I just installed a Seibon TS style carbon fiber hood on my Z. I bought the aerocatch hood pins as well, but I just can't seem to get myself to cut into my brand new hood to install them. At the same time, I don't want my hood flying up while driving the car on the highway and destroying my car as well as putting other people in danger. The fitment of my hood is spot-on and there is no wiggle when closed with the three OEM hood latches, but I just don't want to take the chance. I have looked into this so many times and on numerous forums. There are actually a good majority who run aftermarket hoods w/o pins, but of course the chance is still there.
Anyways, I've been thinking hard about some alternatives and I believe I may have found the one. The goal is to provide a DIY tutorial for those who may be interested, but I wanted to get some opinions/criticism on my idea first. So here it is...
Hardware needed:
- 4 Rubber grommets (size can vary depending on size of pilot hole)
- Metal cable/ring chain (qty depends on length of chains)
Drill two holes, about one inch apart, symmetrically on both sides of the hood above where the OEM hood hatches reside. That's a total of 4 holes. The sizes of the hole depends on how small or big you want it. Obviously the smaller it is, the less noticeable it will be. You want to use a pilot hole that matches with the size of the rubber grommets you will use so it is a snug fit. There are various sizes of rubber grommets you can find on Amazon or at your local hardware store. There are some grommets that come with a closed center which you can cut out for a better seal too.
Next, you want to use one of the holes already located along the bar that the OEM hatches are. You can either drill new holes here or remove some of those push pin things to expose some holes. The idea here is to feed the cable ring through these holes to secure the hood to the frame of the vehicle. I like the cable ring idea because it has a screw locking mechanism. It won't be AS easy to open as the aerocatch pins by simply pressing the button, but it should still be easy enough to pop the hood, lift the hood with one hand to get some extra space, and use the other free hand to unscrew the ring. The rings come in various sizes, but you can always daisy-chain them to find the right fit.
I understand this alternative may not be the best for everyone and it may not look as clean. However, I think it will be less noticeable, easier to install with less cutting into the hood, and provide the extra safety needed for aftermarket hoods. It probably won't provide the same strength as the aerocatch pins, but I believe it will be better than using the OEM latches and nothing else. I attached some pictures of the hardware for you guys to get a better understanding of what all I'm talking about.
Thoughts?? Flame away...