AeroCatch Hood latches.

[adidas_kn]

Soo I am finally able to drive the SHO above 40mph. I finally got my AeroCatch hood latches installed yesterday. They look kool and funtion even better. The **** factor is def high with these when it comes time to pop the hood. He are some pix of them installed. I love them cause they actually lock and keep people out using a real key not a computer keyboard type round key.

They def secure the front of the fiberglass hood down. I had them installed in place of the stock hood height adjuster/stops. I deleted the stock hood catch to keep it from being a 3 step process to open the hood(1. go out and unlatch the locks 2. go back in and pull the hood release 3. walk back out to open the hood.) The radiator support is now smooth and clean. Well it seems that speeds of 90+mph (which is normal out here) will get the hood to shake pretty bad to the point where I'm worried it will stress crack the fiberglass. Might've just been cause of the high winds today but we'll see. I was thinking of drilling several 1/4" holes along the hoods brace(every foot or so) area and filling the hollow areas with hardening expanding foam. It gets rock hard and will help solidify the hood at speeds and not weigh that much. But most of the shaking is coming from the rear by the window. I'll do some more research and see whats up. It might also be these crappy stock flat hinges that have allot of play in them.

 

[matasho]

oh yea the stock hinges are crap. the pivot point gets worn and the hood kinda flutters in the back at speeds above 75mph and the first time it made me nervous but it dosnt do it all the time so im not worried about mine.

 

[adidas_kn]

Maybe I can take the hinges apart and put a bushing in them or something to tighten them up.

 

[Mad Celt]

Ok...those are hot.

 

[SHOguy 92]

The idea behind them with the key is a great idea, but they are pretty ugly otherwise.

 

[adidas_kn]

They are alot more secure then the regular hood pins. You're right they are pretty ugly but they will be painted to match on the soon to be darker color soo they should almost dissapear.

 

[SinisterSHO]

They are alot more secure then the regular hood pins. You're right they are pretty ugly but they will be painted to match on the soon to be darker color soo they should almost dissapear.

More secure in what way? Keeping people out? Yeah, then i can see them being more secure. As far as holding the hood down more, I dont think theres really a point to that.

 

[93rev2sev]

Looks better than having steel rods popping through the hood with cotter pins...

And when painted body color, will be hardly noticable.

I likey!

 

[SHOMurph]

I think you would only need them if your car was fast.



snicker snicker......can't wait to see that bad boy in Tejas!

 

[adidas_kn]

More secure in what way? Keeping people out? Yeah, then i can see them being more secure. As far as holding the hood down more, I dont think theres really a point to that.

Yes keeping people out and the strength of them holding the hood down. They use a sliding metal rod that goes through the pull down loop for extra security. I bought a set of the JC whitney locking ones that use a circular key to lock them and hold them down. The hollow roll pin used to secure it looked pretty weak soo I went looking for something to keep my hood down at high speeds after the Turbo is installed. I don't Mess around when it comes to lightweight fiberglass hoods. Too many horror stories. I will end up tightening the rear hinges down and possibly install some bigger bolts or bushings to take up extra slop, I will also look into reinstalling the hood catch/latch system but with a front pull release like most Mercedes do for easier opening from the front of the car.