OT: Does somebody have an explanation as to why the hoods open....

[ryan roopnarine]

on these cars the way they do? Or a generalised explanation as to why automakers stopped putting on hoods that way? somebody asked me why mine is the way it is. doesn't the e28 m5 open up from the front? when i drove to ON, it was kinda cute to be parked next to an old chevy nova with da same hood opening, same engine configuration....cute in a dumb way, i know.

[rickm]

I wonder if it's so if it won't pop open....if you've ever had a hood fly open when you're driving (happened to me in a 77 Dodge van while driving over the Oregon Inlet Bridge, scared the $%#$ out of me).

[Bill R.]

hinge it like the e34 is.. most old cars opened from the other direction, only a few gm products in the 80's opened like the e34... Anybody thats every had a hood fly open on the highway and wrap around the windshield is thankful for the e34 hood.... Sorry Rick, guess i was too slow




on these cars the way they do? Or a generalised explanation as to why automakers stopped putting on hoods that way? somebody asked me why mine is the way it is. doesn't the e28 m5 open up from the front? when i drove to ON, it was kinda cute to be parked next to an old chevy nova with da same hood opening, same engine configuration....cute in a dumb way, i know.

[Don (Ireland)]

too many lawsuits. Owners of older E34's where getting knocked unconscious while working on their engines. The problem was down to old and failing gas struts combined with a gust of wide. BMW issued a bulletin recommending parking with open hood downwind or propping a broom against the bulkhead of the engine and the inside of the hood.

Don
95 525iA

[winfred]

a small pair of vice grips on the piston of the dead gas strut works well, that way you don't have a prop rod in the way

[Bill R.]

strut and locks the strut in place when up and you release the clip to lower it... I saw them a couple of years ago and thought these guys would make a fortune since they were only a couple of bucks... but it hasn't seemed to catch on...





a small pair of vice grips on the piston of the dead gas strut works well, that way you don't have a prop rod in the way

[bahnstormer]

nowadays kids TRY to make thier hoods, "suicide" style which means reverse. they reverse doors hoods trunk lids etc all to be different. keep trying to be something you're not ! =] *wink*

[632 Regal]

I remember when hood pins were "cool"

Maybey BMW didnt like that idea on their cars.

[Brian C.]

I remember when hood pins were "cool"

Maybey BMW didnt like that idea on their cars.

[ryan roopnarine]

yeah, im going to mount my hood so it opens FORWARD :D :D i know somebody with a nissan maxima that wants to cannabalize an e30 or such to do the same.


nowadays kids TRY to make thier hoods, "suicide" style which means reverse. they reverse doors hoods trunk lids etc all to be different. keep trying to be something you're not ! =] *wink*

[Bill R.]

hanging down...

[Tiger]

Mercedes Hoods are the best... You can swing them full upright out of your way... Don't you know how to do that Bill R? I thought you knew everything... hehehe.

[Bill R.]

you can see here they don't have the release like the 124 and 126's do..
http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/merchood.jpg







Mercedes Hoods are the best... You can swing them full upright out of your way... Don't you know how to do that Bill R? I thought you knew everything... hehehe.

[Mr Project]

Yeah, the big grill is no sweat on benzos since the hood locks at the 90 degree position.... I really like not having to pull the hood if the engine needs removing...

[Tiger]

Oh! The W107... I remember those... What a pain!

[Bill R.]

ml320 that I'm working on today is also a head bonker... can't open it 90 either...http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/ml320pollenfilter.jpg








Oh! The W107... I remember those... What a pain!

[Jason]

Right here

[Phil Sanderson]

I read once that BMW made the hood to open as it does for safety - it won't fly open when the car is moving, and supposedly will not go through the windscreen in an accident because of the lock down system where it attaches under the windscreen. The hood folds in 2 in a head on hit. These photos are from bmwe34.de where at least one bloke wanted his E34 hood to hinge from the rear.