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Hood Pins! Do I need them?

2quick

2quick

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So I'll be hitting the track for the first time this weekend and after going through my checklist I thought about hood pins and was wondering if I needed them or not. I am using a bolt on AAR Fiberglass Hood w/Hemi scoop. I know it's probably a good idea but I like the look without them and was wondering if anyone has had an issue with their hood flying open on this style hood. Car should run over 130mph. Honestly if i need them it's going to postpone the trip...

IMG_5627.JPG
 
NEED them no......but I wasn't ever sure on trusting the bolt areas where the latch bolts on on a fiberglass hood. It'll probably be fine for a weekend, but over time the stress can crack/fatigue areas like that and I wouldn't trust it long term by any means without the pins. They are supposedly reinforced with steel in the latch and hinge area, but I am not so sure I'd be keen on it for long term.
 
Pull the hood and your definitely good to go. It just doesn't look as good. Great looking 66!
 
Jerry Hall said:
Pull the hood and your definitely good to go. It just doesn't look as good. Great looking 66!
Click to expand...

My local track makes you run a hood, or atleast a scoop over the carbs I think for fire reasons.
 
91r/t said:
My local track makes you run a hood, or atleast a scoop over the carbs I think for fire reasons.
Click to expand...
Thanks it's been some years since I've been to the track here. My carbs have velocity stacks and I ran the car without the hood. I wasn't going to take a chance with a real LO23 hood. I didn't get to make but one pass before they threw me out anyway. I was to fast with no roll bar.
 
I have a bolt on 6bbl hood also. It has hood pins and I plan on using the center hood latch also. Better safe than sorry.
 
I wouldn't run a glass hood without them. Mine AAR hood is held on with 4 pins. At 150 mph the sides bow up close to a inch"
Doug
 
How is the hood secured right now ? Is it bolted to the factory hinges and use the factory hood catch and safety catch ? Myself I use hood pins on mine but its installed as a lift off hood. Ron

414248383.jpg
 
I ordered a set of reproduction 70 B Body hood pins from Dante's Mopar hope they get here by Friday.
 
Done. Used reproduction Hood pins for a 70 B with the rubber gaskets underneath.

IMG_0092[1].JPG IMG_0093[1].JPG
 
You're going to need 2 right in front between the 2 you have there. That front end will want to lift right off the car and tear that stock latch off the fiberglass.
 
I have them, factory installed. My hood latch has never ever popped open accidentally, but I have great peace of mind with the hood pins.
 
It's something to think about . 40 Years ago I had a 1967 cuda fastback that I had a 426 hemi in . This was before everything was so expensive to buy . I changed the car over and tried to make a Hemi Cuda out of it , I found and bought a set of fenders and a hood off of a 68 cuda superstock car $150.00 for all of it . . The hood had been installed with 4 hood pins when I got it so that is what I used . The first run with the car I noticed that the hood in the rear and front came up enough to let me see the intake and carbs . It looked like it wanted to fly at 127 mph . So I added 4 more pins and the problem went away . Think about it if you do not add hood pins , you would loose the hood , scoop , windshield and put nasty dents in the top of your car plus you can not see where you are going when it happens . OOPS
 
I used to run my stock steel hood with a hemi scoop and no hood pins. I didn't want to drill into the hood. It ended up that that the inner brace cracked and started to pull down. I used some plumbers strapping after I noticed but that tore the next pass and I nearly lost the hood. I could put my entire hand in between the hood and the inner structure, which the latch bolts to. I was lucky.
I fixed the inner structure and drilled pin holes. I learnt my lesson on hood pins.


It had opened up 4 inches after the pass.
IMG_4595.JPG
 
malex said:
I used to run my stock steel hood with a hemi scoop and no hood pins. I didn't want to drill into the hood. It ended up that that the inner brace cracked and started to pull down. I used some plumbers strapping after I noticed but that tore the next pass and I nearly lost the hood. I could put my entire hand in between the hood and the inner structure, which the latch bolts to. I was lucky.
I fixed the inner structure and drilled pin holes. I learnt my lesson on hood pins.


It had opened up 4 inches after the pass.
View attachment 837847
Click to expand...
Wow that's some serious stuff right there! If I had any doubt before about adding pins, it's gone now... Opening up a steel hood like that is something I've never seen. Thanks Malex
 
Seems that cars with scoops have the tendency to want to lift the hood. My car needed a hood,found one at Carlisle with opening and the pin holes drilled so I used them with the factory 70 pin kit.I run circle clips and no lanyards.
IMG_2731.jpg
 
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