Just picked up a Seibon CF hood for the 86.

I'm getting mixed answers on whether or not hood pins are necessary. What are your thoughts?

I haven't looked at the latch on the seibon hoods in person, but it's generally a bad idea to trust any type of latch on a composite hood. Best to have the hood pins for safety. The last thing you want is the hood to flip up while driving.

It came with a reinforced steel latch.
I was told by several people that it would be adequate.


If not, would these work?
http://www.amazon.com/AeroCatch-Flush-H ... B006F4BMNO

Is the car a daily driver? Or just a weekend driver?

I have a Seibon Hood and Hatch, and neither are using secondary latching systems. Just the secured latches they came with. Car gets driven spiritedly on freeways and roads, but only on weekends when its warm, so I dont know if thats a good gauge as to how they hold up over time.

It is a spirited daily driver with occasional track weekends.
I will, however, be driving from California to Arizona after installing the hood. I'll probably get the pins along with the latch, just to be safe.

How long have you been driving with your hood unsecured?
Those aerocatches linked above work?
Link again for good measure:
http://www.amazon.com/AeroCatch-Flush-H ... B006F4BMNO

The whole steel latch can separate from the composite material - not saying it's likely to happen but it could.

You can pretty much use any latches you want since they're universal. I just have some cheap but affective $10 Allstar latches. Stay away from the round lockable hood pins like this since the studs are generally porous garbage, even name brands (lockable aerocatch is fine):

I have a seibon on my 86 with no pins. Just make sure it is Fully latched and you will be fine. all the research I did before buying my hood, the only people that had problems with them opening while driving were user fault ie. not latched all the way!

but yes hood pins are still a make you feel fuzzy and safe when driving lol

I've known a good number of people that don't and never had a problem. I wouldn't run without them though.

I was behind a buddy in a CRX running without them at 60+mph - It caught enough air when it came up to bottom out the entire rear end of the car, took out the windshield, fenders, pillars, and left a nice crease in the roof panel. Spectacular to watch though.

He managed to get off the road safely, but this was on an empty straight stretch of highway. In traffic / cornering it could have gone a whole lot worse for him and the people around him.

My stock hood latch failed at one time. I blame it on the latch not locking down probably due to it being a tad tweaked, it flew up at 15mph, enough to bend the hood, roof, and hindges. Even with properly working hood latches id get hood pins if the car will be driven on track or any spirited driving.