Hood Pins For Track Days?

[John S]

I didn't notice any hood pins on the Track Attack Mach 1's or flutter issues at high speed so is there are pins any benefit for an OEM aluminum hood? I have no problem drilling or cutting into my car if it helps safety but it seems like an unnecessary redundancy if the OEM latch enough.

Sponsored

 

[WItoTX]

I don't have any. Redundancy would be nice to have though.

 

[YellowGT350]

I didn't notice any hood pins on the Track Attack Mach 1's or flutter issues at high speed so is there are pins any benefit for an OEM aluminum hood? I have no problem drilling or cutting into my car if it helps safety but it seems like an unnecessary redundancy if the OEM latch enough.

Your hood latch already has a redundancy. There is the initial catch that the lever releases and the secondary latch that you manually release. Hood pins are from a time when there was only one manual hood release or the hood was pinned on in 4 places. They are just decoration on a modern car.

 

[John S]

They are just decoration on a modern car.

That's what I suspect but the hype made during the GT500 media promotion got me wondering:

"Ford Performance boss Carl Widmann told Motor Authority the hood pins are necessary to make sure the hood is stable at speed. "If you took the hood pins off that car and ran it, it'll lift," Widmann said. Ford will not sell the 2020 Shelby GT500 without hood pins. Period. Don't even ask. "

 

[YellowGT350]

Interesting, maybe it has some jankie aerodynamics. But its top speed is computer limited to 180 mph and GT350s have seen 172 from what I've read. I would not think you need pins for the last 8 mph.

Ford also said the VooDoo does not have a twin intake dual plane intake because it will not fit under the hood. How did that work out?

 

[SHOdaddy68]

A standard hood creates enough down force that pins are not necessary. I would make sure the hood is completely latched before going out on track though.

I think the GT500 hood with it's large heat extractor flows enough air that it could possibly create some lift at speed.

 

[NightmareMoon]

You can just raise the rubber stops slightly by turning them counter clockwise to add some up pressure on the latch to reduce some of that hood flutter.

you definitely dont need hood latches. IDK why the GT500 has them but I expect its mostly to look different. It has to be ‘special’ to command that price.

 

[RAVAGE88]

You can just raise the rubber stops slightly by turning them counter clockwise to add some up pressure on the latch to reduce some of that hood flutter.

you definitely dont need hood latches. IDK why the GT500 has them but I expect its mostly to look different. It has to be ‘special’ to command that price.

That’s what I did, works very well.

MB

 

[thelostotter]

I did Quik Latch QL-38s on my 2017 GT and they were pretty easy to install and fit perfectly.

My hood used to shimmy a lot even at freeway speeds, now its rock solid on the track. I'm way more comfortable with it at 120+ now.

 

[Jimmy Dean]

Uh, I have good flutter on my Mach 1 at anything over 95mph. pretty sure the pins are there to reduce/eliminate the flutter. Every other M1 owner I know has the same issue. ITs minor, no chance of the hood coming off, but still, if you are looking to max out track speeds, youll want the flutter eliminated, hence pins.

The other possibility, on the GT500, is that the big f'in vent in the middle that is different than the rest of us with GTs, Mach 1s, or GT350s. it could be creating a lift scenario that impacts track speeds.

 

[coyote550]

I'm not sure that modern cars need them anymore. I've never taken the GT past 130mph but at those speeds didn't notice anything unusual. I have taken my bmw X3 to about 170 (limiter removed) and had no issues with the hood and that's an SUV.

 

[mavisky]

That's what I suspect but the hype made during the GT500 media promotion got me wondering:

"Ford Performance boss Carl Widmann told Motor Authority the hood pins are necessary to make sure the hood is stable at speed. "If you took the hood pins off that car and ran it, it'll lift," Widmann said. Ford will not sell the 2020 Shelby GT500 without hood pins. Period. Don't even ask. "

The GT500 hood is a composite hood unlike the aluminum hoods on all other Mustang models.

 

[Biggsy]

I have aerocatch latches...my hood shimmies no mo

 

[agmattocks]

I have aerocatch latches...my hood shimmies no mo

where did you install them on the hood?

 

[Biggsy]

where did you install them on the hood?

Sponsored