I have literally 2 plus hours in aligning my hood so it would secure to my liking. You need to play with the hood...pulling/tugging/pushing from every angle untill the latch would not release.
I did the same as 04sleeper & DMAN302, I took my time and made sure it closed and secured properly when I first installed the hood. I also double check every time I close the hood to make sure it is closed and secured and not just closed!
im not arguing w/ u guys about not using hood pins, but the reason i use them goes back to the phrase "rather safe, then sorry." just gives me piece of mind that if infact, the factory latch let go and the catch didnt hold it, im not gonna have to pay another $600 to get it fixed
I get what you're saying and I agree. I don't like the looks of them either. It was the first comment I posted after the install. Thing is... That's like not wearing a seat belt because it wrinkles your clothes.
If you have the stock latches in place, I don't see any problem with running the hood locks instead of the pins.
Something like this would be great if you found a set that you could paint the same color as your car:
Word of caution though. These are not hood pins nor are they a substitute for hood pins. It will tell you that in the installation instructions. You MUST use your factory latches if you want to go this route. I think that it's what I will be going to in the near future.
Edit: Lame cuss filter killed the first image bacause the letters s-h-i-t were in succession from the website. Fixed with another one.
I'd be careful in these. A friend of mine (latamud) had a set and they broke. Maybe it was just the set he got or the brand but I won't be using them. I would love to run a cobra R or heat extractor hood but I hate the hood pins idea. Just me but on a lot of cars I think the car would look better without the pins.
Sometimes it depends on the hood itself. My cervinis 1.5 is thick and heavy, very little flex. Fit's and closes like the stock hood. I do however check it everytime to make sure it's secure, by pulling on it. I've had alignedment shops not close it right (this is why i now babysit the car) and the latch has caught it fine.
But with the thinner lighter hoods, it's possible that under speed that the hood flex and unlatch itself.
My choice if i had to use anything would be zeus clips (little buttons that go on the edge of the hood, opened with a screw driver, it has a spring loaded screw)