Almost had a disaster, need a solution

Pic shows short term solution, have to look close……
Checked trans fluid before going in Sams, jump in car after shopping and get up to 40mph and [censored], as I watch hood rise.
Mind racing, this things gonna fly off, and cause a disaster.
And the whole time, seemed like forever, but was probably 5-10sec, couldn’t see anything.
Slammed on brakes and was able to turn off safely.
Surprisingly this AAR hood slammed down and no damage.
Pic shows short term solution for now.
Can’t add a safety latch because that area is now full of other stuff related to Gen 3 swap.

So what about adding a pressure switch that would kill ignition if the hood opens?
Thoughts

Hood pins?

I would not run any glass hood without them after seeing what the air does to those things at 100mph or so. Challenger grill being set back they way they are is a big air trap and it wants to push the middle of the hood upwards.

My thought too. Or hood pins with ribbons

Or hood pins with ribbons AND an extra hood pin as a KEY FOB!

Or not drinking beer while working on the car? DAMHIK

You could also make a short, small diameter steel or aluminum cable that hangs in your face when the hood is up so when you close the hood it reminds you to hook it to the radiator support. This way the hood can't fly all the way open, and opens only to the length of the cable.

No hood at all?

THAT WOULD BE A DISASTER IMO!! Think about it, you go to pull out in front of some really high speed traffic like in front of a semi or worth yet a school bus and the hood starts to lift or the switch goes bad and......

Just hood pin it or do the short under the front of the hood safety cables and don't forget the extra "hood pin and cable key fob"

How about a "spoiler" on the leading edge at the front of the hood so it always puts pressure onto the hood like the spoiler flaps on an aircraft? Or tape the hood scoop opening because that's what I think "scoops" and mostly lifts it off along with air getting under the front edge of the hood. Had the hood come up on a box van down in Texas one time and that was right as I hit 60 MPH and had driven several miles. WAM!! broke and covered the windshield on a 2-lane country road with oncoming traffic and no place to pull onto the shoulder but a 6-foot drainage ditch and a foot of shoulder between the road and it. That was TERROR and a thrill.
'

Thx A12, appreciate the input.
When you can't trust the idiot behind the wheel to put the hood pins in, there's a need to make it "idiot proof".
This isn't as uncommon as you'd think.
My buddy lost his AAR hood when he forgot to pin it.
This car came with an original T/A hood, that was pinned at all 4 corners because someone in the past "forgot" and it ripped the hinge areas off.
Luckily this aftermarket hood has the steel reinforced sections added.
I guess the best answer to to try and figure out how to add a safety latch.
I thought about the extra cable, but if the idiot can't remember to put the pins in, I'll forget to do that too.......................

If I could find a switch that failed to the closed position, that might work.
If pins are in, hood can't lift.

What I did on my drag car's pin-on hood was to attach the pin lanyards to the round pin hole bezels on the hood.
Even if someone put the hoof on without using the pins, it was obvious looking over the hood that it needed to be done.
For further idiot-proofing, if the hood went on for even a few minutes for some kind of unrelated testing, the routine was to pin it.

My A12 Road Runner lost its original LOH hood back in the early '70's street racing and then got run over by the Chevelle it beat. Guess the Chevy driver got the last laugh.


How about a "reset light"? A red light in plain view on the dash that activates when you remove the hood and then has to be turned off or reset (inside and maybe the same light) when you put the hood down? Put the trigger switch on the radiator support. They are common on most cars to alert when the hood is still open. I don't think the way current (pun) hood open switches work that they shut off the engine but I think they won't let you start the car with the hood not properly closed. That's what you need plus the alert light inside your car. This way with the light if you open the hood with the engine running, like you would to check transmission fluid level you would (hopefully) see the dash "hood open/not closed" alert light. I wonder how many kits I could sell to the Lift-Off-Hood guys before the fact?

Mike

You put springs around the hood pins such that the hood doesn't fully close unless pinned. If you don't notice a popped hood well ... !!

And I have been in your shoes ... with a steel hood ... and mine came ALL the way uip and back !!

That's a good idea, 💡 I lost TWO hoods by not putting the pins in (4 with no hinges )
how do you currently latch the hood?
Adding a micro switch to the latch or front of the hood could be used to turn a light on if it raises beyond a 1/2'' or less
another thought, A safety latch can be placed anywhere near the front, even on the side(s)

I always attach the cables to the hood pin bezel. Unless I am going for oem look.

