[VIDEO] BMW M3 knock-off hood latch fails at 137mph!

[Luccia at Pelican Parts]

Check out the video below of Aerocatch knock-off hood latch failing on the straight at VIR going 137MPH in his BMW E46 M3. Forward the video to 7:30. He said the windshield, hood and roof are trashed.



Photo of the aftermath

[GG Allin]

That happened on my '72 Cutlass. Not @ 137 mph though.

[widebody911]

That video violates the Wadsworth Constant by orders of magnitude...

[pwd72s]

To save time, go to 7:40 on the video.

[JavaBrewer]

I made the same mistake once with a '78 Datsun truck. I installed new headlamps and was adjusting them. Didn't fully close the hood/catch and at ~ 40 mph it opened on me. Very embarrassing.

[fastfredracing]

My employee and I were bringing cars back from a dealer that we used to do work for . I was in 80's z 28, and he was in a VW Fox. We were ripping up the highway at about 55 mph. I got to the exit, and noticed that he was no longer behind me.
Figuring the car broke down or something, I turned around to go look for him.
About 2 miles back, I find him walking up the side of the highway , carrying the entire hood from that VW. Wind picked it up, and ripped the hinges right from the body . Smashed windsheild, roof, and hood damaged.
He ended up buying the car from the dealer for $200.00, and put barn door hinges on the hood, then drove it as a beater for the next 3 years .
I am extra careful that both latches latch when closing hoods . This happens more than you would think . That second catch does not have much of a chance at speeds over 50 mph.
I've seen this done to a few 911's also.

[PRE-H20]

Anyone notice how incredibly CALM the driver was with a hood flying in his face at 170mph ?

He was as calm as reaching down and turning off the AC.......!! at 170MPH? wow.

[Tobra]

That, friends and neighbors, is why you put hood pins on your race car.

Driver was pretty chill, I like that.

[Luccia at Pelican Parts]

Updated the title, but in the OP I noted the owner of the M3 purchased knock-off hood latches from Amazon, which is what resulted in his hood flying open. Lesson learned to not cheap out on hood latches. He left a review on the them and they put the product as "currently unavailable."

[porsche4life]

This cheap hood latches have always looked sketchy. I used to sell them some and never liked when a client opted for he cheap ones over good ones. Never understood why someone would spend the money for a CF hood and cheap out on latches.

[rusnak]

Amazon has been having real problems with knock off products. I'm not 100% sure that I would not have shat mah pants.

[Tobra]

Tuck your pants into your socks and it will make it easier to clean out the car after something like that.

Don't see the latches at all in the pic

[911boost]

new pair of underwear please

[A930Rocket]

I don't see them either.

Originally Posted by Tobra

Don't see the latches at all in the pic

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

I made the same mistake once with a '78 Datsun truck. I installed new headlamps and was adjusting them. Didn't fully close the hood/catch and at ~ 40 mph it opened on me. Very embarrassing.

LOL, 72 datsun pickemup for me.

[rattlsnak]

and a great save at 2:30!

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by PRE-H20

Anyone notice how incredibly CALM the driver was with a hood flying in his face at 170mph ?

He was as calm as reaching down and turning off the AC.......!! at 170MPH? wow.

Check out some footage from Bathurst 12hr.

[Heel n Toe]

Kinda makes ya wonder why BMW stopped using hoods that opened forward. Much safer. Also, hood pins anyone?

[IROC]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Driver was pretty chill, I like that.

In these situations, your first instinct is to gather everything up and get the vehicle stopped. The freaking out happens afterward. I was hit in the passenger side door while going flat out down the front straight at Atlanta Motorsports Park. A Subaru got bumped up in front of me and spun coming across the track right into to me. There was virtually nothing I could do. I didn't even realize the extent of the hit until I was sitting on the side of the track and looked over and saw grass where the door used to be.

On the roll back in the pits (the Subaru bumper actually penetrated the door):

[Tervuren]

https://youtu.be/wmLdnnjC0q4?t=5h34m11s