Hood straps

I have noticed that alot of older race cars have leather hood straps to hold the hoods down. What's the collective grm opinion on cars withleather hood straps that they didn't originally come with?

Also would they look terrible on an e30 mounted to the fenders?

Some pics for inspiration:

Catatafish wrote: Also would they look terrible on an e30 mounted to the fenders?

In my humble opinion...

No, just no. Only for race cars up to the mid 50s or so.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: No, just no. Only for British cars up to the mid 60s or so.

FTFY

Duct tape. Layer it properly.

RealMiniDriver wrote:

Kenny_McCormic wrote: No, just no. Only for European cars up to the mid 60s or so.

FTFY

You can't say a 356 with leather straps doesn't look right.

In reply to EvanB: You got me there.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: No, just no. Only for race cars up to the mid 50s or so.

This. The Pagani Zonda barely gets away with them.

Also from a technical standpoint, they fall into the same category as non-collapsible steering columns and open top cars with no roll bars.

On anything made in the last 60 years, it would look like you're trying too hard.

Agreed. No good on an E30.

There are cars built after the 60s that still look good with them, but most of those are Morgans.

A few pins would work. Hey, I'm missing a ring for a pin on my Cadavalier. It's not like it's important at the rate parts fly off cars on the Back 40, but I'd still like to have it.

Maroon92 wrote: Agreed. No good on an E30. There are cars built after the 60s that still look good with them, but most of those are Morgans.

Yep... for most cars from the '60s on up, hood pins are where it's at.

I forgot to get to the point in my last post. Anyone know a good source for cheap pin rings? Just need a ring.

Woody wrote: On anything made in the last 60 years, it would look like you're trying too hard.

I will give you the exception to the rule. Morgan Plus 8.

Morgans aren't really made in modern times.

HF sells hitch pin sets. Or, if you just need the ring, put a loop of zip tie in it.

Fiat used them on the abarth 124.. but not straps, they used rubber holddowns on the trunk and hood

Keith Tanner wrote: Morgans aren't really made in modern times.

Yup. Morgans are fabricated in an independent bubble of space-time, separate from our universe, that is stuck in a groundhog day type of loop. (...and all I want to know is how the morgan distributors manipulate the wormhole that lets them deliver the product to our shores.)

I honestly thought I would get more yes votes than no! Hood pins can sometimes be a pain to get out and on occasion I have scratched my paint pulling too hard!

Catatafish wrote: I honestly thought I would get more yes votes than no! Hood pins can sometimes be a pain to get out and on occasion I have scratched my paint pulling too hard!

Aerolatches fix that problem. That and just using the stock latches is fine on anything except a race car with a lightened steel or composite hood.

I personally like any kind of exposed hood retention system. It is just a matter of why type looks right for that certain car.

I have single strap on the mini like the works rally cars, I love the look of it

JoeyM wrote:

Keith Tanner wrote: Morgans aren't really made in modern times.

Yup. Morgans are fabricated in an independent bubble of space-time, separate from our universe, that is stuck in a groundhog day type of loop. (...and all I want to know is how the morgan distributors manipulate the wormhole that lets them deliver the product to our shores.)

Yeah, if there's an anvil involved, it doesn't count.

Jeeps?

American cars up to about 1960 you can use a bungee cord

Or when it's a total crap trap that embraces its crapitude. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZcjpXbMiCtg