Alternative hood pins for aftermarket hoods

babyzilla

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...

Attached Images

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OptionZero

Its a seibon hood that anyone can get, not some rare JDM **** from a tinyass operation that can go out of business any moment leaving you without any support for a replacement


Cut the ******* hood if you’re worried about it

Hell, if you think Seibon is gonna fail and need the help, you should be even less worried about cutting it

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babyzilla

Monday bump for constructive feedback...

JARblue

I'm a fan of the Aerocatch hood pins. That hood is nothing special. Cut away, I say!

I think those cables will look like garbage. I'd just leave the OEM mechanism.

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JARblue

Not to mention I would prefer a more convenient method of opening the hood (like Aerocatch). This is even less convenient than the OEM latch.

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babyzilla

It doesn't have anything to do with the rarity or specialness of the hood. The Seibon hood, to me, is expensive and I rather not mess it up. Just because it isn't rare doesn't mean it doesn't have value.

The purpose is to serve as a safety measure per the vendor's recommendation. I agree the aerocatch pins are clean, but there's a lot more detailed cutting involved and the main issue is the slant of the hood. The pins, installed on the engine frame, come straight up, but the locking mechanism, installed on the slanted hood, come at an angle. It's the possibility of screwing up the cut exposing more than needed and having misaligned hood pins.

OptionZero

Again if you’re so worried about the precious Seibon hood flying away, you should do your best to secure it so it will stay put, so just cut the ******* thing

And if you cant do it yourself, im sure there are places and people near you whi can help

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SeeThruHead

Why would your seibon hood fly away? Doesn't it latch in the same way as the oem?
Is the seibon hood even much lighter than the oem alu hood?

I always thought the point of the seibon hood over some other hoods is that it uses the oem latching mechanism.

One thing that could look alright. If you get two long black buttonhead cap screws. drill two tiny holes in the hood. place a receiver thread somewhere in the engine bay. (maybe a tapped block of alu, more thread = more holding force) Glue a hard plastic tube to the underside of the hood (to help you get the right angle for the bolts) And just bolt it down. I bet you wouldn't even notice two black buttonhead cap screws. Maybe a little annoying to open the hood but you should have a multitool in your glove compartment anyway.

EDIT: maybe the receiver could be a threaded insert installed somewhere in the engine bay.

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JARblue

it's not difficult - just tedious. Find a competent shop to do the work for you if you are really that concerned about using the OEM latch.

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SeeThruHead

also
https://seiboncarbon.com/hoodpins-ql38lpbp.html
these are pretty small imo, just need a hole drilled. not a complex shape.

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OptionZero

seibon is fiberglass with a layer of CF so it should be the same as the stock hood

I remember reading even Varis’ wet carbon was the same as stock

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BettyZ

OptionZero is a cranky b*itch.

That being said, I have a Seibon TS and I'm sorry you bought one.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

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'14 MB Nismo | Boost Lab 6870 1.32 AR 553 HP / 471 ft.-lbs.
Betty Mods

2011 Nismo#91

This. You don't need hood pins, most people don't; They do it for looks. For racing they are useful for a number of reasons, speeds are higher, OEM removed for weight, more reliable and easier to repair, etc. You don't need them so if you don't want to do it you don't have too.

Also your system relies on two 1" lengths of CF hood between the cable and the holes to hold the force of air trying to lift your hood, I think that little amount of CF will just give up and tear. Hood pins have about 10" each of CF material to distribute that force. IMO this is a "solution" to a problem that doesn't exist that is far worse then current options.

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babyzilla

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

BettyZ, I am actually enjoying my hood a lot. I think I am one of the few that actually got a pretty decent batch, so I definitely feel for you. I was worried about it too and it's not 100% but I think managing my expectations helped. I posted pics on another thread if you want to check it out.

2011Nismo#91, I agree with this. I'm still running with the OEM latch hardware and I haven't had any issues. Thanks for the affirmation.