Hood Louvers

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Major System Category: Body (Hood)
Task: Install hood louvers
Parts: Kit hood louvers Vraptor Hood Louvers
Prerequisite Tasks: Mount the hood
Additional Costs: $119
Time Requirement: 6 - 10 hours
Date Started: October, 1, 2012
Date Completed:  November 17, 2012
The original GTM kits seem to have a screen mesh for the cut outs on the hood. My Gen II kit came with fiber glass louvers that drop down into the cuts. This is a personal preference, but I really like the look of these new louvers better than the Vraptor ones. As I also ordered the fender louvers and the Vraptor front grill. From an airflow perspective, I think I have enough air running through the front end.

The hood louvers fit into the center cut outs. These cut outs come as part of the hood.

Last year at Cars & Coffee, they featured a Superlite. The car was exotic, it had big old engine and a spoiler. But the thing I didn't like were all the rivets holding on all the body parts. Specifically, the fender louvers were riveted to the hood, and the entire exterior was studded with rivets. This is not the kind of look I am attempting to build. I want my body to be smooth and curvy like my Corvette.

This is a front end shot of the GTM with both the hood and fender louvers  sitting in place.

I worked a long time trying to make the kit louvers work to my satisfaction. Around mid-October I decided this just wasn't happening. I changed plans (just as I did with the fuel tanks, although, this change didn't cost an arm and a leg). I ordered the Vraptor hood louvers. The Vraptor louvers were very straight forward and easier to install. This could just be me not understanding something about the kit louvers.

Vraptor hood louvers. Several more ducts, better air flow and a common theme with the rear louvers.

These pieces are shipped flat. They need to be assembled and bent to the proper shape. The first thing I noticed was how much more air flows through these louvers. The next thing is how much larger they are than the kit louvers.

The lip needs to cut out so the Vraptor  louvers can fit.

The recessed lip for the original kit louvers needs to be cut out of the hood. This is because the Vraptor blades are wider. One of the features here is the notch cut out of the driver's side brackets so it clears the radiator aluminum panel.

One of the many test fitments. The louvers are unpainted and unbonded.

I ran several test fitments on these louvers (yes, I am gradually catching on to a few things). I shaved a millimeter here and there until all blades slid up through the opening.

Painted parts.

When I was finally satisfied that everything would slide into place, I bonded and painted the louvers. I used 3M 8115 panel adhesive. Old Man Winter cooperated with a couple of 50 degree days. There was no way to do this much painting inside the Northern Man Cave and not receive complaints from the management. The exhaust system we put in just won't evacuate that much build aroma, and then people complain. I was able to apply the bonding adhesive inside, I just had to paint the parts with the garage door half up.

Final fitment and clamp down prior to applying adhesive.

Same clamp down from the front.

I ran a final test fit and clamp. This is to ensure I know how to clamp the louver to the hood so that all necessary points of contact have time to set up. I know the gun for the 8115 adhesive is expensive ($60 or so), however, I think I have gotten more than my money's worth out it when I consider how much I have used it on this build.