Window louvers for SX4/Spirit

[shanebo]

I missed the out on my golden  opportunity to score a set of rear window louvers a month or so back when a  member here had one for sale. I know Ive seen someone somehwere on here, cant remember were though, where a member was talking about making custom louvers for sx4's. I have looked high and low from c-list to E-bay to google searches and I have not found anything...and i mean nothing!! I was curious if anyone here knows where a guy might find a set or get some made.

Thanks
Shanebo

[68AMXGOPAC]

Someday - I would like to- hope to - should do - make a set useing my AMX one for just the curve pattern and do it. The straight part is typical, it's the end curves that matter.
I think it was mechanic that was trying ??
I have never actually even seen a set in person.

[68AMXGOPAC]

Actually I think it was mavericke - not mechanic - sorry if I am wrong , should be a post on it.

[shanebo]

This is proving to be a tough one to find. I found a sight that claimed to have louvers for more "obscure" vehicles....they had em for some off the wall cars but NOTHING for any AMC models....and the search continues.

[captspillane]

I was the one. I'm going to be making a new set for both my SX4's this summer. Once I have the pattern complete I will be publishing the information on how to make them. Eventually I could make complete ready to assemble kits for about 150 dollars. A complete original set typically catches 400 dollars.

I have a complete set of original metal rear louvers with plastic side louvers to pattern from. They are extremely practical because the tilt of the window is terrible for sun glare. I wish to have them on all of my SX4's.

[shanebo]

$150.00!!!! Sign me up for a set when you get things rolling. Even after shipping thats still a couple hunderd less than the cheapest used one Ive ever seen for sale and about $800.00 less than the cheapest machine shop quote. Ive seen alot of people on other AMC forums looking for them for their spirits and AMX's too, this could be huge!.

[captspillane]

haha anyone who has actually driven an SX4 for more than a week will know exactly what we're talking about. The rear mirror is absolutely useless the whole day. The angle is perfectly horrible for sun glare.

The construction is actually very simple. Each blade is one parrallel piece with angled bends at decreasing intervals. I will use a table saw with a 14 inch metal grinder blade installed in lieu of the normal wood cutting blade. That will let me run off consistant width metal strips. Then I'll have patterns for each lettered blade for mass production braking. I have a metal brake already or I can set up one specific for this.

The last bend on the factory units left about three quarters of an inch lip along the edge of both sides of the window. A single strip went along that lip on each blade with a rivet to bind them together as one unit. Then a rubber pad of the exact same material used in the doorjamb of a Kammback covered those rivets. I want my edge to turn inward instead of outward, so my dimensions will be about an inch wider in the flat area of the blade. That will conceal my connecting strip.

I'll attach them to the window hatch at the four corners of the strip for the cheap set. That requires four holes to be drilled in the window hatch. For those not willing to drill I can make hinges similar to the factory ones at a cost of approximately 50 to 100 dollars. Those are very difficult because they only rely on the trim around the window and they must be perfectly rigid to keep the louvers from flying off randomly as you drive down the road.

Two plastic supports went in the center. I can make those out of two patterned metal pieces. Those get many slices to create a stepped pattern and a landing area at the bottom of each blade for two rivets to hold them together.

I would do all the bends and drill all the holes and then send them stacked together to be assembled. Only rivets would be necessary to put them together. Yes the original ones had visible rivets in the center. Icould have non drilled kits as an option for those wishing to TIG them together. Shipping should be reasonable when they are stacked up like that.

[68AMXGOPAC]

Maverick had posted on it last year and then some , but I don't think he got very far on it.
I do remember you mentioning also.

Sheet Metal worker by trade - just have never taken the time to tackle it myself.Like you say once the pattern is there , it's an easy duplication.I was going to curve my ends on a set of rolls, but liked the bent angle better, and offered more rigitity.

[MudPuppy]

I would possibly be interested in a set as well. I hope you end up making these.

