Adam Ginsberg Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 There is no rule requiring the use of hood and/or deck pins, either in the AI rules, or the CCR's. I've seen video of someone spinning, and the hatch opening up. CMC requires the use of hood pins, and deck pins are "recommended". Hood and deck pins should be mandatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Borton Posted September 18, 2004 Share Posted September 18, 2004 Hood pins are cool if you put them on before you go on track..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Ginsberg Posted September 18, 2004 Author Share Posted September 18, 2004 D'oh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickS Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 IMHO,they should be mandatory. I've seen factory hood latches fail. Notto mention, hood pins are a *great* way to seal the hood of a car closed for post race dyno testing. - Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhiteh3 Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 It's a nice idea, but I've seen more hoodpins fail (due to a lack of being put in place) than I have seen stock latches fail. The most reliable way to do it is to require both systems to be in place - but that's not very race-like, and it's clear that most people in AI are very concerned about making their cars look very "racey", (witness the dashboard conversation) so I'm sure this will go nowhere. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Ginsberg Posted September 22, 2004 Author Share Posted September 22, 2004 I've seen stock latches fail, and had one of own my hood pins fail, while on the track. When referring to a "failure", I mean something coming apart/breaking. Not a racer forgetting to set the pins, ALA Ginsberg @ Hallett ( thanks for the reminder, Gene ), or Todd @ MSR. Marshall Mosty's ( Texas AI #67 ) stock latch mechanism failed @ TWS. The incident @ Hallett was completely my own fault ( I forgot to set the hood pins ), but @ MSR in July, the pin itself ( the part that is bolted to the car ) failed ( nut backed off ). The Hallett incident, IMO, wasn't a failure of the parts - it was human error. In Texas, while on the grid for a race, the NASA officials now check each car for properly set hood pins to prevent what happened to me, and a few other racers. Pins, both hood and deck, should be mandatory - for AI/AIX, and CMC. Keep the stock latching mechanism as a good backup, but require pins. Something like this: Hood and rear deck pins are required in AI and AIX. Stock latching mechanisms may be used as a backup method of retention. "Looking" racey is not as important as being safe. Pins are for safety, not looks, in the context of a race car. And, as Nick mentioned, they are an excellent way to seal the hood post race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racercosmo Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Hood latches belong on street cars, pins belong on race cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhiteh3 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 You don't double nut or loc-tite your hoodpins? But whether or not it's human error or mechanical failure, the stock system is probably actually more reliable - simply because it's more foolproof - if the hood is all the way down, then it's locked, period. I don't have a problem with the rule, but don't do it under the safety guise, unless the rule says that both systems HAVE to be in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff F Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Hood latches belong on street cars, pins belong on race cars. What about my street car that I race? I have no beef with the hood pins part of it-- my car has hood pins and the rest of the latch/catch removed. A helpful hint for you guys-- get a pair of springs that you can drop over the hood pins that will lift the hood up 1-2 inches if the pins aren't in- then it will be very obvious from inside the car if the hood isn't secured. As far as the deck pins go, I haven't really looked at it, but is there a reasonable way to pin a hatch down that is waterproof? My car gets driven/parked in the rain all the time, and I can't be getting my groceries wet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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