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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,185
Join Date: February 2002
Location: Buffalo, NY
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Hood Pins - Only Took 7 Hours To Install -
08-25-03, 03:30 PM
Oh My GOD!!!!
I'm never going to do this EVER again!
When I bought my ram air hood from Suncoast Creations, I didn't realise that after market hoods were required to meet certain safety standards. As such, the day before it was scheduled to arrive, I bought some hood pins.
The next day I took the car and new hood into a shop and had everything done professionally including color matching. I requested that the shop put the pins in, but when I went to pick up the car, they decided not to as there was really no place to put them in with all the under hood ducting built in to the hood. Besides, they said that all hoods like this are supposed have these certain safety standards built in.
About a year after the hood was on, I noticed the cheap-ass rivets holding in the hood latch locking mechanism were all loose. I drilled them out and put bolts, washers, and locking washers in.
A year after that, while driving down the Thruway (last week), I noticed my hood jumping up and down at 70mph. So, after two years, I finally got around to installing the hood pins that were lying in the bottom of a toolbox in the garage all covered in dust.
I figure, well, I'll spend some good quality time with my car today, a little male bonding I guess for two hours. Nope! It took me 7 $#^$#@^ hours to get these simple little things put in, and a trip to the hardware store to buy a new metal grinding wheel.
The shop was right, the ducting and double layer of the hood prevented putting the hood pins right into existing metal, so I opted for the headlight covers as thay are held in with a few hundred screws. Normally the pins are adjustable with a nut on either side of the metal to secure them into and be hight-adjustable. To make a seven hour long story short, I cut the pins down, twice, measured everything at least ten times over with the aid of paper overlays on the top and bottom of the hood, fabricated offset rubber bushings and finally installed them.
You only get one shot at drilling a hole in a thousand dollar hood, so I took my time (obviously!). In the process, I had to pull my headlights, which I never really got out of there despite having a Chilton's book in front of me (almost useless), and left about two inches of skin in various places in the driveway, on the hood, on the engine, in the garage, and all over the front door! It looked like a murder happened, and all I did was "scrape" my knuckles!
In short, unless you have the time, patience, mathematical knowledge, and bravery, TAKE IT SOMEWHERE TO BE DONE! I'm sure it would have been easier on a stock hood, or at least a non-ram air hood of this type, but I needed a little reassurance that my hood wouldn't go flying off my car, and where I decided to attach the pins, this would at least give me a margin of safety to pull over without causing any accidents if the hood latch were to give out. Besides, I think they look good!
Done. I'm drinking beer now after that ordeal, and you can have a look see below...
Last edited by MarvinMyCat; 08-25-03 at 03:38 PM.
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Founding Member
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Posts: 223
Join Date: July 2002
Location: The shadows of your nightmare.
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08-25-03, 03:46 PM
Looks very good!  I wear my busted knuckles with pride.  Shows you do your own work and don't pay people to do it all for you.
"Since When did ignorance become a point of view?"
"Happiness is like pissing your pants....everyone can see it but only you can feel it's warmth"
" Fast, its a state of mind"
"My mind is a scary place"
"Life is like a box of chocolates; there's always some other ******* who's eaten your favorite ones first!"
"Before u criticize somebody walk a mile in their shoes, so then when u criticize them u r a mile away and u got their shoes!"
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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,185
Join Date: February 2002
Location: Buffalo, NY
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08-25-03, 03:52 PM
I'm getting sick of paying people (garages) for doing work I SHOULD be able to do myself and getting raped in the end! Hood - $950 delivered, paint job - $1600!!! Now, I just say F it, and go for it. We'll see how this attitude goes when I install my lowering kit. Whoo! Better keep a whole case of beer on hand for when I'm done with this next one!
Thanks SpectorV for the install instructions.
I still need to buy a torque wrench for this prject, but I chalk it up as a "have to have" tool now! I'm finally starting to fill up that tripple-decker Craftsman tool chest from Sears!
By the way, now that I'm drunk, Big Lots has a sale on a 2HP air compressor w/ 4 gal. tank for $99, and 2 ton jacks for $14!!!
And thanks for the thumbs up stlboarder!
Last edited by MarvinMyCat; 08-25-03 at 03:57 PM.
