Hood Fasteners for High Performance Cars

What Do Hood Fasteners Do on Race Cars?

Hood fasteners hold a hood or deck lid down with a positive mechanical lock, as backup to the factory latch or in place of it. At high speed, air builds under the front of the car and lifts the hood. A factory latch grabs at one point, so the corners can still flutter.

Hood pins and quarter-turn fasteners spread the clamping load across several points. That's why you'll see them on drag, road race and circle track cars. Lightweight fiberglass hoods need them even more, since they flex more than steel and often run without a latch.

Hot rodders and restorers use hood pins too, for extra security or a period-correct race look. Hood fasteners are part of our exterior parts lineup, so you can source panels and hardware in one order. For panel swaps and install ideas, read our hoods, scoops and body tech articles.

Which Types of Hood Fasteners Can You Choose From?

The main types of hood fasteners differ in how they lock and how quickly you can open the hood. Here's what you'll find:

• Hood pins that mount to the core support and lock above the hood with a hairpin or torsion clip
• Push-button locking hood pins that release with a press of the button
• Quarter-turn fasteners that lock with a quarter turn and self-eject when released
• Body bolts, clips and retainers that secure fenders, trim and inner panels

JEGS Hood and Deck Lid Pin Kits come in chrome-finished steel or aluminum, with torsion or hairpin safety clips. Mr. Gasket Hood Pins include two chromed pins, scuff plates and hardware in hairpin or torsion styles. Quik-Latch Hood Pins use a push-button design, and the button stays down until you re-latch it.

If you're replacing a hood clamp bolt or factory trim hardware, start with body bolts and push-pin retainers.

How Do You Choose a Hood Pin Kit?

Choose a hood pin kit by matching the material, pin diameter and thread length to your hood and core support. Chrome-finished steel pins suit street and strip cars that see plenty of handling. Aluminum pins save weight, and JEGS offers them in natural silver or anodized black.

Next, check diameter and threads. The JEGS steel kit uses 1/2 in. diameter, 4 in. pins with 1/2"-20 x 2-1/2" threads, while the aluminum kit uses 1/2"-20 x 2-5/8" threads. Mr. Gasket pins measure 0.438 in. in diameter and about 4 in. overall. Longer threads give more room to set pin height under a raised hood.

Each JEGS steel kit includes two pins, two scuff plates with 8 screws, safety clips and 4 nuts. Scuff plates protect the paint, and lanyard versions keep the clip tethered so you don't lose it in the pits. Every JEGS pin kit requires drilling, so plan hole locations before you order. Want pins and hardware in one package? Compare our body fastener kits.

Should You Use Hood Pins or Quarter-Turn Fasteners on a Fiberglass Hood?

Use hood pins if you're keeping the hinges or want a visible race look, and use quarter-turn fasteners if you're running a lift-off fiberglass hood. Pins are simple to install and easy to check at a glance. Quarter-turn fasteners sit nearly flush and let you pull a hood off quickly.

Fiberglass is lighter and thinner than steel, so fastener choice matters more. The JEGS Heavy-Duty Hood and Deck Installation Kit is built for lightweight fiberglass panels when you eliminate the latch and hinges. It includes 10 self-ejecting #6 quarter-turn fasteners, springs, 90-degree brackets and rivets. The springs help prevent the fasteners from pulling through the panel.

Building custom mounts or a tube chassis car? Weld plates let you attach quarter-turn receivers to your own brackets. For more on setting up a competition car, see our bracket racing tech articles.

How Do You Install Hood Fasteners Correctly?

Install hood fasteners after the hood is aligned and closed in its final position. If the hood sits unevenly, the pins will bind or pull the panel out of line. Adjust the hinges, bumpers and latch first.

Mount each pin to the radiator core support or a sturdy bracket, then set its height with the two nuts. Put a dab of paint or grease on the pin tip, close the hood gently and let the pin mark the underside. Drill a small pilot hole at the mark, confirm alignment, then open it to final size and mount the scuff plate.

Start with a pair near the front corners and keep each pin square to the hood surface. The pin should stand tall enough for the clip to pass through without touching the hood. After the first few passes or drives, recheck nut tightness, clip tension and hole wear. Once your layout is set, shop the hood fasteners on this page.