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Saleen Photo Galleries and Videos Photos and videos from events, shows, gatherings, race days, or other memories to share digitally.

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  #1  
Old 04-02-2014
tennesseemustangperformance tennesseemustangperformance is offline
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Default Cut some giant holes in the hood...

I wanted to install some hood pins, but wanted something different than the old Mr. Gasket nipple style pins. I had purchased some Aerocatch hood latches that are designed to mount on top of the hood. I shaved the flange down to fit the contour of the hood, then after cutting two openings for the pins in my hood, I mounted them from below. They looked good, but not perfect. The front of the latch sat up about 1/8" above the hood, and the middle of the latch was about 1/16" below the surface. I then contoured the flat latches to match the contours of the hood and shaped the latch's top profile slightly so that the side lines of the pins are perfectly parallel with both the hood to fender seam and the ridge in the hood. Lastly, I filled the seam between the hood and the latch with kitty hair, followed by a light skim of glazing compound. Here is the final result, completed, painted, and installed. What do you think? Look okay?


First of all, I have to give credit where credit's due. I did not powder coat the pins themselves. My buddy Tim PCed them for me in black. He is not a professional, and is always critical of his work, but I think he does an amazing job!


Here is the old junked hood that I used to mock up the cuts and get an idea of how I wanted to tackle the project.





And finally, painted and installed.


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  #2  
Old 04-02-2014
tennesseemustangperformance tennesseemustangperformance is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tennesseemustangperformance View Post
...so that the side lines of the pins are perfectly parallel with both the hood to fender seam and the ridge in the hood.

Sorry, I meant this to read "so that the side lines of the latches are perfectly parallel with both the hood to fender seam and the ridge in the hood."
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  #3  
Old 04-02-2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tennesseemustangperformance View Post
Sorry, I meant this to read "so that the side lines of the latches are perfectly parallel with both the hood to fender seam and the ridge in the hood."
Kopy Kat....LOL j/k. We love the Aerolatch hood pin kits.
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  #4  
Old 04-02-2014
tennesseemustangperformance tennesseemustangperformance is offline
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Originally Posted by Jason @ 281m View Post
Kopy Kat....LOL j/k. We love the Aerolatch hood pin kits.

They are great, aren't they? Definitely something different. They make a nice product, and they have options as well. You can either get the surface mount or the bottom mount. I liked the thick flange which allowed me to carve it down to the curvature of the hood. I take it you installed some as well, eh Jason?
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  #5  
Old 04-02-2014
tennesseemustangperformance tennesseemustangperformance is offline
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By the way, I just noticed this was in the enthusiasts section. Sorry about that. I suppose it should be in the photos section, or the 1999-2004 section (this is on #00-325). If an admin wants to move it, that will be great. My apologizes for the oversight. (I wish we could edit/delete threads).
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  #6  
Old 04-02-2014
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Nice job in doing it yourself, and knowing you did it right. I commend
you for having the xxxx to cut the holes in your hood.
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  #7  
Old 04-02-2014
tennesseemustangperformance tennesseemustangperformance is offline
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Originally Posted by 06SaleenExtreme View Post
Nice job in doing it yourself, and knowing you did it right. I commend
you for having the xxxx to cut the holes in your hood.

Thank you. It really isn't a biggie to slice some holes in a car for me though, I used to build show cars and am an ASE Master Tech. Still, when working on a rare hood, that first cut can be a clencher. You just have to remind yourself that an OEM hood can be replaced. The last time I got the "clenchers" was when I shaved my girl's fuel door on her '94 and replaced it with a Shelby Cobra fuel cap. I was building her car up and doing some custom fabrication. I decided to relocate her fuel door to the sail panel, and while fabricating a sail panel to house the cap was not that big of a deal, welding her 1/4 panel shut was not for the faint of heart. After all, sail panels can be replaced a lot easier than bolting a fuel door back into the 1/4 panel. I prayed and prayed she would like the mod. Thankfully, she did.

Here's a pic.
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  #8  
Old 04-02-2014
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Originally Posted by 06SaleenExtreme View Post
Nice job in doing it yourself, and knowing you did it right. I commend
you for having the xxxx to cut the holes in your hood.
Wyatt, he owns a cool shop out in Tennessee.
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  #9  
Old 04-02-2014
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I know what you mean about the first cut. I did my TR hood pins.
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  #10  
Old 04-03-2014
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Those latches look clean. Nice work.
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  #11  
Old 04-04-2014
tennesseemustangperformance tennesseemustangperformance is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave View Post
Those latches look clean. Nice work.
Thanks Dave! I appreciate that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 06SaleenExtreme View Post
I know what you mean about the first cut. I did my TR hood pins.
;+) Spooky on that first cut, isn't it?

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Originally Posted by Jason @ 281m View Post
Wyatt, he owns a cool shop out in Tennessee.
Thanks Jason! Actually, I used to. When I moved to Knoxville though, I ended up getting out of the biz. It still calls me from time to time... and I occasionally see a former customer who wants me to build them another show car.
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  #12  
Old 04-05-2014
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That is an excellent job of integrating those Aerocatch pins and keeping the stealth look. I have a set of them, but I don't have the skill to install them. My auto body guy, who is very skillful at custom work, is still trying to figure out the best location to put them on my car. I may just go with the pins below, but looking at your car makes me want to add the Aerocatch again.....decisions, decisions

http://ringbrothers.com/catalog/prod...28/image/1034/
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  #13  
Old 04-05-2014
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Here are mine installed...
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281motorsports_saleenspeedster08-281-motorsports-saleen-speedster-sema.jpg  

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2015 Coyote Powered F-150

Check out our facility promo video here: http://bit.ly/1yHNfxM

Email: 281motorsports@gmail.com
Web: www.ProSpeedMustang.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mustangperformance
Youtube: http://bit.ly/1zOxanf


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  #14  
Old 04-07-2014
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SpecialStang SpecialStang is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 06SaleenExtreme View Post
I know what you mean about the first cut. I did my TR hood pins.
I also did my Shelby hood pins myself and had that desolate feeling of screwing up, and "needing" to locate and buy a new hood the whole time I was working. Thankfully, it turned out perfectly.

To the op, I prefer the aerocatch style but didn't have the cajones to do it Great job!
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  #15  
Old 04-10-2014
tennesseemustangperformance tennesseemustangperformance is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SpecialStang View Post
I also did my Shelby hood pins myself and had that desolate feeling of screwing up, and "needing" to locate and buy a new hood the whole time I was working. Thankfully, it turned out perfectly.

To the op, I prefer the aerocatch style but didn't have the cajones to do it Great job!
Lol, thanks!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason @ 281m View Post
Here are mine installed...
Ah very nice, Jason! LOVE the SA20's!

Quote:
Originally Posted by sidvicious View Post
That is an excellent job of integrating those Aerocatch pins and keeping the stealth look. I have a set of them, but I don't have the skill to install them. My auto body guy, who is very skillful at custom work, is still trying to figure out the best location to put them on my car. I may just go with the pins below, but looking at your car makes me want to add the Aerocatch again.....decisions, decisions

http://ringbrothers.com/catalog/prod...28/image/1034/
Thank you. I can shoot you the measurements of where I put them on my car, if you prefer.
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  #16  
Old 04-10-2014
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Awesome job. I couldn't do it. lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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  #17  
Old 04-11-2014
tennesseemustangperformance tennesseemustangperformance is offline
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Originally Posted by Agent_177 View Post
Awesome job. I couldn't do it. lol.


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Thanks mate!
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