Tubi Carbonfiber air box covers installed!

I'm happy to report that I installed my Tubi carbonfiber air box covers today. UPS dropped them off along with the Tubi exhaust this afternoon.

The covers are very light and look great! I'm not a big fan of messing with what Ferrari or Pininfirina designs, but in this case, I think the stock air box covers had to go. The 360 really should have come with carbonfiber air box covers from the factory - especially after seeing the Tubi parts on the car - they look amazing!

The tubi covers are made from actual, real carbonfiber and have a beautiful look to them. Finish was very nice... 99.99% - only a couple small spots with a few tiny areas that looked like some air bubbles or something were on the surface, then scratched off. From 12 inches back, you can't see them, so I can't complain. On the product, Tubi had tapped a label which read:

"All parts are hand-made, meaning that each and every part features a unique fiber arrangement and resin coating. We could well hide any minor blemish underneath a generous layer of resin or paint. However, we choose to avoid this practice as it mackes [sic] for increased weight and stiffness and lessens resistance to fuel and solvents."

hmm... okay, allow me to translate... "yes, these parts might not be perfect, but we didn't feel like making them 2 grams heavier to fix it"



All kidding aside, they really are works of art - and unless you use a loop, you cannot detect any problems. The boys at Tubi have done it again I can't say how much nicer the engine compartment looks.

I used stainless steel allen head screws and washers to install them and then the hoses and clamps provided by tubi. I had ordered other clamps, but in the end, the tubi ones ended up working best.

The air box covers were well made, but a little raw on the inside. In a couple of areas I had to scratch away some fibers and stuff (maybe from the bags they use to make them?) in order to clean things up a touch. Nothing too major. In a couple areas I used a little fine sand paper to smooth things down also. Again, no big deal.

The SS screws I had (which are the same size as the stock screws) didn't quite fit through the oval holes Tubi provided in the covers. I decided to use a small, round file and *very carefully* enlarged them from oval slots to more round circles. After a few minutes with the file, the screws would slide right in the holes. During installation, this helped quite a bit. The one screw under the inlet (on each cover) is a rather tight fit, so I had to use an allen wrench with "wobble" to install it (install that screw first for sure!)

Anyway, the job took all of an hour or so. I was going to leave the clamps off, but in the end I installed them. I had also ordered some large nylon wire ties for this area, but they didn't provide enough clamping pressure. The bands that tubi provided worked well and have a nice rolled edge so they don't cut into the silicone hose.

I went with the tubi intake covers because they are made from real carbonfiber and also because I liked the sleek look of them. I have seen others which are a few bucks less, but they appeared to sit up higher and do not have quite as nice an appearance (at least in my opinion). The tubi ones look a touch lower and a bit more sleek.


I'll attach a couple of photos here. I took them with the flash in the evening, so they aren't as clear as they could be. Maybe tomorrow I'll take some better shots if anyone is interested.

Anyway, I personally think they really look great! I like the contrast of the SS allen head screws also. I didn't know for sure if I would like the SS on the Carbonfiber, but after seeing it finished, I think it looks "race ready" as they say

The tubi air box covers are expensive (MSRP $1399), but I feel the extra cost is worth it. If you shop around, you can also find them discounted a bit (although with the exchange rate going up, it's never a sure bet

All in all, I am very pleased and feel this is a worth while upgrade.

Ray
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haven't had a chance to drive the car, but I am not expecting any change. Okay, maybe 1/32 HP I just did it for looks is all

Ray

 

I'll take some additional pictures of the car once I install the new rims and tubi, etc. - just need to wait for a sunny day I did post some photos of the car when I first bought it (photos of it at the dealership and when it was being delivered here) on the following thread:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108245

On the tubi air box covers, the design is slightly different from the stock ones on the inside. The factory boxes have an internal velocity stack, while the tubi covers have a smooth transition into the inlet. This may result in slightly better flow, but I seriously doubt the difference would result in any measurable HP increases. With that said, every little bit helps on a normally aspirated car.

The main reason I installed them was to save weight (no, just kidding! . The main reason was because they look so good. I'm not a big fan of having carbon fiber all over the place, but the factory air box covers just look out of place to me. The tubi ones are very sleek and look like what should have come from the factory - and when you have a big ass window displaying your motor to the world, the little touch of carbon fiber is kind of nice (although I suspect this will be the first and last carbon fiber part I install on the car

Anyway, I'll try to grab some additional photos during the day and post them here.

Ray

 

The retail price on them is $1399 I believe. I purchased them along with a Tubi exhaust system from T. Rutlands. You might try giving Steve over at T. Rutlands a call and see what he can do for ya. I was very pleased with the service they provided and how quickly the items were shipped. Feel free to mention my name and that we chatted on Ferrari chat.



Ray

 

Here are some photos in the day light.
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