Alternatives to engine lid shocks
 

Last spring I saw a 73RS with a short hinged rod that served as the support for the open engine lid. Unfortunately, I didn't get to talk to the owner about it. Is this a standard RS part, an aftermarket part, or something home made? Anyone here develop your own solution to replacing the crappy (i.e. short lived) decklid shocks?

I'm not interested in carrying poles of various types to prop open my deklids, so that's beyond the scope of what I'm hoping to find out about.

Thanks for your comments and Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones! SmileWavy

Jim,
You need a set of these bad dogs!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1103644696.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1103644707.jpg

Hehehe! Thanks Shawn. I was looking for something a bit more subtle, but this is certainly one effective solution. :)

If you want to be subtle you can always paint them purple!

There is a Porsche part # for the front hood prop. They used them on the 993 Carrera RS's I believe. Let me see what I can dig up.

EDIT: Here ya go! This is for the front hood but I am sure with a little fab work it could work on the engine lid...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=139102&highlight=hood+p rop

Yes, that Ernie W. post is exactly what I was talking about. Thanks for the link, Shawn. I need to track down the parts to make that happen.

Remove the dead shock, drill through the shock body and put a pin in it. That is what I did for my hood. Works great. I am sure you could build your own using parts from some foreign car junk yard.

Dino would look great with those R hinges. Shawn, Do you have any left?

Jamie, I'm going for a more subtle look. Those R hinges make it more obvious that the car means business. :D

In a pinch, a Snap-On torque wrench case works quite well. Don't ask me how I know... ;)

Jamie,
I don't have any of the Titanium ones left but may have aluminum sets in the future. I will keep you informed.

Shawn,

Have you checked Ebay for titanium stock. It looks like there are some deals to be had.

What kind of shocks are you buying?

I usually get 7-8 years out of mine.

Brian, I'm using the heavy duty ones that Pelican and others sell. My long hood is a little bit heavier than yours, and when it gets cold here, the shocks flat out don't work. I'm fed up with them and want a simpler, long-lasting, and hopefully lighter solution.

"check[] Ebay for titanium stock"

Or you could buy a Russian submarine and melt it down....


An easier thing to do is to go visit the junk store at Boeing or see if other aerospace firms have something similar - the junkbin at the Lockheed skunkworks facility ought to be pretty interesting.

You must be planning on a lot of down time in the paddock with your engine lid up, Jim. :) Don't blame the engine...

I have a ducktail that's going to get pinned at all 4 corners....need the extra holddowns for when I blow by you next Memorial Day :D

I'm going for lightweight, Souk. Can't concede any advantage to you! :p

BTW, Rany must be loosing it...subs, dumpster diving...

I made a nylon block that snapped over the rod of the shock absorber then it hols the trunk up in compression. Works nicely, no one sees it.

Was watching Victory by Design Ferrari, and everytime they took the lid off a racing Ferrari, the lid had a couple of "fingers" that went into the lid on one end and then one or two pins held the other end in place...kinda like the battery cover on must small electronics...simple and utilitary. I think I'll fab a couple of brackets for my ducktail to work like that. I like the wide open engine bay look anyhow.

Jim, did you just concede to a potential lack of speed :)