Seibon Carbon Fiber Fenders for 96-00 Civic EK

Seibon OEM-Style Carbon Fiber Front Fenders for 96-00 Civic EK

Factory fenders on an EK take a beating. After 25-plus years, a lot of them have rust bubbling at the wheel arch, a crease from a parking-lot tap, or a few layers of mismatched paint from old repairs. You can hunt down clean OEM fenders and pay for paint, or you can replace them with Seibon's carbon fiber fenders. They keep the factory shape, so the car still looks like an EK. They're just exposed carbon instead of steel.

Are they a performance part? Not really. Carbon fiber is lighter than steel, so you'll take a little weight off the front of the car. But fenders aren't heavy to begin with, and you won't feel the difference on the street. Buy these for the look, for rust-free panels, and because they're nice to have on a show car or track car. If you're chasing real weight savings, a carbon hood or trunk saves more.

3K 2x2 Twill, Laid by Hand

"3K" means each strand in the weave is a bundle of 3,000 carbon filaments, the size that gives carbon its classic fine checkered look. "2x2 twill" describes the weave itself: each strand passes over two and under two, which creates the diagonal pattern. Seibon has been making carbon parts for over 20 years. The weave runs straight across each panel and stays consistent around the curves, which is where cheap carbon usually goes wavy. They also control the ratio of carbon to resin, so the panels come out stiff instead of flexy.

Finish and Care

The fenders come with a gloss clear coat, so they're ready to bolt on, with no paint needed. That clear coat is also what protects the carbon and resin from UV. Treat it like paint. Wax it or ceramic coat it, and keep the car out of the sun when you can. Neglected carbon can start to yellow or haze over the years, especially on a car that's parked outside.

Install Notes: Expect Some Fitting

They mount with your factory hardware at the factory mounting points. Seibon notes that some mounting tabs may need to be modified for an exact fit, so plan for that. Bolt each fender on loosely first and check the gaps to the hood, door, and bumper before you tighten anything. If a tab needs adjusting, trim or shim it carefully and make small changes. Carbon doesn't bend back like steel, and a crack near a mounting point is hard to fix. Have a second person help you line up the panel gaps. It makes the difference between a fender that looks factory and one that looks aftermarket.

Fitment

• 1996-1998 Honda Civic (EK)
• 1999-2000 Honda Civic (EK) - separate variant
• OEM-style shape, front fenders