Thank goodness for the aftermarket. Every time the factory forgets to add a facet to a car, the aftermarket is there with solutions. Over time, the factory often takes the aftermarket hint and adds features to its cars. There is one area that the hint hasn't been heard, and that's under the hood. The Mustang still has a hood prop-rod. Not only does it get in our way on photo shoots, the prop rod just looks archaic these days. Moreover, it's just not cool to roll into a cruise night or a car show and prop your hood with a prop rod. Not only is it unsightly, but it's unsettling as well. You don't want the breeze or a passerby to knock the hood off its perch and have it push back or crash down.
One of the stalwarts in the aftermarket hood-lift world is Redline Tuning. If you've been to a Mustang show, you've likely seen its on-site installer towing his little red wagon around the show field, performing installs of the company's popular Quicklift (black e-coat) and Quicklift Elite (stainless) systems. Up until quite recently, Redline only offered systems that required drilling and riveting. The company still believes in this arrangement for most applications, as it gets the hood strut geometry just right and it's a durable arrangement. However, some people just don't want to drill, and for the latest Mustangs, the company has innovated a new system that requires no drilling.
Our own Project Vapor Trail already wears Redline's QuickLift Trunk Elite (PN 21-11017-03; $79.95) out back, so after seeing this new system in person at Mustang Week, we decided it was a good time to install the Matching Quick Lift Elite system (PN 21-11024-03; $119.95) for the hood. It's cleverly designed and installs quite easily on Mustangs with stock hoods or hoods that mirror the underside of the stock hood. There is also a version for aftermarket hoods. Check it out--we think you'll like it.
This is the really clever...
This is the really clever part of the bolt-in system--the hood ball stud. It installs via a retainer insert that is placed in an existing hole in the stock hood.
With the hood stud in place,...
With the hood stud in place, tighten it to 15 lb-ft. We didn't have a torque wrench handy, so we slowly and carefully tightened the stud without overtightening it.
Hand-tighten the hood stud...
Hand-tighten the hood stud and bias it to the outside edge of the hood.
On the body side, this simple...
On the body side, this simple fender bracket installs on the second fender bolt, away from the firewall. It's as simple as removing the bolt, setting the bracket in place, and reinstalling the bolt. It's a bit more complex if you have a '10-and-up 'Stang with the Induction Sound Tube, but it's still simple enough for a magazine editor to pull off.
The small end of the gas strut...
The small end of the gas strut simply pops onto the ball at the fender bracket.
Conversely, the larger end...
Conversely, the larger end of the hood strut pushes right on to the hood ball.
Now with just a bit of input from you, your hood will lift up and stay put without the need for that ugly prop rod.