To hood pin or not to hood pin

[low135]

Just wanted to get some general consensus on what people have done/feel on hood pins for aftermarket hoods. Looking online, I see more without pins than with so I felt that might be an indication of relative safety? I'm looking at a Seibon hood but pretty against the look of hood pins. Any feedback from hooded users would be great

[Yeineken]

I believe it comes down to your driving style. If you ever do 80+ mph then get the latches.

IMO It's really not worth dying over. You can paint them as well.

[Ginger_Extract]

If you're tracking, get hood pins. Had an old car with a carbon hood and stock latch and it lifted over 100MPH.

[low135]

Originally Posted by Ginger_Extract

If you're tracking, get hood pins. Had an old car with a carbon hood and stock latch and it lifted over 100MPH.

Originally Posted by Yeineken

I believe it comes down to your driving style. If you ever do 80+ mph then get the latches.

IMO It's really not worth dying over. You can paint them as well.

Originally Posted by Ginger_Extract

If you're tracking, get hood pins. Had an old car with a carbon hood and stock latch and it lifted over 100MPH.

Ugh. I was hoping this wasn't the case seeing so many aftermarket hoods without pins. they're so ugly. But better safe than sorry

[what have i got into]

Have you seen the Aerocatch ones?
https://www.amazon.com/AeroCatch-Plu.../dp/B0026I5Z22

Still a pin, but not a pin sticking up through the hood with a cable and pin.

Seibon has a writeup on installing them.
https://seiboncarbon.com/downloads/t...tion_guide.pdf

I plan on putting them on mine, just haven't gotten to it yet.

[low135]

Originally Posted by what have i got into

Have you seen the Aerocatch ones?
https://www.amazon.com/AeroCatch-Plu.../dp/B0026I5Z22

Still a pin, but not a pin sticking up through the hood with a cable and pin.

Seibon has a writeup on installing them.
https://seiboncarbon.com/downloads/t...tion_guide.pdf

I plan on putting them on mine, just haven't gotten to it yet.

Yeah I just was hoping to not have to use them or anything. Wondering how they'd hold up to vinyl wrapping to match the hood

[chris_flies]

Matticus91 has a CF hood with the AeroCatch (IIRC) pins. Very clean look (it is bare carbon though), I must say...

[low135]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Matticus91 has a CF hood with the AeroCatch (IIRC) pins. Very clean look (it is bare carbon though), I must say...

Yeah I want it to be body color if I can. Stands out way too much (especially on yellow)

[Matticus91]

The latches are certainly not a look for everyone, but it IS a requirement. If you bought the hood from Seibon you'll see their warnings everywhere, and they are not unwarranted. You will lose the hood or worse if you try to run without any pins, the single central catch mechanism on these cars isn't nearly enough for a hood this light.

I opted to keep my hood unpainted because I like the option of exposed carbon but I completed understand the other view on this. My car is also "carbon black" and matches the exposed CF very well IMO. I have a project coming up very soon that will be changing this and this means the AeroCatch latches will be much more contrasted. I don't think I'll hate it but we'll see.

That said, you can actually paint these latches to match, the plastic used is a very easy to paint composite. If you are going to get the hood painted, have the latches installed, then remove the latches and have the hood/latches painted as separate components to avoid tacking them to the hood with paint so you can remove them later if needed.

Some pics of mine:

TobiasOct2017-9 by Matt Steele, on Flickr
TobiasJuly2017-5 by Matt Steele, on Flickr
20170421_125806 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

[low135]

Thanks for the input Matticus91 it does look great on black. I am wrapping my sapphire black in a couple weeks so maybe I'll see how the latches would look being vinyl wrapped. Appreciate the feedback. Sounds like a necessary thing

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by low135

Thanks for the input Matticus91 it does look great on black. I am wrapping my sapphire black in a couple weeks so maybe I'll see how the latches would look being vinyl wrapped. Appreciate the feedback. Sounds like a necessary thing

Certainly a good question, and I'm going the same route so maybe I'll try wrapping them independent of the hood and let you know how it goes. You'll see a thread soon for the new project

[low135]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Certainly a good question, and I'm going the same route so maybe I'll try wrapping them independent of the hood and let you know how it goes. You'll see a thread soon for the new project

Please do! My car goes in for wrap in two weeks but I don't have the hood yet. I'll wrap it separately after the whole car is done. Would be good to know how the vinyl holds up to the latches before hand though. Any idea what color you're going for yet?

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Certainly a good question, and I'm going the same route so maybe I'll try wrapping them independent of the hood and let you know how it goes. You'll see a thread soon for the new project

Does this sorta mean you're wrapping your car?

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by low135

Please do! My car goes in for wrap in two weeks but I don't have the hood yet. I'll wrap it separately after the whole car is done. Would be good to know how the vinyl holds up to the latches before hand though. Any idea what color you're going for yet?

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Does this sorta mean you're wrapping your car?

Oh yes, I have all the supplies already. The wife and I will hopefully start tackling it this week

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Oh yes, I have all the supplies already. The wife and I will hopefully start tackling it this week

Matt's not telling what color. What a tease...

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Matt's not telling what color. What a tease...

You know me well

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

You know me well

I assume you're doing the hood as well? Will miss that carbon fiber look.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by Esteban

I assume you're doing the hood as well? Will miss that carbon fiber look.

Yessir! I'm worried it'll start to fade if I don't, that's actually what started this.... re-imaging of sorts lol

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Yessir! I'm worried it'll start to fade if I don't, that's actually what started this.... re-imaging of sorts lol

Understandable. Good luck with the job.

Don't forget to post DIY pics, and will expect several of 1ADDICTS' favorite pooch. lol

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Understandable. Good luck with the job.

Don't forget to post DIY pics, and will expect several of 1ADDICTS' favorite pooch. lol

Oh without a doubt haha there will be a whole thread on the project and progress. And Apollo will definitely be involved, he's partly inspiring the change (hint hint)

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Oh without a doubt haha there will be a whole thread on the project and progress. And Apollo will definitely be involved, he's partly inspiring the change (hint hint)

Haha, now my curiosity is really going. You bastard!

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by Esteban

Haha, now my curiosity is really going. You bastard!

Hahahaha you won't have to wait long hopefully starting this week!