Side & Rear Window Louvers

[GRONK]

Funny enough, I've been gathering info on making rear louvers for my wagon and I came up here on one of my google searches.

Is this still a go?  Need any help picking up this project?  I know a few fabricators.

I'm thinking of hitting a yard and finding a set to mod for the wagon rear glass.  Still considering deleting th side glass all together.

I'm not going to be serious about building these for some time but they are on the to do list for the DD.  I was a fan of the 70's Van era and want to keep that dream alive w/ the new wagon. (minus the shag carpet)

Keep up the great informative posts and add me into the email chain if this ever happens.  I'd rather pay $400 + shipping over making a set myself.

[captspillane]

If Mav doesn't pull it off before then, I'll start making them this summer. I have three SX4s that will be totally restored by the end of this spring. Anyone who has driven an SX4 alot knows that the rear glass is angled perfectly to maximize sun glare. The rear view mirror is often useless while driving in sunlight. The louvers look great and are incredibly practical.

I have an original metal set of AMX louvers to copy from. They will be pretty easy to make once I match up the metal stock and make a master set of cutting and braking patterns. The hinges will be metal mimicking the original setup, which had the hinges on a pedastal to keep the curve of the hatch from hinge bounding the louvers. Once I've made four or five sets for myself I'll also be making metal side louvers and wagon louvers. The original plastic side louvers are kinda tacky and they have too wide of an edge on the blades. The metal versions will be much better than the originals.

They are hard to ship, so I won't be making many of them. I'll post patterns and dimensions on here for those who want to make their own. The metal itself will not be expensive, but you do need an original set to copy. Original sets are so rare and expensive now. Can you believe my set of rear and side louvers cost me 50 dollars at a yard sale?! It was one of the luckiest days of my life.

[Hawk258]

Would be interested in window covers that have a design instead of louvers, but that is just me, An eagle head or something would be cool. Just my 2 cents.

[GRONK]

Hawk258

I think the design would best be accomplished with vinyl.  ANY accessories shop probably has the correct printer/cutter for this.  Not a bad idea.....

[Hawk258]

only reason I bring it up is I seen a dodge ram rear window cover that is in the shape of a rams head and it was plastic not vinyl, it looked like it was part of the vehicle not just an obvious sticker, http://www.drivewire.com/vehicle/2004-dodge-dakota/window-louver/ here is an example of what I mean. but Your idea may work, especially if I want to add some color to it.

[GRONK]

Got'cha.  That could be pretty cool too.

[Hawk258]

you would be the first as far as I can find that has made something like this, I would suggest lexan as the medium as I have said before, It can be heated and vacuum formed into a workable shape, painted and chrome plated, I may have to try it myself, I have been toying with the idea, but don't have a spare stove or a vacuum table. but lexan is able to be purchased from home depot. I figure a form would be a good start to create the shape, and would be able to create multiples in a matter of a few hours.

[captspillane]

You're right, they would stack together nicely and fit in a normal shipping box. I would drill the sides to be riveted upon assembly, and give the option of visible rivet holes or invisible welds at the center supports. Like the originals mine would have two stiffeners in the center. I wanted to make them from thin sheet steel for the painted ones and aluminum for the polished "chrome" ones. I will put a 14 inch diameter cutting blade of similar material to a cut-off grinding disc in a table saw to run off the strips of metal. The two stiffeners in the center will be the hardest part to make, since it has to have a strip bent over to support each blade as well as a bend at the bottom for the pad against the window. It creates a staircase pattern with an angled cut necessary at each step in the staircase.

I was going to make them differently than the originals in that I want the edge stiffener to be tucked up under the louvers. The original ones have the flat part of the blades angle down toward the window and then angle out toward the outside of the car. There is then a 3/4 inch wide flat surface around the outside of the louver. I would angle down and then turn inward, so that the louvers are 1.5 inchs wider and come down flush with the outside edges of the glass. It should look alot better that way. A strip of thicker gauge stiff metal will run under the louvers and tie each blade together using the finished edges that turn inward against the glass. More accurately a strip of metal and a strip of padding or plastic will sandwich the edge of each blade together, so that there is a stiffener away from the window and a soft surface against the window. I don't like the strips of padding that went on the outside of the original louvers. Two or three rivets at each blade can hold that edge together.

