Tried and Trufiber: Why Your American Car Needs Carbon Fiber
Born and raised in Vietnam, the Truong brothers moved to Alhambra, California—a place that was big on the import scene—and fell in love with domestic cars.
This is how Trufiber came to be one of the most reputable sources of aftermarket parts for the modern domestic crowd.
It all started nearly a decade ago—lucky July 7, 2007, to be exact—when Brandon Truong and his brother started Carbonware, which focused on designing carbon fiber hoods with a style that matched the performance of modern Mustangs. With other companies specializing in carbon fiber products already covering the import market, the brothers seized the opportunity to set up shop and bring the same high quality products to the domestic world; but it wasn’t without a few roadblocks along the way.
Introducing a new trend doesn’t always begin with a warm reception. When the brothers started their journey, they were met with the opposition of old school thinking. At the time, much of the domestic world felt that these carbon fiber modifications were more of a "rice" mod and should stay in the import scene. Rather than throwing in the towel, Brandon pushed on and looked to not only develop these products but also inform people about the style and performance benefits of the lightweight properties of carbon fiber.
"If it’s good enough for jet planes," reasoned Brandon, "it’s got to be good enough for your Mustang."
While the name Carbonware would eventually disband after a merger with Automotive Alliance, the business continued under a new name, Trufiber. The name was simple; they wanted to produce true carbon fiber products with a guaranteed OEM fit. Brandon noticed that trends from the import scene where eventually carrying over to the domestic scene, but with a five-year lag. As new generations have ventured into the domestic scene, they have become more accepting of aftermarket style modifications, allowing Trufiber to expand their business beyond just Mustang hoods.
Today, Trufiber is also a source of carbon fiber interior trims, engine components, spoilers and even wide body fenders for the domestic world. They have also expanded from ’83 and on Mustangs to Corvettes, Chryslers and other Fords. From “bling-bling” style Chrysler 300 owners to performance-oriented Mustang owners, Brandon’s R&D digs deep into characteristics specific to each group within the domestic world.
To get an idea of what Trufiber can create, their wide body Corvette C7 is currently undergoing an update for this year's SEMA Show.
Also under wraps is a special Mustang GT350R they're working on, owned by Tony Brakohiapa.
Look out for more coverage on Driving Line as these builds make their debut at the 2016 SEMA Show, but in the meantime, check out the gallery below for more Trufiber.
