Just something I thought I'd share...

After the completion off my front end rebuild, followed by the alignment and rebalancing of the front tires I thought a top end test was in order. Drove the car around for a week or so to uncover any defects, having encountered none decided to give it a go.

My buddy is pacing me in his 4th gen throughout this. Coming up through the gears and gaining speed the car feels much more stable without a hint of wobble. Thank you moog, edlebrock, and spohn. Passing 130mph and it is far more stable than before. Just shy of the 150 mark my American Sports Car Concepts SS hood splits in half from the front seam back!! It didnt rip all the way in two, but it split the layers far back enough that their was about a 6in gap between the lower layer(hood latch side) and the upper layer. Opening the hood up about a foot back up the hood line.

Needless to say this was followed by an immediate shut down, and much profanity. Limped it home and upon inspection found that it was as if the layers had simply become un-resined from each other. Aside from some spider cracking of the paint no other damage was done.

All this said, I bought the hood second hand so I cannot blame the manufacturer. I've had this hood for over a year now, but before the rebuild I just wouldent push the car that fast. I never noticed any stress cracks before hand but there are risks that are taken when driving at extreme speeds.

Max,

 

Pix, man!

We need pix!

 

Do you think hood pins could have kept the hood from splitting like it did? I have an SS hood from Hawks (still have yet to paint it) and I have to be extremely careful handling it because it feels so brittle. To be honest, I've really wondered if it would hold together at high speeds also.

Luckily the hood splitting didn't cause you to wreck the car or anything. I'd like to see some pics of the two inner halves and see how exactly they fit together if you don't mind.

 

i have always woried about my hood fliping up when i drive at about 80mph because it flexes and bounces so much. just the stock louvered hood. 150 would probibly be crazy even with the metal hood.

 

What the hell have u done to that 305 tbi to make it go 150mph lol?? and yes pics pleez!! I had the hood lift on my old 78 malibu and smash the windsheld lol. wasnt goin that fast (like 70-75) just cought a mean draft from a semi

 

Sorry no pix guys, the epoxy is drying as we speak(type). Gonna try to salvage it at least untill I get a full pin on hood. I can tell you though, its just two layers, the top overlapping the bottom just a bit to make the curve of the front line. From what I saw looking up in there the hood is joined all around the perimeter and a few points in the middle(around the scoop) and the rest of the hollow space is filled with some kind of hard foam. Looks the expanding kind, lol.

RevItUpZ28, no doubt hood pins would have provented this. I already picked up a set, gonna get them mounted asap.

FormulaL98, Just the mods in my sig, some port work along with the cam and a small shot. (dont like to advertise that too much) Combine that with the airplane gears that are in this thing and it will get damn close.

Max,

 

Here's what it looks like right now... Not that these help much

 

please tell me you were not doing 150mph on a public road

 

11 Miles of desolate highway.

The state bought all the property on both sides of it for some massive industrial movement, that was like 5 years ago and still nothing there but fields and some timber. Not a single house.

Me and my pace car take off after the all clear from the 4 spotters placed down the road at 1 mile intervals after the first mile. One call over the two way clipped to my seat belt and its immediate shut down, no exceptions. Had to wait almost an hour just to take off, waiting for the all clear.

Not a track, or an airstrip. But I do take the neccesary precautions to ensure the saftey of other people.

Max,

 

One of the car magazines featured a 3rd gen with a factory 82 glass hood. It completely delaminated from the metal frame on one drag strip pass.
Makes me concerned about the OEM hood I'm running.

 

If hood pins work PM me, I got an SS and the hood bounces around 60 and the fastest i gone with the hood is 152 and the rear of it was lmoving up and down like crazy. im thinking about cutting the back the hood so its not completely solid, seeing if that helps.

 

Will do. I can say though I have never noticed any bouncing of the back of the hood. Could be loose hinges, or worn hood struts. Also, check to see if your rear snubbers are adjusted properly. I'm not sure what you mean by cutting, but that might might it even more un-stable.

