Unpolished parts are designed to be painted over during installation; partially polished parts are designed to be partly painted and partly left as exposed carbon.

FRP & paintable

FRPFiberglass reinforced plastic

A composite of glass fibers and resin. FRP parts come in primer and are meant to be prepped, sanded and painted. Preparation may include filler and sanding.

FRP, Painted Black

Made of FRP and finished in solid piano gloss black with a UV clear coat — ready to install without painting.

FRP or Carbon / Paintable

This product is meant to be painted by the end user. It may be made of FRP, partial carbon fiber or carbon fiber — you do not get a choice between FRP and carbon. Prep, sand and paint before installation.

Wet vs. Dry Carbon

Both are real carbon fiber. The difference is how the part is made.

	Vacuumed (wet) carbon	Pre-preg (dry) carbon
How it’s made	Carbon fabric and resin, cured under vacuum	Resin-impregnated carbon sheets, cured with heat and pressure in an autoclave
Weight & stiffness	Light and strong	Generally lighter and stiffer
Surface	Gloss clear coat by default	More consistent weave; gloss clear coat by default
Matte available?	Yes, +10%	Yes, +10%

Carbon Fiber Patterns

The visible weave of a carbon fiber part. Woven 3K is the default unless a listing says otherwise.

Default

Woven 3K (2x2)

The most common carbon fiber weave: bundles of 3,000 filaments woven in a twill pattern. Lightweight and strong, with the classic checkerboard look.

Ferrari default

1x1 Plain Weave

Each fiber bundle alternates over and under in a one-to-one grid, for a tight, uniform look. Products for Ferrari are made with 1x1 weave by default.

McLaren default

V-Shaped Weave

Also called book-match weave: the weave mirrors into a distinct V pattern. Products for McLaren are made with V-shaped weave by default.

On request

Woven 14K / 16K

Larger bundles of 14,000 or 16,000 filaments, giving a bolder, larger-scale weave than 3K.

+20% · Made to order

Forged Carbon

Short, randomly arranged carbon strands compressed in a mold, creating a marbled look. The random fiber orientation suits complex shapes well.

+20% · Made to order

Honeycomb Carbon

Woven carbon layers combined with a honeycomb pattern for a distinctive hexagonal look.

On request

Carbon Kevlar Hybrid

Carbon fiber woven together with Kevlar, combining carbon’s stiffness with Kevlar’s toughness and impact resistance.

On request

Carbon Kevlar with Color

Carbon fiber combined with colored Kevlar for a custom accent color in the weave.

On request

Black & Red Weave

A two-tone carbon weave with red accents, popular on Honda builds.

Finishes

The clear coat on exposed carbon fiber. Both finishes include UV protection.

Default

Gloss

A polished, high-shine clear coat that makes the carbon pattern pop. Adds a protective layer against UV, moisture and light scratches.

+10% · Made to order

Matte

A smooth, non-reflective clear coat for a subtle, understated look that still shows the carbon texture. Resists fingerprints and smudges better than gloss, with the same UV protection.

Common misconception: dry carbon does not mean matte. “Dry carbon” (pre-preg) describes how the part is made; “matte” describes the clear coat. Dry carbon parts come in gloss by default.

Options & Pricing

Unless a listing says otherwise:

Option	Price	Availability
Woven 3K pattern, gloss finish	Listed price	Default
Matte finish	+10%	Made to order
Forged or honeycomb pattern	+20%	Made to order
Other patterns or custom requests	Quoted on request	Contact us

Frequently Asked Questions

What pattern and finish do I get if the listing doesn’t say?

Woven 3K (2x2 twill) carbon fiber with a gloss UV clear coat. Ferrari products default to 1x1 weave and McLaren products to V-shaped weave.

Is dry carbon the same as matte?

No. Dry carbon (pre-preg) is a manufacturing method — carbon sheets pre-impregnated with resin and cured in an autoclave. Matte is a type of clear coat. Dry carbon parts come in gloss by default; matte is a +10% option.

What is the difference between wet carbon and dry carbon?

Wet (vacuumed) carbon is laid up with liquid resin and cured under vacuum. Dry (pre-preg) carbon uses resin-impregnated sheets cured with heat and pressure in an autoclave, which generally makes parts lighter and stiffer. Both are real carbon fiber. See the comparison.

How much extra do matte, forged and honeycomb cost?

Matte finish is +10%. Forged and honeycomb patterns are +20%. These options are made to order — please call 1-(844) 421-0594 for the current lead time before ordering.

What does “FRP or Carbon / Paintable” mean?

The part is meant to be painted. It may be made of FRP, partial carbon or carbon fiber, and you do not get to choose which. Prep, sand and paint it before installation.

What is the difference between a single-sided and a double-sided carbon hood?

A single-sided hood has carbon fiber on top and FRP with matte black primer underneath. A double-sided hood is carbon fiber on both sides, with a matte finish underneath. Hoods are single-sided unless the listing says double-sided.

What is FRP?

FRP stands for fiberglass reinforced plastic — a composite of glass fibers and resin. FRP parts come in primer and need to be prepped and painted.

Are carbon fiber parts protected against UV?

Yes. Exposed carbon fiber parts are finished with a UV protection clear coat, in both gloss and matte.

Can I order a pattern or finish that isn’t listed?

Often, yes. Email or call us with the part and the option you want and we will confirm availability and price.

Need help choosing?

Call 1-(844) 421-0594 or send us a message — we’re happy to help you pick the right material and finish.