Hood prop rod question

[davids2toys]

My car is 17 years old. Has unique updated the prop rod since then? Mine is just a rod end that sticks in a little hole in the hood. There is no safety catch, pin, or anything to keep it secure, especially in the wind. The wind has blown this hood off this rod a couple of time and I am sick of sweating this at car shows that have a windy days. I have seen a few other brands of Cobras have different style rods on their cars that have locking features. What is Unique using these days and is it compatible with what I have now?
Thanks...Dave

[Naumoff]

Not where I can get to my pictures but I did what others have done and put a stainless screw adjacent to the prop hole and used a 1 inch rubber o ring with a small o ring to synch it down on the rod and then hook it over the screw. Simple and it works.

[davids2toys]

Not where I can get to my pictures but I did what others have done and put a stainless screw adjacent to the prop hole and used a 1 inch rubber o ring with a small o ring to synch it down on the rod and then hook it over the screw. Simple and it works.
Interesting, cant really picture it though! How do you get the o rings to hook into each other? I can't imagine how this would look. Does anybody have a pic?

[weaver]

Here are a couple pics of my car, seems to work fine on a windy day.

[Naumoff]

That's it.

[davids2toys]

Oh, I see, picture is worth a thousand words![thumb]
a few questions:

Is that a fancy kind of thumbscrew?
Any special procedure or fastener for going into the fiberglass?
Do you leave the O rings attached to the prop rod when not in use or is it something you just carry in the car for a windy day?
Thanks...Dave

[scottysheppard]

I'm also interested in where the thumb screw came from. I'm having the same problem with the wind.

[weaver]

Home Depot, you can find it in the nut and bolt area and it comes with a push in retainer.

[davids2toys]

Home Depot, you can find it in the nut and bolt area and it comes with a push in retainer.
That is where I was, I scoured that aisle, nothing like that at all. I picked up some stainless theft proof license plate fasteners at Advance Auto, but I like yours much better, looks more finished!
Are the threads on yours 1/4", or are they smaller? I know I asked this a couple of posts ago, but do you leave the O rings attached to the prop rod when not in use or is it something you just carry in the car for a windy day?
Thanks...Dave

[weaver]

I leave them attached, you may need to replace them over time because of engine heat. I think the screws are used with screen doors.

[davids2toys]

I leave them attached, you may need to replace them over time because of engine heat. I think the screws are used with screen doors.
Screen doors, I thought they looked kind of familiar! LOL
You also mention a retainer, I am assuming so it does not pull out of the fiberglass? Similar to screwing into sheet rock, correct? If I find something decent but without a retainer could I put something on the threads to keep it in the fiberglass?
The guy at Advance said a wood screw type thread should be good to hold in fiberglass.
I found some real nice ones online but you had to buy bulk for crazy money. they were SS or aluminum choice, built in shoulder, knurled head...they also came with some nylon material as part of the threads to keep it locked in. They were 10-32 or 1/4 -20...would these type of threads be OK in fiberglass?
Dave

[beast]

Same problem. Mine even blew down with the o-ring attached. Here's the fix that worked for me.
I fabricated a clip out of thin stainless-steel. Mount with the same #10 stainless screw and hole, previously used for the o-ring. Make a spacer slightly thicker than the thickness of the clip, which allows the mounting screw to be tightened snuggly and free movement of the clip. I drilled out the I.D. of a piece of 1/4" tubing for the #10 screw, then cut to length (thickness). Note the notch on each side of the clip opening for clearance by the hood rod support flange.
Hope this helps. Gary :D

[davids2toys]

Same problem. Mine even blew down with the o-ring attached. Here's the fix that worked for me.
I fabricated a clip out of thin stainless-steel. Mount with the same #10 stainless screw and hole, previously used for the o-ring. Make a spacer slightly thicker than the thickness of the clip, which allows the mounting screw to be tightened snuggly and free movement of the clip. I drilled out the I.D. of a piece of 1/4" tubing for the #10 screw, then cut to length (thickness). Note the notch on each side of the clip opening for clearance by the hood rod support flange.
Hope this helps. Gary :D
Very interesting idea!!!
How thick did you make the SS clip?
Do you just leave this attached all the time? It would think with the spacer there you could not snug it up and will always be flopping around.
So, what kind of # 10 fastener did you use? I am still going back and forth between a wood or sheet metal screw type thread or tapping the hole for a machine screw and using removable strength locktite???

Thanks...Dave

[beast]

The stainless material is about .075" thick. It's permanent and doesn't flop around. Make the spacer so that there is a little resistance when the screw is tight. I used a #10 stainless sheet metal screw.
Gary

[davids2toys]

The stainless material is about .075" thick. It's permanent and doesn't flop around. Make the spacer so that there is a little resistance when the screw is tight. I used a #10 stainless sheet metal screw.
Gary
Great! Tell me this, this clip does move back and forth to lock and unlock the prop rod from the hood?...any marring of the paint?

[beast]

No marring to date. Add a flat washer between hood and clip if concerned.
Gary

[weaver]

Gary, are you going to Panama City next month?