Max,

 

Which highway? I see you're in Anna, I'm in Carbondale.
51, 146, 4?
I don't usually go south of 13, but I'd like to have a nice stretch to have a little fun on - other than 57 of course (Except anywhere around Effingham county).

I've been having top-end issues for a while, so once I figure them out and fix them I'd like to be able to make sure they're actually fixed.

 

i wouldnt be suprised it cracked like it did.
i have an ASCD ss hood and its a total pile of junk.
when i had it painted my guy told me he would have to cut the hood into sections to fix it.
didnt line up anywhere, and around the hood hinges on both side are still warped pretty good. poor quality. you can only fill so much.
mine shakes about 140-145mph. my gear limits my top speed now, so hopefully mine will stay together a lil longer at speeds.

 

Alright so I epoxied it all back together, clamped it tight, and let it set over night. In fear of it happening again, I decided to pin it. Not too sold on the look just yet, may find some black anodized pins and plates to see if I like that better. Normally there is no way I would pin a hood unless it was a full pin on, but this hood isnt the best of quality and safety comes first.

Max,

 

I was thinking about pining mine to, well after I saw this I went ahead and did it. I hate the way they look but if they save my hood so be it

 

would those clear head light covers that cover the head light box area force the air over the hood and not back up under it in that part of the hood? at 150 that would be a ton of pressure those areas. if the air was flowing over the top of the hood that would be best. i'm thinking of getting the black outs for mine.

 

In theory they would but I've heard of those covers flying off at 80+

 

I have the full set of the GTS blackouts. I leave the rear ones on all the time, but I never liked the look of the front ones. Seems like the head light pockets are part of the camaro look.

But all opinions aside, it would stand to theory that they would give to a more smooth air flow over the hood/nose area.


Max,

 

150 In An RS!! WOW thats a quick Rs. Sucks about the hood though.

 

http://www.aerocatch.com/ > Those pins.

I have a hard time believing a true 150 was reached, but I'm sure it was close.

Sucks about the hood delaminating though. What kind of epoxy did you use to sandwich it back together?

 

I was told one time that a stock rs tbi will do 140 mph with the speed sensor disconnected, no doubt it will take a while but with a few mods it isn't that far beyond possible.

 

 

Key word; Told. And there is a HUGE difference between 140, and 150mph.

I'm not saying it's not possible, just not probable.

 

its possible my buddy got hes 305 tbi to do 155 with a small shot. so with the mods he has i think he could do it ill see if i still have the video and try and post a link. took awhile to get up there thou.

 

I plan to use those pins on my SS hood. They don't stick out like the regular pins.

 

Wow, non believers... lol

Anyway, I was looking at those Aerocatch pins on ebay. They have them in locking version too.

As a far as the TRUE speed is concerned... I recall stating in my original post that I was "shy" of the 150 mark. What that translates to, is when I got it pulled over my buddy runs up to my car and tells me "man you damn near had it to 150"!! Now, if that means 149 or 140 and 150 just sounded better to him I dont know... I didnt ask, the bottom line was my F***** hood tried to fly off and I was pissed.

BTW, my VSS is bypassed with a switch I can turn on or off. There are details on that in the Tech Articles of this site.

Thanks for the replies,
Max

 

Used a two part epoxy, forgot exactly what it was called. I'll see if I can find the box. Some kind of "plastic welder", said it had something like 2500 psi strength.

 

Damn, that sucks bro! Sorry to hear...good luck with the hood!

 

Wow that's really horrible that happened to you. I know of some hood "pins" that are recessed into the hood like those Aerolatch ones, but they are a circle, not the oblong shape. IMO they would look better, but that depends on the person I guess. I'm not sure of the brand though, my boss has some on a couple of the cars he's shipping. If you guys are interested I can ask and see what they are.