Hood came up on me tonight...

[ry4ns302]

On my way to the local cruise night with my girlfriend and it all went down..or rather, up.

I saw the hood start to lift about 8" so I hit the brakes but with traffic on my butt I couldn't stand on 'em, so I "braced for impact". It wasn't as bad as it could have been, the windshield is good, the fenders are good,thats about it. Hood, cowl vent/panel is ruined. I didn't even open up the hood to see how bad the hinges are. I guess it's just what I needed to justify a 2.5" cowl glass hood and new cowl vent with a guage pod....That's my attempt at making the best of it. Man this hot rodding stuff in nauseating sometimes. I don't even have the nerve to call my insurance company because of all the claims I've had this year, it just keeps getting better.

Here's a pic my girlfrriend took with her phone:

Paint chipped all over, at least its at the end of the season...

[ry4ns302]

Hah, the windshield wiper controls dented the hood, probably would have been worse if I had 'em on..

[PaceFever79]

That sucks man.

I don't understand why this happens so much.

It makes me want to add hood pins.

[JTurbo]

That sucks....

[ry4ns302]

I've read about this happening over and over, even with the stock hood..I hate the way the pins looks, but I might have to go tghat route, maybe just get 'em painted black

[1158]

That sucks man.

I don't understand why this happens so much.

It makes me want to add hood pins.

Yeah, what is the deal with this. Being fairly new to 4 eyes I am wondering why the safety catch isn't working. Is this something I need to worry about/deal with?

[eeprete]

Ryan, sorry to see this happen.

I had this happen once to me on my 82 Capri back in 93 on the SSP around the turn in Elmont getting onto the CIP. Not a fun spot to happen.

Mine happened as I had just checked my oil at home, got ready to go, dropped the hood down, but the way a Mustang hood drops down, its often very loud, so I placed it down easy. Threw the stuff out, forgot to close the hood and of course when I got to 50-60 MPH, bam!

[escogt]

Man Ryan, I'm really sorry. That just sucks.

[1158]

On my way to the local cruise night with my girlfriend and it all went down..or rather, up.

I saw the hood start to lift about 8" so I hit the brakes but with traffic on my butt I couldn't stand on 'em, so I "braced for impact". It wasn't as bad as it could have been, the windshield is good, the fenders are good,thats about it. Hood, cowl vent/panel is ruined. I didn't even open up the hood to see how bad the hinges are. I guess it's just what I needed to justify a 2.5" cowl glass hood and new cowl vent with a guage pod....That's my attempt at making the best of it. Man this hot rodding stuff in nauseating sometimes. I don't even have the nerve to call my insurance company because of all the claims I've had this year, it just keeps getting better.

That's really the only attitude you can have. It sure does suck and I hope you get it fixed soon, but at least you, the lady, and the car are still in 1 piece!

[MY70GT]

Ryan, sorry to see this happen.

I had this happen once to me on my 82 Capri back in 93 on the SSP around the turn in Elmont getting onto the CIP. Not a fun spot to happen.

Mine happened as I had just checked my oil at home, got ready to go, dropped the hood down, but the way a Mustang hood drops down, its often very loud, so I placed it down easy. Threw the stuff out, forgot to close the hood and of course when I got to 50-60 MPH, bam!

Major bummer....sorry for your bad luck......

That turn is lethal on the SSP ramp from the CIP. I have seen many fatal accidents in that spot at all hours. Damn lucky you got away from that one ok.....

[ry4ns302]

Hey thanks guys...My girlfriend took it suprisingly well, I'm glad I wasn't really cruising along. It was my fault, I was playing with the carb today at my buddies shop and I guess I just didn't lock the hood in, but the safety latch...ah what difference does it make. Frankly I was waiting for the glass to shatter, the whole nine...

And when I pulled into the gas station in front of where I was, a kid in an IRoc, drove up, talking about "NIce car man..you got the Mickey Thompsons and everything. I said "Yea man, my hood just flew up on me, I just got the car back from the bodyshop too." And he kept on talking about the car...I gave my girlfriend the look, and she said to the kid," I'm sorry sweetie, I dont think now's a good time"...I feel bad now, I love talkin cars, it was funny now that I look back.

I guess thats what Hot Roddins' about..It's fun to work on the cars, that's what its about, sometimes you fix stuff you want to, and sometimes you fix stuff you have to.

[1158]

Hey thanks guys...My girlfriend took it suprisingly well, I'm glad I wasn't really cruising along. It was my fault, I was playing with the carb today at my buddies shop and I guess I just didn't lock the hood in, but the safety latch...ah what difference does it make. Frankly I was waiting for the glass to shatter, the whole nine...

And when I pulled into the gas station in front of where I was, a kid in an IRoc, drove up, talking about "NIce car man..you got the Mickey Thompsons and everything. I said "Yea man, my hood just flew up on me, I just got the car back from the bodyshop too." And he kept on talking about the car...I gave my girlfriend the look, and she said to the kid," I'm sorry sweetie, I dont think now's a good time"...I feel bad now, I love talkin cars, it was funny now that I look back.

I guess thats what Hot Roddins' about..It's fun to work on the cars, that's what its about, sometimes you fix stuff you want to, and sometimes you fix stuff you have to.

Yup, and sometimes you have to figure out what the hell you need to fix before you can fix it. Chasing down the gremlins sucks, but when you find them, oh is it rewarding. Wish you the best and hope you can get it fixed quickly!

