Will these hinges work with my existing hood latch?

Yes — these hinges are designed to pair with OEM latches. The hood will close at the same angles and heights as the original setup.

Do I need hood pins if I'm installing these?

Hood pins are optional. These hinges alone handle normal street driving. Pins add safety for track use or if your hood has accumulated play over time.

What does the ground cable do?

It carries electrical continuity from the hood to the frame so ground signals don't get interrupted when the hood opens. If your original cable was corroded or missing, this restores proper grounding.