I don't like the original bottom clips that go under the window trim with a turn screw. On mine I planned on putting a stud drilled through the hatch at each lower corner connected to the stiffener that ties the blades together. I would have to make a set of clips that don't require drilling for those unwilling to drill their hatches.

[68AMXGOPAC]

I also have a set for my 68 AMX , and got them at a steal for $75 off that site, before things went crazy with AMX parts $$$$. I have layed them on the back of my wagon hatch , and the SX/4 and they are not that far off.Mine are rivited also, but missing the hold downs on the bottom. I did get a pic of the hardware from someone allready.If I wasn't such a Turtle I would have made some by now, I am an ex union sheetmetal worker , and have done plenty of layout and fabbing.Light wieght aluminum is the material.

[vangremlin]

I know its a long shot that they would fit, but there are louvers/window shades available for the 05-09 Mustangs on the evil bay site.  They are made from ABS plastic, and mount using foam tape.  If you search for something along the lines of:

05-09 FORD MUSTANG VINTAGE CLASSIC BLACK REAR SUN SHADE WINDOW LOUVER SPOILER

you will likely find it.  Someone that has an SX4 could contact the seller and get dimensions and see how it matches up with the SX4. 

Just a thought....

[captspillane]

Three years ago I purchased a roll of 10 inch wide aluminum flashing in order to protoype my new louvers. Yesterday I finally cut the roll down to two rolls of 4.5 inches. That's the width of each individual blade. The extremely thin aluminum flashing will be used to make lots of tiny corrections to the dimensions of the final product. With 100 feet of it I can afford to make several versions and take pictures to compare them. I spent a few hours measuring and coniving with my original set a few days ago and I think I have my improvements figured out.

Yesterday I also purchased .050 aluminum mill finish plate, which is a little thicker than I wanted but still a near ideal match to the finished product. I also put the car back up in the air to finish the restoration work up front. The red SX4 was set aside since I purchased the new Kammback in November. Now that the Kammback is roadworthy the goal is to get the Red SX4 inspected with a new set of louvers and 4.0 MPI AX15 drivetrain this May.

With the enthusiasm and interest shown in this thread I'm motivated to step forward with plans to make about 20 sets of my improved louvers and post them for sale here. I won't make further promises until I have pictures to post of my personnel set. Realistically it will take several months, possibly even a year, before I have several sets boxed and ready to ship on demand.

[shanebo]

All I know is I really want a set....glad to see I may have some on the Sx4 in the near future 

[captspillane]

I made a set of precise measurements of the original. I will post those here on the nest for those who want to try making their own. So far I've made a set of blades out of aluminum flashing to prototype the final product.

The first two pictures show the space at the top and bottom of the louvers if you slide them all the way down to the spoiler. I dislike that space. The two solutions I experimented with is adding an 8th blade at the bottom or making the blades 3/8" wider. The 8th blade has to be trimmed to parallel the spoiler. It doesn't look bad, but I think I will continue with making the blades wider. The third picture shows the top blade spaced upwards to mimic where the top edge will be once I add to the width of the blades.

[txjeeptx]

Excellent work on the louvers. The blades you've made look awesome. I like the look of molded plastic louvers(difficult to find), but metal is more durable(and repairable), and can be made to look just as good as the plastic ones, perhaps even better than plastic, with polishing(thanks for the idea, hadn't considered it). If I were to attempt to make a set of louvers, I'd use the same inexpensive flashing material to practice/pattern it out. I would like to make a set of metal louvers with a bead rolled along the trailing edge, for added rigitdity and a bit more dimension to the blades, and to give me a reason to buy a bead-rolling tool.

I'll have to post a pic of a set of metal louvers I have that have some tubing as their center support, all riveted together, just to give you another idea to work from.

A few posts back, someone mentions louvers for the current Mustang being attached with douple-sided tape. Its probably a real bear trying to clean the road grime out from underneath the louvers. Louvers must be easily removable or hinged to allow for cleaning. I'd plan on mine being hinged at the top and having some thumbscrews to hold down the lower corners(something nice, not just wingnuts).

[rohnk]

I have a set of NOS side louvers and a beat up rear window louver if anyone wants me to take measurements for your mock-ups. Just offering to help as my metal bending skills are rusty. (no pun intended)