Reminder- don't forget hood pins

[jpumpkinn]

Forgetting to put your hood locks on! Seems like something that would never happen. Right!

Wrong! I am one of the most careful people I know and I forgot! Now my stang needs a bandaid. Fiberglass Hood flew up at about 35 mph and was nearly torn off. I am just glad it was in a residential street and not the highway! By the time I am finished fixing it it will probrably be close to $500. Goodbye Cobra intake

Anyway, the metal body panel that resides below the cowl plastic vent was bent in and torn. I wanted to replace it but was told that it can not come off and be switched out? Anyone know if this is true?

The moral of this story is "get a see thru hood so when it flies up you can still drive"

Guess I am off the body shop?

[Jeb_Bush_2000]

My dad did that on his '67...he was going fast enough that it just ripped the hood right off.

[Rob23]

sorry to hear that man. That happend to me in a crown vic once. Of course I didn't have hood pins but the latch broke in an accident. It was about -6 degrees outside and I had to stick my head out the window like Ace Ventura

[jpumpkinn]

Sounds bad but I am really happy to hear that it has happened to others. Thanks for consoling me guys

[Coupe5oh]

Dang and i was just about to get me a cowl bolton hood, I know a couple people that had this happen on the highway, I saw one guys 90 lx hatch with wrinkles in the upper fenders, that he had to do bodywork on it, it came out nice though. thanx for the future reminder, I lost 2 gas caps too

[fiveohpatrol]

That's gotta feel horrible, sorry to hear about it.

You're right about the cowl panel. It cannot be removed, it must be repaired. This happened to my friend and he welded studs on it and yanked it back into place. It turned out really well.

If you have a bodyshop do it all then yes you probably will spend between $400-500.

[cyberstang5.0]

I knew a guy that it happened to him. When I bought my new hood, I am using the stock latch AND hood pins from Steeda. I am still worried that it will fly up one day when I am racing down the freeway but that is cuz I always worry about my baby (the car)

[jpumpkinn]

Cyber-

I don't think you have to worry about it flying up with those hood pins on, although having a fiberglass hood does make it like a kite when the air hits it. I am using the hood lock that comes with a key not the traditional hod pin. After my insident I hooked a small chain to the hood and frame with a latch so it will not happen again. I don't trust the locking hood locks like I do the hairpin type hood pins.

[byrnech]

That is about the worst feeling. It has happened to me also. About exactly how you described it. I had just washed her, and started to drive to the corner after I had ran into the house to grab my wallet. I think I was getting some engine cleaning/degreaser. I left the neighborhood and got up to about 35 then WHAMMO! all I could see was Harwood cowl induction. It didn't crack my windshield or bend the front roofline, but it killed the cowl area. I got quotes from $1000 to $1500 to fix it. It can be taken off and reparied but it is a lot of work. They have to remove the factory spot welds and weld the new piece in. The cowl piece alone is $485 from ford. I think you have to take out the windshield and the fenders. I had mine just bent back and welded, with some bondo to smooth it. I don't know if that was worse than when my original motor let go, or my first couple of trannys. I hate when stuff breaks that can't be replaced with stuff to make you go faster. Sorry this was so long, I share your pain. ~Chris~