Rear Body Louver

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Major System Category: Body (Shell)
Task: Install rear body louver

Parts:

• Rear Body Louver
• 8115 3M Bonding Kit
• Fiber Glass supplies

Prerequisite Tasks: Mount the body
Additional Costs: $67
Time Requirement: 2 hours
Date Started: September 15, 2012
Date Completed: September 20, 2012
The rear body louver replaces a screen mesh. It provides better air flow out of the engine bay than the screen mesh supplied in the basic kit. The louver is shipped flat. Assembly requires that the louvers be bent at an angle and braces be installed to hold the louvers in place. I used 3m 8115 to bond the braces to the louvers. Next I painted the louvers a gloss black.

I used the laser level to mark the center line, then marked off the cut outs based on this center line.

Unlike the rear hatch, the rear body needs to be cut. I measured everything a couple of times. Used the louver as a guide and made sure the lines all matched, then used my Dremel with a cut off wheel to make the initial cuts. I followed this with a variable speed jig saw.

I used a white Sharpie to mark the initial cuts for each louver set.

Consideration: Where a mask, goggles, a hat and hearing protection. This can get pretty loud and it kicks up plenty of dust.

This is what my initial cut out markings looed like. Later I eliminated the interior  fiberglass strips.

I painted both pieces with a high gloss automotive paint rated for high heat.

I set the louver in place to give me a sense of position prior to final install.

Prior to finally installation, I sanded and smoothed the edge of the opening. I used 3M body putty to fill in any gaps or cracks along the edge. The installation went fairly easy. I applied a bead of 3M 8115 bonding adhesive around the entire edge, then braced the louver upwards against the fiber glass body shell. I reversed my clamps so that they were configured as spreaders, then braced them against the transaxle bracket.

Both the rear hatch and rear body louvers are installed.