I am looking to get the excess heat from under my hood because of my turbo. It is noticeable only in the summer time. Does anybody on here have any pics of hood louvers installed on there xj6-xj12? My coolant and everything else is perfect just need to get turbo heat out. What is your opinions?? Thanks

 

In anticipation of installing a V8 I decided to put some functional louvers into the bonnet (hood) of my 86 VDP xj6.
The louvers come from a 1979/80 Z-28 Camaro. They can be found on the upper portion front wings (fenders) just behind the wheel opening .

They work as intended .. I have tested them with bits of yarn taped to the body in front of and behind the louvers.

Air flows over the hood towards the base of the front windscreen and then to the sides of the car passing over the side windscreen posts.

I actually wanted them for times when the car had been driven, then parked . When the aux fan comes on,... the air has somewhere to go rather then blowing around the engine compartment.

I installed them when I did my bare metal respray.

 

good idea to let heat out of the engine compartment.

i used a set of those same vents on a BBC Camaro 1982 Pace car, worked well, dropped engine temps about 15*F .

pix of a set on a 1986 XJS they helped alot for under hood heat control(V12s are known for).

 

The red XJS has louvers that have been punched in. The bonnet/hood has been taken to a sheet metal shop where they have the machinery to create louvers/vents in sheet metal.

The ones I put in my car are cast aluminum inserts.

You will find that installing louvers is a bit of a project.

I always have liked the 1968 Shelby Gt 350/500 hood louvers and thought about using those,.. however they were too long for the hood line of an XJ6...too many slots and a bit too big as well. Kept looking.. Then I noticed a Camaro Z 28 that had louvers attached to the fenders. They looked about right so I went with those. Works for me. My Jag is not intended to be stock rather a resto mod. restored and modified. I bought a Jaguar then changed things to make it more to my liking while not being too obvious. Changed the nameplate to those of a 1996 VDP, door handle inserts painted body color, 7 inch headlights, small stuff. I now wish I had deleted the side running lights while I had the car down to bare metal. Removed the lights and filled the panels. Thought about it,,...forgot about it,... now everytime I look at the car I notice those sidelights,..maybe smaller ones that flash with the directional signals would be nice....

 

Thanks for the pics, both hoods look great! I agree with you on restomods. Nothing on my jaguar is really stock anymore. I love mine especially with a built turbocharged sbc in it.

 

@ ronbros, what size louvers did they use to press your hood?

 

My hood is off now, and if I didn't have *Really* good paint with about 12 layers of clear coat, I would *Seriously* consider louvers. I like the idea of stamping.

As I hope never to have to repaint my car, louvers are probably not in Nix's future.
(';')

 

Alyn:


I recall reading of your louvre install on another forum. Most, including me admired them. I still do.


LnrB:


I have a vague recollection of a shop in Petaluma, CA that did louvers among other things. Dies and a lot of power to punch and press the in. Could they handle a huge S series bonnet, or do they even exist anymore, I dunno.


All:


I've thought of round holes in the wing walls. A hole saw could do that. Although outwardly no visible, not as efficient as they would have no daming effect to change flow.


Side bar: When I built my roadster before the Jaguar, I messed with the brake backing plates. I drilled a bunch of hoses in them. A patter, though to look "cool" as well as vent. And, I fabbed some scoops for the leading edge. probably not big enough to have any real effect, but looked good, and admired by some.


Side bar II: Ina bout 1957, "stock car racing" made an entry in my home town. A rod course laid out on a a large circular track. The local rich kid/brat bought a new bright red fuel injected 57 Chevrolet tudor. Smart a... Added huge pipes from the bback windows to holes in the floor to direct air to the rear brakes. Dumo didn't realize the front brakes were the real work horses. He put it on t's top twice, but the Chev continued to run and race. Got beat by the son of the MOPAR dealer in a two year old Plymouth, fresh off the used car lot. it probably went back on sale there!!!


Carl

 

.
1st the red XJS is not my car, a local friend, the 13 louvers are 6" wide,/ 1/2" high(important that they stick up above the flat hood sheet metal, so to create some low pressure area and help pull some heat out,when at speed.
idling in traffic tho would force the fan to push outward, or parked after some driving

it is well known from the 1940-50s that a high pressure area can form at the base of the windshield, force some heat backup into the underhood area)flat openings near the rear of hood could possibly do that!

multiple NACA ducts would more logical,i digress here.

my own Camaro 1982 Pace edition,had a factory fiberglass hood,so no problem installing the early Camaro side ducts in the top of hood slightly forward of center of hood, they diffenatly helped cooling with a BBC chevy in it(not factory tho).

red hood was done in Florida around 10yrs ago, by a race shop,donno who tho!


and some pix of my Jag , YUP it aint stock,but for me, an XJS has got to be a V12 engine(it aint stock ethier).

 

Very very awesome!!