[beast]

No Plans at this time. I'll let you know if I'm going.
You missed a GREAT week at Cruisin-the-Coast this year. 4,854 registered cars and AWESOME weather. Several out of town Unique owners made it (Ronnie Tucker, Kent Berry, and Al Slide). Paul (Slither), Jim (Diegokid), and me are local.
Gary

[davids2toys]

No marring to date. Add a flat washer between hood and clip if concerned.
Gary
Thanks[thumb]
Whatever I do to correct the falling hood problem I will post when complete. Another winter job!

[Slither]

No Plans at this time. I'll let you know if I'm going.
You missed a GREAT week at Cruisin-the-Coast this year. 4,854 registered cars and AWESOME weather. Several out of town Unique owners made it (Ronnie Tucker, Kent Berry, and Al Slide). Paul (Slither), Jim (Diegokid), and me are local.
Gary

I saw Charlie, the welder at Unique, down here with his Volks out in front of my place on Saturday early afternoon. Tried to flag him down, but I guess he had to go somewhere...

[davids2toys]

Ok, I finished my version of a fix that looks pretty decent in my opinion...and it works great. I have simulated a big wind gust buy hitting the underside of the hood fast and pretty hard and there is no way this will ever blow off again.
I kind of copied the SPF set up that they use on their cars. I bent a bolt in a vise, then welded it on the end of the Unique prop rod, sized it using a air sander and finished with Scotchbrite and painted it black. I also put an o-ring on it so i would not mar the paint anymore.
The hook is on an angle so when the wind comes along, the rod drops straight down in the slot. The hole in the hood matches it perfectly so it goes in very easily.

[beast]

Nice job Dave. Looks good and functional.
Gary

[davids2toys]

Nice job Dave. Looks good and functional.
Gary
Thanks Gary

[mkassab]

maybe a new perm mod to the Unique Cobra's

[eliminator]

As far as the metal protector around the prop rod hole,this has been done before, Butch Capps made this modification about 3 years ago on both of his cars, 289 FIA and 427 S/C.

It is a little difficult with the hood on, best preformed with the hood off.

Looks very good.:banana: I am not so sure this will completely eliminate the hood from seperating from the prop rod in a strong wind gust!!

[davids2toys]

As far as the metal protector around the prop rod hole,this has been done before, Butch Capps made this modification about 3 years ago on both of his cars, 289 FIA and 427 S/C.

It is a little difficult with the hood on, best preformed with the hood off.

Looks very good.:banana: I am not so sure this will completely eliminate the hood from seperating from the prop rod in a strong wind gust!!
It absolutely will not and cannot blow off the prop rod! It would be physically impossible without breaking the hood. The hooked end would have to tear thru the fiberglass for that to happen. I am sure if the wind was blowing strong enough to do that, and you were out in your Cobra you should probably need your head examined anyway.:D

[eliminator]

I have seen these hoods buffet back and forth pretty hard in some windy conditions. As far as the conditions, they can happen quickly during when a storm blows in.
Hope you make it to Homecoming, I would like to take a closer look at it.

[davids2toys]

I have seen these hoods buffet back and forth pretty hard in some windy conditions. As far as the conditions, they can happen quickly during when a storm blows in.
Hope you make it to Homecoming, I would like to take a closer look at it.
Surprise wind can happen and has happened to me...that is the beauty of this mod, you have no choice, it is locked in automatically so there is nothing to forget...so surprise me all you want! That is why I did this in the first place.
Actually about homecoming, was a chance I may have made it down there, but it is really not looking good at the moment.
Dave

[eliminator]

"Actually about homecoming, was a chance I may have made it down there, but it is really not looking good at the moment."

Thats not good, would really like to see your car, maybe next year.

[davids2toys]

"Actually about homecoming, was a chance I may have made it down there, but it is really not looking good at the moment."

Thats not good, would really like to see your car, maybe next year.
I can take any picture you want me to take and send it to you. Just let me know.
Dave

[Slither]

Actually about homecoming, was a chance I may have made it down there, but it is really not looking good at the moment.

Dave

I thought all those Cobra guys from CT were real men and could drive their cars to Homecoming in under three days[thumb]! C'mon Dave, no weenies;)... trailer it if you have to:3g:!

[davids2toys]

I thought all those Cobra guys from CT were real men and could drive their cars to Homecoming in under three days[thumb]! C'mon Dave, no weenies;)... trailer it if you have to:3g:!
Not this real man, I would have to agree with you, driving from Ct to Alabama in a cobra is a feat in my book and you would qualify as a real man...I guess I am a fake, you figured me out Paul;)
Just returned to work yesterday after ten months out with this stupid knee. I may have to use up all my vaca time just to fix up my attendance, between that and all the damage to fix on the house and yard this spring from the kick arse winter we are going thru..unfortunately homecoming is low on the list of things to do. One day I definitely want to do it, from what I hear from you and others, it sounds awesome!!
Dave

[Slither]

Yup, the CT contingent is an amazing and talented bunch... nice cars, and they do it every year, without fail[thumb].

Keep it in the back of your mind and think about it... you can always change your mind.

[davids2toys]

From what you have told me, I have to agree with you.
I believe Brian is selling his Unique though!