Rear Hatch Louvers

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Major System Category: Body (Hatch)
Task: Install rear hatch louver
Parts:

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

Prerequisite Tasks: Assemble and mount hatch latch
Additional Costs: $42
Time Requirement: 2 hours
Date Started: September 14, 2012
Date Completed:  September 20, 2012
The build manual calls for mesh to be used for the rear hatch screen. This is the cutout located between the hatch window and the rear edge of the hatch. I have read repeated posts where people talk about heat issues related to the engine bay. One guy indicated that after 20 minutes the hatch glass was too hot to touch. Recently, I saw photo where someone had built a beautiful engine cover. My thought was how hot does that sucker get.

The louvers are shipped flat. They need to be bent and secured against the  brackets for each set of louvers. 

The mesh supplied with the kit restricts air flow too much. This is the conclusion of the builders who have gone ahead of me. This is one of the benefits of starting on chassis #402. Just like there isn't a silver bullet to provide instant horsepower, there isn't a single modification that provides the cooling and venting necessary. The solution is to attack the problem from multiple angles:

• Vent the undercarriage.
• Install the roof scoop.
• Replace mesh with louvers:
• Side vents ahead of the rear wheels
• Rear hatch
• Vent the diffuser.
• Vent the rear body
• Install a second louver below the hatch louver
• Install additional vents below the tail light assembly

Louvers are bonded and painted.

Since heat is the enemy (and this car will only be driven on bright, sun shiny days), I need to do everything possible to vent the heat from the engine bay. I purchased the rear hatch louver from Vraptor Speedworks. If you are serious about doing the job right, you will purchase Vraptor parts. I had my parts 2 days after I ordered them (Shane provides super service!)

The louver is clamped in place and the 3M 8115 is allowed to setup for 24 hours.

Most of the work is already complete. All I have to do is:

1. Paint and/or powder coat the parts.
2. Bend the louvers into place.
3. Attach and bond the brackets.
4. Bond to the hatch.

Finished install.

Rear Body Louver

<< Rear Hatch Louver                                        Exhaust Vent >>

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.