Just a question for you guys:
Is it necessary to install an aftermarket hood with hood pins? I am looking to purchase a new hood for my JDM front-end but I am not too keen on getting hood pins.

I am looking to get one with an inverted hood scoop in either carbon fiber or fibreglass like the C-West, Mugen, or J's Racing. I really want the Mugen or C-West one. How can I tell that the hood is genuine? Without going to Motorex or King directly, how do I know that it is a real JDM part?

Your input is greatly appreciated.


Modified by Michael at 9:40 AM 4/24/2003

 

hood pins

Stunnas losing their hood because they didn't put hoodpins

 

actually, depends on the hood. not that i condone not running hoodpins, but i have seen some very strong carbon hoods (you know, the carbon ones that are basically colored fiberglass) that have held up for year with no hoodpins. i have a very very lightweight fiberglass hood, that i have to run hood pins or it'll take off.

 

I don't have hood pins. My CF hood has a fiber glass skeleton or whatever and the latch piece is metal. I've never had a problem with it. I even had a spark plug shoot out of my motor while driving and the hood stayed down and the fiber glass was fine. The CF or atleast the coating on the top side cracked like a mother but that was it.

 

Thanks guys...I want to get the Mugen or C-West one and I am not too crazy about drilling holes into expensive hoods.

 

I'm continually amazed that people still make comments like, "I've never had any problems with my hood" or "Some hoods don't need hood pins". I'm quite sure that the owner of the hood in this thread ( https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=473745 ) had "no problems" with his hood up to that point, and believed his hood (which had a skeleton and metal latch) was one that didn't "need" hoodpins. CF hood = hoodpins, plain and simple. If you are concerned about the look of the pins, then you are buying the hood for the wrong reasons.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Michael &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am not too crazy about drilling holes into expensive hoods.</TD></TR></TABLE>

If your not ok with drilling holes in the expensive hood, are you ok with the expensive hood flying off your car and getting completely distroyed?

Especially since you plan on doing some roadracing this year mike you wanna be extra careful. You will be travelling at high speeds and having a hood break loose can really screw things up. If it doesn't come right off it will block your vision possibly causing you to crash, it could fly back and hit someone behind you and cause them to crash and your expensive hood is gone!!
Hood pins They are ugly but they serve and important purpose.

 

I know the importance of hood pins to lock down the lightweight CF hoods, but I am more curious about their necessity on fiberglass hoods like the Mugen or C-West. Since they are not as light as the CF ones, can they not be used properly without the pins? I do not see any hood pins on any images of a Mugen DC2.

 

If you get an authentic Mugen hood, i don't think you need hood pins. That hood is not that light.

 

Hoodpins are like insurance. It's just better to have them; I have heard one too many stories about hoods flying up and causing a lot of damage. It's just not worth the risk.

 

They have hood locks too that have a soda machine looking key for it. More sleek looking too.

 

Hood pins are for safety, Just think what would happen if the hood were to fly open at 100+ ????

If its not stock, Pin it.