Cervini's hood without hood pins?
10-06-2018, 05:25 PM
#1
Cervini's hood without hood pins?
I recently purchased a Cervini's Ram Air Hood Part #1211 for my 2014 GT. I like the way the hood looks WITHOUT the hood pins. Has anyone installed this hood and used it without the pins? I called Cervini's and asked them about it and they said that as long as the hood is securely installed with the factory hardware, I "shouldn't have any problems." I don't race the car but I do drive fast and love to hammer on it when I get the chance (it dyno'd at 637 RWHP). I've looked at both options, the general placement pins and the radiator bracket pins and I don't really care for either of them. Thanks.
10-06-2018, 10:37 PM
#2
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,327
With metal hoods:
Hood pins are for show, they don't effect the secure latching of the hood. It used to be,
the hood pins were used in lieu of the latching mechanism to hold down a fiberglass or
stripped out (no braces) metal hood on race cars, since there was no latch or springs
because of weight savings.
Aftermarket hoods:
Carbon Fiber, and Fiberglass hoods are much lighter than the Aluminum ones. They
are prone to air-lifting on the drag strip, so the hood pins are to be sure the hood does
not fly up should the latch fail under the stress of being pulled on. Factory hoods are
aluminum skeleton, aluminum hood, with the steel striker bolted through it. On some, the
striker is bonded to the fiberglass, or carbon fiber hood. Over time, the striker can become
weak or even come loose, then the hood pulls off it, leaving the striker in the latch, as the
hood flies off, or in your face... Then there are others that have a place to bolt your striker
on to the hood, but it's not going into a metal fame.
Hood pins will make sure that does not happen, and even some warranties state you need
a secondary latching system, or they void the warranty if it flies off, and definitely not if it
just came out of the latch and flew up, or off.
Some, very few, aftermarket hoods, that is the only way you can latch them, is with the hood
pins.
Hood pins are for show, they don't effect the secure latching of the hood. It used to be,
the hood pins were used in lieu of the latching mechanism to hold down a fiberglass or
stripped out (no braces) metal hood on race cars, since there was no latch or springs
because of weight savings.
Aftermarket hoods:
Carbon Fiber, and Fiberglass hoods are much lighter than the Aluminum ones. They
are prone to air-lifting on the drag strip, so the hood pins are to be sure the hood does
not fly up should the latch fail under the stress of being pulled on. Factory hoods are
aluminum skeleton, aluminum hood, with the steel striker bolted through it. On some, the
striker is bonded to the fiberglass, or carbon fiber hood. Over time, the striker can become
weak or even come loose, then the hood pulls off it, leaving the striker in the latch, as the
hood flies off, or in your face... Then there are others that have a place to bolt your striker
on to the hood, but it's not going into a metal fame.
Hood pins will make sure that does not happen, and even some warranties state you need
a secondary latching system, or they void the warranty if it flies off, and definitely not if it
just came out of the latch and flew up, or off.
Some, very few, aftermarket hoods, that is the only way you can latch them, is with the hood
pins.
10-07-2018, 01:47 PM
#3
Moderator
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Michigan again!
Posts: 8,579
Carbon fiber may be lighter, but not all of them. Some weigh the same, or more, than stock aluminum.
10-10-2018, 12:33 PM
#5
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,826
There are numerous fail stories out there regarding aftermarket hoods flying up at highway speed. It is usually attributed to a structurally weaker latch area (vs factory) on the hood, but any bit of misalignment or improper install or fitment related thing can be the culprit too. I'd look into some pins or additional latches just to be safe. There are some flush-mount latches out there that are pretty nice.
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