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Founding Member
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Posts: 223
Join Date: July 2002
Location: The shadows of your nightmare.
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08-25-03, 05:08 PM
The lowering kit will be no where near as hard as the hood-pins. Thats going to look kick-ass when your done.
"Since When did ignorance become a point of view?"
"Happiness is like pissing your pants....everyone can see it but only you can feel it's warmth"
" Fast, its a state of mind"
"My mind is a scary place"
"Life is like a box of chocolates; there's always some other ******* who's eaten your favorite ones first!"
"Before u criticize somebody walk a mile in their shoes, so then when u criticize them u r a mile away and u got their shoes!"
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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,185
Join Date: February 2002
Location: Buffalo, NY
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08-26-03, 12:51 AM
Would you settle for kick knuckles?
Thanks for the vote of confidence, you're more stoked about it than I am!!!
Here's the skin flicks...
Last edited by MarvinMyCat; 08-26-03 at 12:55 AM.
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Founding Member
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Posts: 888
Join Date: June 2000
Location: Cuyahoga Falls, Akron & Canton, OH
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08-26-03, 07:28 AM
You got stanky finger....
1996 Camaro Z28 TH-400 - ET 11.08@123.01 - Dyno 428.4/497.4 with some bugs
1999 Mustang Coupe 5 Speed - ET 15.36@90.90 - Dyno 166.6/196.0 - stock
2006 Mustang GT "Glassback" 5 Speed - ET 13.63@102.7 - Dyno 283.9/303.6 - stock
2006 Ranger - work vehicle
2003 Lightning 12.618@112.80...gone
1996 Camaro Z28 For some pics & vids
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i just hate it when i blow too much, cause then i get sticky stuff all over my face...
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Posts: 1,312
Join Date: September 2001
Location: Honolulu, HI
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08-26-03, 09:35 AM
hey now, this is a family site... 
'01 Mustang V6 Coupe:
--True-dual exhaust w/ Flowmaster 40 mufflers
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--35% tinted windows
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--2 10" MTX 6000 Series subwoofers
--Kenwood 2-channel amp
Click here to see pics.
'65 Mustang 289 Coupe:
--Project car for now. More to come soon. Click here to see pics.
Aloha Mustang & Shelby Club of Hawaii
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Smater than the average bear!
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Posts: 609
Join Date: April 2003
Location: Rock Hill, SC
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08-26-03, 03:12 PM
I still cant decide if i like this hood or not 
Can u take some pics of ur hood from an angle and farther away?
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Founding Member
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Posts: 223
Join Date: July 2002
Location: The shadows of your nightmare.
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08-26-03, 03:28 PM
Quote:
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Originally Posted by MarvinMyCat
Would you settle for kick knuckles?
Thanks for the vote of confidence, you're more stoked about it than I am!!!
Here's the skin flicks...
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Nice!... I'm pretty lucky though, I have really thick skin so I don't bleed very easily, but I do get chunks of skin taken out. I have had a guy that worked on my last car get blood all over the engine bay. I was just telling him how when I did this (whatever it was) I took a chunk outta my thumb. The next thing I see blood all over the bay. He was like "I guess I did too?" Kinda funny
"Since When did ignorance become a point of view?"
"Happiness is like pissing your pants....everyone can see it but only you can feel it's warmth"
" Fast, its a state of mind"
"My mind is a scary place"
"Life is like a box of chocolates; there's always some other ******* who's eaten your favorite ones first!"
"Before u criticize somebody walk a mile in their shoes, so then when u criticize them u r a mile away and u got their shoes!"
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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,559
Join Date: January 2002
Location: Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
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08-26-03, 03:59 PM
Lol i had to install hood pins once...god i hated it. remember the cowl hood i used to have. Took me about 3-4 hours to get the hood pins on and working. I would never recommend anyone doing this. Its kinda like when i swapped my rear end. ITS JUST NOT FUN. Although marvin you say you like to do everything. Heh, i do my own paint work...think about how big of a bitch that is! I literaly do everything myself because i dont have the money to be spending it on installs.
Hi, my name is Scott and I'm a Nitroholic. It has been over a week since my last spray and I'm feeling great about it.