[MY70GT]

Hey thanks guys...My girlfriend took it suprisingly well, I'm glad I wasn't really cruising along. It was my fault, I was playing with the carb today at my buddies shop and I guess I just didn't lock the hood in, but the safety latch...ah what difference does it make. Frankly I was waiting for the glass to shatter, the whole nine...

And when I pulled into the gas station in front of where I was, a kid in an IRoc, drove up, talking about "NIce car man..you got the Mickey Thompsons and everything. I said "Yea man, my hood just flew up on me, I just got the car back from the bodyshop too." And he kept on talking about the car...I gave my girlfriend the look, and she said to the kid," I'm sorry sweetie, I dont think now's a good time"...I feel bad now, I love talkin cars, it was funny now that I look back.

I guess thats what Hot Roddins' about..It's fun to work on the cars, that's what its about, sometimes you fix stuff you want to, and sometimes you fix stuff you have to.

Off the subject, you and I are neighbors.....im in Oceanside on the Baldwin border right off of Foxhurst, on Derby Drive South.....

[PaceFever79]

Ryan, sorry to see this happen.

I had this happen once to me on my 82 Capri back in 93 on the SSP around the turn in Elmont getting onto the CIP. Not a fun spot to happen.

Mine happened as I had just checked my oil at home, got ready to go, dropped the hood down, but the way a Mustang hood drops down, its often very loud, so I placed it down easy. Threw the stuff out, forgot to close the hood and of course when I got to 50-60 MPH, bam!

Every time I shut my hood I give it a good jerk with my fingers just to make
sure it is latched. I don't know if that helps, but so far so good.

[ry4ns302]

Off the subject, you and I are neighbors.....im in Oceanside on the Baldwin border right off of Foxhurst, on Derby Drive South.....

I grew up south of atlantic near the park. I keep the car down there sometimes! *Note: In a very well lit, security camera monitored, home of a licensed concealed weapons carrier...J/K

What kind of car do you have?

[Rick Schmidt]

Had this problem twice in my 82 2 different hoods 2 different latches. First was the otiginal hood original Latch mech. that time only slightly bent the cowl and hood corners. Ran pins on that hood after that. later put the Pace car hood on her and that hood stood at attention at about 50 MPH tweeked the hood chipped up the pace car scoop and did a good number on the cowl and the wiper mech. Put the stock hood and its pins back on. Just recently started repairing the Pace hood and it will have pins nho doubt. I just do not trust a stock Fox Latch anymore

[MY70GT]

I grew up south of atlantic near the park. I keep the car down there sometimes! *Note: In a very well lit, security camera monitored, home of a licensed concealed weapons carrier...J/K

What kind of car do you have?

Well up until last month i had a 70 Torino GT Convertible which i just sold, and i am working on my project 1983 Foxbody Thunderbird Heritage, my first car i kept and stored. Here is the build thread, just working on getting her started and out of storage. You grew up in the Harbor? I know a few people from there too, how old are you? I was Oceanside HS class of 86.

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?t=119976

[ry4ns302]

Oh man, I was born in '85, lol. But my brother and sister are a decade or so older...I moved to levittown with my girlfriend now, but I'm always in the neighborhood. My parents still live there, and my sister right around the corner. I have a small general contracting company and I pretty much started out down there so I have some loyal customers that I still do work for. I don't know if you need any help with the car, or parts, etc..But I'd love to offer anything I could. Do you go to Captree on sundays?

[weaverkb]

Sorry to hear that Ryan. It's happened to me too. Still haven't gotten the cowl straightened out. I won't have a fox anymore without hood pins.

[ry4ns302]

How do you repair the cowl vent panel? Do they make new ones, or just try to pull 'em out?

Hey, how'd the valve covers work out?

[Anlushac11]

I have seen a guy use a bent rod stuck into cowl vent opening to get under and try to pry dented down area back up. You can get new cowl vent cover easily enough. I have had this happen on a couple of Pinto's and at least two Fox Mustang's.

[69clark]

That sucks man!

[weaverkb]

There's a trick of putting a deflated football under the damaged area and inflating it. I haven't gotten around to trying it yet.
I blasted the covers and painted them in a black wrinkle. They look like new. I still have to sand and polish the ribs yet.

[BLK BRD 88]

Sure sorry to hear about your mishap. I think there should be a FoxBody "flying hood club" for everybody who has had this happen to them.

Nearly every early Fox that I have seen, when closely inspected, shows signs of hood lift at sometime in the past.

I try to remember to always double check that it is closed tight after I close the hood on any Fox Mustang or Capri. (Fingers crossed!)
Ron

[yobarry]

Yeah, what is the deal with this. Being fairly new to 4 eyes I am wondering why the safety catch isn't working. Is this something I need to worry about/deal with?

Im wondering the same thing. Is it a design flaw? Or maybe just the catch is out of adjustment or the return spring on the catch is broken or stuck and people simply aren't aware? (things to check)
The more stories I hear about this the more I find myself worrying about it happening to me. This has happened on my car once already sometime in the past and the damage still remained when I got it, I haven't got to fixing the cowl yet but I'm gonna try the football trick, and I got the hood back into shape by removing the tweeked inner structure and welding in a new one from about middle of the hood all the way back.