What about taking it one step further.
Attach the cable to a screw through the bezel and hood..
Run a wire along the inside of the hood to the bottom of the screw.
Use the screw, cable and clip to get a ground through the pin post.

That ground could be used for a warning light if the pins are not clipped. One light per side is better.
Using a system that illuminates unless a ground is detected is even better.

Just a thought.

Me too. Had a 69 rr up around triple digits on test drive, owner was riding shotgun, said let it eat, and so I did. Hauled it home, put in garage and did a once over. Hood went down flat as it had been. Once on main road, right up it went. How the latch moved from test drive to my house is my biggest automotive mystery and likely always will be. Luckily not a soul was on the main road right then.

Hood pins. Doesn't take much speed to lift a glass hood if it's not secured at the front. DAMHIK

Some good thoughts, I took a DVM and the pin to post continuity is spotty at best. Definitely couldn't rely on it to verify pin is in.
I'm going back to the pressure switch idea, maybe not to kill engine, but trigger a light or buzzer to catch it early.
I'm lucky this aftermarket hood is almost as heavy as a steel hood, or it would have been worse.
For now the dummy behind the wheel with need to look at the pink ribbon on the steering wheel and check he sees the pink ribbon on the hood pin.

Have a smaller key fob made up something like this with "HEY DID YOU RE-PIN THE HOOD!!!"

Could also use a mercury type switch LINKY
or a lever type micro switch Note different length levers
LNKY

I also keep thinking of a safety catch that's other than the normal place. possibly even cable operated? Maybe I 've just seen too many failures with a single latch

...connected to that awful sounding door ajar buzzer that most have unplugged. That'll get your attention.

👍👍🤣🤣🤣🤣

i had a good friend that always said, The door is not A JAR, its a door Why couldn't they say, the door is OPEN

those awful sounding door is [not] a jar buzzers work great for use in diagnosing/trouble shooting/installing [new] wiring components as a means to see or find which wires are hot or shorted to ground.
i have several in my box with different clips and/or terminals i have used for many years.
they work great, especially when working by yourself, as i most often do.

I think I got it, bought an A-body safety latch off Ebay, only $30.
Much cheaper than an E-body part, and was hoping it's shorter, but not the case.
My hood already had holes for the latch, but the header panel is much lower for some reason, so the latch contacted the catch opening before fully closing.
I relocated my trans cooler down 1", cut down the latch by 1", and trimmed the latch hook radius so it doesn't interfere.
But this things works! Hood comes up 4-5" and catches.
It's not pretty, I wish I could weld, but it will do for now.

Now if I just had the balls to try it without the pins in...........

Not to be negitive but If the hood is lifted up with a bit of force that fiberglass holding the saftey latch is a goner.

Looks good.
You did the hard part.

Should be someone in your circle that can weld. If not then mail it to someone here who can do it and send it back to you.

That is a small weld job. Wouldn't take much.

Do NOTE "My hood already had holes for the latch,"

that would depend on the strength of the fiberglass and how it's attached. I'm thinking the glass is pretty thick /strong in that area. Looking at the nearby holes seems to confirm that
If not it can be reinforced several ways.

Why would you want to try it without the pins , why?
NOT ME

easy-peasy job for sure.
could be taken apart at the rivets, a piece added for the correct length, a filler piece added in the front, then weld the piece[s] together, making it appear as a single piece.

That's a good point, hadn't thought of that.
The fiberglass header portion is pretty thick, but I'm pretty sure it would be be good for <50mph.
Up at highway speed, 70-80mph, probably gonna be a problem.
So you got me thinking, I might need that pressure switch to trigger a buzzer deal to really idiot proof this thing.
Buzzer will go off immediately, and the latch will give me enough time to slow down.

I'm getting trained to look for that pink ribbon, so all this may be unnecessary, but then again, never thought it would have happened in the first place.

I appreciate all the replies, wealth of knowledge here is awesome!

I'll say if one doesn't notice the hood lifting at lower speeds then there is not much force being generated or they're not paying attention. I'd run it as you have it unless you want to finish it with welds etc.

I would suggest 2 TWO as in 2 rubber tarp straps.... I can attest if you only use one it will let you down at some point.