Looking suggestions for a sick aftermarket hood :D

[strat61caster]

Holy shit, when did this thread become useful?

[Ultramaroon]

Hey, if humfrz, Tcoat, and I are in it you know it's going to be useful. #threewisemen

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Haha.... That's GREAT! Is that really you? Nice hair. Most of mine is gone.

Yep, I'm afraid so ........ and that was a good day!




humfrz

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Yep, I'm afraid so ........ and that was a good day!




humfrz

Looking good, my man. Looking GOOD!

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Cup of prune juice and a nap and you will be fine. At least that is what works for me.

Oh yes, oatmeal and long naps keep me under control .... usually ......


humfrz

[Ultramaroon]

Ok, past my bedtime. G'night gents.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Ok, past my bedtime. G'night gents.

Yep, it's way past my med-time ..... ZZZZZZZ


humfrz

[soulreapersteve]

Originally Posted by humfrz

This is my best .......


humfrz

You are sorta scary looking... Looks like your naps keep you looking fresh!

[Tromatic]

I can drop a turd on your hood for free.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by DAEMANO

Couldn't cutting into a stock hood also affect it's crumple characteristics? Probably so, to what degree it would likely take an automotive crash engineer to speak towards with any credibility. What's missing from your reply though is that there are likely no aftermarket hoods that are meant for use on public roads as they would probably require some sort of certification and crash testing. With aftermarket parts we get that disclaimer all the time though, but then again we all know that, right?

Possible, but the hood's crash characteristics are mostly affected by the rib. My comment was solely directed towards 1) aftermarket hoods w/ vents that are often molded directly from factory parts with zero consideration for safety, and 2) some of these same aftermarket hoods with vents installed at the expense of cutting into the rib structure that is molded from stock hoods. In the case of #2, I'd rather just use the stock hood with vents installed if all I wanted was ventilation.

As for aftermarket parts meant for use on public roads, that is a huge gray area that no one would bother tackling. Legislation regulating that would be as narrow as cheap prototype aftermarket parts, to entire panels made out of bondo as a way of fixing something. It's too broad and would take an army of lawyers to figure out wording that ends up being of zero benefit to the public.

-alex

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Holy shit, when did this thread become useful?

Originally Posted by Tromatic

I can drop a turd on your hood for free.

Aaaaand we're back to poop jokes.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Coincidentally enough I will be at the crash test center on Tuesday and since you have now peaked my curiosity I am actually going to pose that very question to said engineer. I will report my findings.

Originally Posted by DAEMANO

Hell yeah thanks. That will help me decide which direction to go in the future. I've only found two kinds of stock hood vent options

Trip moved to tomorrow. I didn't forget you.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by mav1178

I'd like to see the rib structure under the hood. And I'd like to see a hood that has a rib structure that accounts for vents or scoops, not OEM replicas with sections of the rib cut out.

Most aftermarket, mass-produced fiberglass/CF hoods take the OE hood and mold it, down to the crumple zone dimples in the stock hood rib. This is just how people are when it comes to being cheap.

For that price I'd rather cut into a stock hood and install vents. Much safer.

-alex

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

You're funny.

I'm going to take a stab and guess that the hood is not considered with respect to collision energy absorption. They have to double-latch and they have to fold up before they endanger occupants of the car.

Now, let's see what I got wrong.

Originally Posted by DAEMANO

Couldn't cutting into a stock hood also affect it's crumple characteristics? Probably so, to what degree it would likely take an automotive crash engineer to speak towards with any credibility. What's missing from your reply though is that there are likely no aftermarket hoods that are meant for use on public roads as they would probably require some sort of certification and crash testing. With aftermarket parts we get that disclaimer all the time though, but then again we all know that, right?

OK, so here is the scoop on hoods straight from a real life Crash Test Tech (don't let his title fool you he is way more engineer than many, even nerdier than most and has been doing this for 28 years). I apologise if everybody knew this and I figured I did but this is the real deal and it was eye opening.


The hood is not factored into the overall crumple zones of the car (Gold star to Ultra) but has vital zones all of it's own (Gold star to Mav). The hood has several "fracture points" built into it. These are those straight indents in the ribs. There are several angled ones at the very top/front and some on most of the ribs about half way down (see pic). The express purpose of these points it control the bend in the hood in a collision. The front ones bend the very end of the hood in and down and the middle ones bend it in half. These bends keep it out of the passenger compartment.


He showed me a video of a car being tested through development (can't say what) where they did not have a good design for the fracture points. When it hit the hood did not bend, snapped the hinge pins, shot through the windshield and stopped at the B pillars.


Now, as Mav said some of the cheaper hoods simply mold from the stock and do nothing but cut holes.
Since the fracture points are designed for aluminum and tin they are not going to do a thing for fiberglass and carbon fiber. You can draw your own conclusions as to what the results could be in a crash. I am sure that some of the higher end ones take this into account and manufacture the points in but it is certainly a question I would want to ask.


So... Cut holes into the hood sheet metal all you want but do not, under any circumstances, mess with those cross braces or at least understand the risks if you do.


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LQKqs_IvgQ"]2014 Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ / Toyota GT86 | Frontal Crash Test | CrashNet1 - YouTube[/ame]

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

So... Cut holes into the hood sheet metal all you want but do not, under any circumstances, mess with those cross braces or at least understand the risks if you do.

Yeah, sorry I should've been clearer: I'd rather cut into the sheet metal for vent install, not bracing.

-alex