Polky_85

iTrader: (2)

Just put a new cowl hood put on (Made by T&N in Vancouver), and it is rediculously light so I want to use pins, but I'm not too crazy about the ones I got on now! I'm thinking some carbon fiber aero-catch style pins. Any thoughts?

MeenZ28

I love the aerocatch pins. I have a set on my car.

Ron U.S.M.C.

I like the Aerocatch pins on some cars. They would look great on your extremely beautiful car.
It looks like you installed the pins you have now without drilling mounting holes around the edges.

Mine are the same way.
I like the traditional style on mine but that's not the only reason. I could not bring myself to start cutting that large hole then drilling all around it in my soon to be painted hood.

I found a way to "mount" the pin plate on top without drilling the outside holes.
Its to bad they don't offer the traditional pins style in black chrome

Polky_85

iTrader: (2)

Thanks Ron! that's one of my biggest concerns is the amount of drilling/dremmeling I'd have to do to sink them in. I'd definitely be bringing her to the shop where I had her painted to hear their thoughts. I'm curious to your method of mounting without drilling?

Polky_85

iTrader: (2)

Say meen, you don't happen to have a pic with the aerocatch's on by any chance do ya?

Ron U.S.M.C.

I found stainless steel washers that have absolutely the exact size hole I needed.
I did not want them sitting directly on the paint so I found very thin rubber washers that just happened to be the exact size.
I used a tiny amount of clear RTV between them.
It is amazing just how well they stay on. I have only taken them off once in the 6 years they have been there. Paint looked just as good as the day I put them on.

Polky_85

iTrader: (2)

That's really slick looking! I like the classic pin look way more than the 2 odd keyholes I have on the cheapo Mr Gaskets. I don't really see the benefit of locking your hood anyways! It also seems to be that with a traditional pin, you aren't putting too much tension down on those 2 points as when you turn the lock and force the extra pressure. If I went that route, and sprayed the stainless washer black or something, do you figure the hood would move around enough to scratch the washer?

Ron U.S.M.C.

You can see just how perfect you can get them. I just put the tip of the pin in the hole and give a little push. You can feel the hood presser a tiny bit.


Its the pins that will scratch the washer. You can see the scrapes on mine just barely.


The only way I can see getting them a little less bright silver would be to "blue" them like you do a gun barrel.

Ron U.S.M.C.

Traditional pins are fairly pronounced.
You can most likely try smaller "R-clip"cotter pins to take away from that.
I like mine just the way they are.
My hood is the Goodmark steel so I don't really need them ,BUT I have my reasons.
Buy the way, I do not like the cables some use. I pull my pins first and take them with me to pop the hood. I set them on my seat. Then when I'm done there is no way to loose them or forget to put them back. Unless you sit on them.......


I will say it again.... you have an AWESOME car.

Ron U.S.M.C.

I found colored hood pins. = http://www.summitracing.com/search/p...-hood-pin-kits
Also black Hair pin style pins but you have to Google them.

maks10

Thanks for sharing this Ron!!!! I'm in the market to find hood pins and trying to limit drilling

paulo57509

While I don't like the hood pin look, I think the hood pins Ford installed on the '68 Mustang GT-CS don't look too bad.

Polky_85

iTrader: (2)

Say, there's a thought too. Just checked them out, and it looks like I wouldn't need to drill anything extra and probably use my stock setup.

Ron U.S.M.C.

'68 Mustang GT-CS pins = I really like them.
Looks like all you do is just push and twist.
Heres a link to them. = http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sd...FY_m7AodMx4AIA
I would still make some changes to them. A ruber washer like mine and ATV to hold the plate on.
I did some research and ....as cool as they are they are prevalent with "Mustang".

MeenZ28

This is the best I can do while at work. If you need close-ups or anything let me know and I'll upload them tonight after work.
http://s1121.photobucket.com/user/me...b6213.jpg.html
http://s1121.photobucket.com/user/me...0edd6.jpg.html

Ron U.S.M.C.

Those look great on a great looking car.
Did you mount them before or after paint because that could be the problem for Polky_85 ?

RedLeader289

iTrader: (2)

Do you get hood pins for the functionality or for looks? My experience with them (on a friend's car) is that the hood wants to move around more without the factory latch.

MeenZ28

I got mine for looks. The stock hood is so heavy I'm not worried about it going anywhere. I haven't noticed it move much but I am also using the factory latch too so....
I put mine in after paint. My paint isn't as nice as it looks in pics so I wasn't worried. It's getting painted in the next few months anyway.

heavy_chevy29

i used the traditional style pins with the stock front latch on a fiberglass hood. they worked fine but i was always using extreme caution not to scratch the paint when pulling the pins out. i changed to a larger cowl hood and the car became a track only car. ive been 140+mph with a fiberglass hood and only the stock latch. i decided to install the aerocatch pins because i figured i was one pass away from having the hood fly off. im really pleased with them. the one-piece design makes it so you can't scratch the paint. the only draw back is the big hole you have cut into the hood. but they do provide a very good temple in the package. if you have a hole saw kit, drill, and some files you'll be fine. here is a pic of mine. some say i put them in backwards. truth is, there is no right or wrong way to install them. i put them in this way because i feel it spreads the load through out a bigger area of the hood. if its just a street car you can put them in however you like.

Polky_85

iTrader: (2)

Ok, so those Aerocatch's look awesome! Thanks for the pics guys, (Meen, your car looks gorgeous btw!). I'm going to pick up a set and while I wait, try to gain the courage to install them myself, and if by the time they get here just don't feel confident enough I'll take em to the shop that sprayed the hood. Hopefully I can put pics up myself in the next couple of week!

joekonik

iTrader: (5)

I like hood pins. I have the stainless steel ford racing ones, I think they're 1/2 inch. Gotta be careful with the cables though because they scratch paint pretty easily.

I probably would've went with the aerocatch ones if I modified my car differently.

Linson

on YOUR car, and most Third Gens, I think the "Aerocatch" type of hood pins look better, more "befitting." traditional hood pins, I think, would look alright on an overtly "Pro-Street" type of car, but are less befitting on a "cleaner, sleeker car.


I thought I recognized the scenery in the pic you posted. I am across the water from you, near Port Angeles.

Polky_85

iTrader: (2)

Right on Linson! I'm from Victoria and had I taken that photo a few more degrees to the right, Port Angeles would've been in the background. I love getting to drive around with the Olympic Peninsula in my windshield!

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Functionality here.

I have a harwood 4" bolt on fiberglass cowl hood, and at the top end of track I noticed the driver side front corner of hood lifting some. So I installed the regular style 1/2" stainless pins with vinyl coated cables. That shoved my problem, also it held hood down better/tighter than the oem latch so I was able to remove latch, cable, spring, etc to shave alittle more weight off the nose of car.

Mr. IROC-Z

iTrader: (1)

Aerocatch on carbon hood.