Calling all newbs.There is a search button in the top right corner. Please feel free to use it at your own discretion! Proud member of PACT and NAFR! But not NAMBLA!
Last edited by ganador01; 08-26-03 at 04:01 PM.
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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,185
Join Date: February 2002
Location: Buffalo, NY
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08-26-03, 07:26 PM
I'll post mor pics so you decide if you like the hood or not. I'm currently in Rochester now for the next two days, so after work, I'll have some time for that.
In the mean time, go to Suncostcreations.com to see other's rides.
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Smater than the average bear!
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Posts: 609
Join Date: April 2003
Location: Rock Hill, SC
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08-28-03, 07:57 PM
thanks man 
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Founding Member
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Posts: 844
Join Date: July 2001
Location: Columbia, SC
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09-05-03, 10:36 PM
Quote:
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Originally Posted by ganador01
Lol i had to install hood pins once...god i hated it. remember the cowl hood i used to have. Took me about 3-4 hours to get the hood pins on and working. I would never recommend anyone doing this. Its kinda like when i swapped my rear end. ITS JUST NOT FUN. Although marvin you say you like to do everything. Heh, i do my own paint work...think about how big of a bitch that is! I literaly do everything myself because i dont have the money to be spending it on installs.
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lol, i think this picture appears in at least 35% of all stangnet posts
I'm the S-N-Double O-P-T-O-Double M-Y-T-O-M ya see?
Member of PACT and NAFR and GWSLK
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I drive a 1994 MachWannabe.
Check her out at My Cardomain Website
Member of the 1994 30th Anniversary club, if you have a '94 use this avatar and let us all know!
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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,185
Join Date: February 2002
Location: Buffalo, NY
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09-08-03, 02:25 PM
For BABstangV6,
Pics of car... Finally! I also used some of that stringy fiberglass to seal the hood pin passageways through the hood to keep out water and assure the functionality of the ram air system. Next up, use some regular fiberglass and sand before spot painting...
Last edited by MarvinMyCat; 09-08-03 at 02:41 PM.
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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,185
Join Date: February 2002
Location: Buffalo, NY
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09-08-03, 02:30 PM
More...
Last edited by MarvinMyCat; 09-08-03 at 02:32 PM.
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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,185
Join Date: February 2002
Location: Buffalo, NY
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09-08-03, 02:33 PM
Last one...
Last edited by MarvinMyCat; 09-08-03 at 02:34 PM.
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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,559
Join Date: January 2002
Location: Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
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09-08-03, 04:04 PM
Quote:
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Originally Posted by 30AnnivStang
lol, i think this picture appears in at least 35% of all stangnet posts
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Lol what can i say. It answers nearly any question you could ask or can contribute to a nice conversation
Hi, my name is Scott and I'm a Nitroholic. It has been over a week since my last spray and I'm feeling great about it.
Calling all newbs.There is a search button in the top right corner. Please feel free to use it at your own discretion! Proud member of PACT and NAFR! But not NAMBLA!
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Look, I'm special, dammit
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Posts: 2,796
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Woodstcock, Georgia
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09-08-03, 09:11 PM
My question is what took so long? I am thinking of installing some and some hood props but if it was that bad no way.
Laser Red V6 and proud!
194 RWHP
220 RWTQ
**Exterior**-Have some, just ask
**Interior**-Have some just ask
**Engine**-Have some just ask
**Ignition**-Have some just ask
**Suspension**-Have some just ask
**Drivetrain**-Have some just ask
If it's not a Stang, then why the hell are you driving it!
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Founding Member
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Posts: 1,185
Join Date: February 2002
Location: Buffalo, NY
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09-09-03, 04:51 AM
Well, keep in mind my hood is hollow. I had two seperate surfaces to drill through. I had to pull the headlights out as far as I could. One hour was spent measuring, testing, remeasuring, and going over the setup many many times before I decided where to put the pins, and checking where they would hit the bottom of the hood. Measure again to see where they would poke through the hood so they looked good. Since I was limited to under-headlight cover space, I had to cut the bolts, cut the nuts in half, and make sure they would not hit the headlight housings. Had to fabricate thick offset rubber spacers in oredr to compensate for the slope of the headlight covers to make sure the pins were vertical and nice and straight across two axis. Had to cut connical holes so that the pins would | | |