At this point I just wish someone/anyone would step up and say "Yes, these will become reality very soon" or even better "here is what I made today...".     
Have heard quite a few people over the years say they were going to attempt this feat, hyped some of us up and it never came into fruition.
And by the above statement I do not mean to be rude or point anyone out.

If you are able (time, resources, etc.) please make this happen Capt., I have a feeling (as Princess Leia would say) "you are our only hope" at this point.

[captspillane]

I will not put my two SX4's back on the road without them. My personal set will be complete this summer at the latest. I will post the dimensions then but not offer to create any kits until several other projects are also done. I will not be selling anything for at least two years.

I personally do not like the original set up. I don't trust the window clips to hold on a four hundred dollar chunk of metal. The hinges are a little complex too, because they must come up away from the window and tilt square to keep from becoming hinge bound. You cannot just bolt two hinges on the curved surface and expect it to hinge up.

Mine will have four bolts that can be easily removed by your fingers. Not quite wingnuts but enlarged nuts that you can get your fingers on similar to the ones that used to hold the cover on the ancient PC towers. I won't bother hinging them because I want to lift the whole thing off and clean without having to hold it up. They're actually pretty heavy.

I'm not that interested in profiting from this. I would only charge a profit to justify the amount of my own time it would take to make them. I will post the dimensions of my patterns for other people to make their own without me.

Likewise I will make patterns for the side windows and eventually for a station wagon. I would not find a station wagon any harder than an SX4, although it would take me some trial and error to get the blade tilt at the right angle.

[captspillane]

Does anyone know where I can purchase a reasonable scroll printer? That's the best term I can think of. A scroll printer has a defined width it can print on and any length of paper. The paper is fed from a huge roll and then cut off at the desired length.

As a Naval Architect I can put my patterns on autocad, save them in dotDWG format, and then print them precisely to real life scale all at once. Naval architecture drawings are usually 36 inches wide and about 6 feet long. Since the paper feeds from a roll you can print any length you wish. I could use one of those printers to print all of the patterns at once and then fold it up and send it to people in the mail. Unfortunately I don't have access to one of those printers right now. 

If I find a reasonably priced printer to print a 11 inch wide and 60 inch long piece of paper I'll be able to send my patterns out for a very small cost. It would be pretty easy for anyone to make them themselves then. I will certainly have my patterns and my own pair done this summer.

[shanebo]

I broke the rear view mirror off with my head while vaccuming my car out, so i havent had to worry too much about the back widow glair... i guess it kinda works out 

[Prafeston]

I know GRONK was looking to make some custom ones for the wagon too. I think he was even thinking about doing the rear windows too.

[rohnk]

The rear louvers I have are all plastic. I wonder if they made then differently from one year to another for the SX/4

Realistacilly though, if someone had the tools, knowledge and time to fabricate rear and side louvers, bumper end caps and may a few othe interior plastic parts, how much could that person sell and make a profit? I mean, once you have built 100 sets of louvers lets say, the market would be a little saturated.

Bumper caps would be a better choice of something to recreate. They can get broken all the time. I guess louvers could break or fly off, but not if they are built right.

Thoughts? 

[captspillane]

I want louvers for my car and I can help other like-minded individuals accomplish the same thing for very little additional effort. I won't make a profit on it except to justify the time and money I spend making something for someone else. I think that trying to make a profit from car enthusiasts is a fool's errand.

Window louvers were never offered for an SX4. They were made in plastic and metal for the '79 and '80 Spirit AMX. There are more metal ones than plastic ones out there. There are no metal side window louvers available, only plastic ones.

The best way to make end caps would be to make a mold off the originals and then use that mold to create fiberglass versions. They are meant to flex because the bumper mounts are intentionally weak as a crush zone. Its a shame that people don't think to protect their original ones until they disintergrate. The reason they dry rot is because the inside surface is unprotected. The outside is painted. I personally remove all my good caps and paint the interior as soon as I can to stagnate the aging process.