Does anyone know if they make chrome window trim kits or if you have to have to remove them and get them chromed? Also can XKE style and width louvers be cut in the hood to help cool the engine and give it more of an original XKE look?

 

About the louvers, you could always get an XKRS-GT hood. Those have the louvers!

 

I bet that hood is very spendy too!

 

GT bonnet is probably made of unobtainium, unless you have a GT.

Louvres can be put in any bonnet, if you can find a shop with the right tools and knowhow.

Chrome trim is standard; if yours is satin black, you have the Black Pack. The chrome stuff should be available from a dealer.

 

I'm afraid to ask my parts guy the cost of that hood. All the body panels on a XK are mega expensive.

 

I have a 97 so the hoods is different and I don't think they had chrome trim for models that old. I am going to see if I can remove the ones I have and cover them with chrome tape. Finding a shop to do louvers that wide maybe difficult. Thanks for the input everyone.

 

If you use a little foresight here working with a good body guy you could make these fit and look like the GT. They also sell them in aluminum and as I said a good welder can put these in at a reasonable price.

Hood Louvers | RunCool | Hood Vents For Your Vehicle - | The Most Experienced Hood Louver Company In The World! The Most Cost-Saving Way To Cool Hot Engines!Hood Louvers | RunCool | Hood Vents For Your Vehicle -

 

Hood louvers can actually be very functional speed devices. I installed them on my Lambo and on my RX-7 and in both case they provided a very measurable acceleration improvements in the 60-160 MPH range (in the range of 1.5 seconds, if my memory serves me right). Simply because instead of treating the engine bay as a great parachute, they release the underhood pressure build up at high speeds. Also, they vent the hot air much better.

 

Ahhhh, you is in the wrong forum, we're all '06 onwards.

However: as a former owner of a '97 XK8, I can tell you that, under the grey paint on the window trims, they are shiny alloy. I know because the paint on mine was slightly scraped in a few places and it eventually bubbled & flaked - it was very obvious because the metal was so shiny, and I had to get them repainted before I sold it.

So, if you decide you like the look, you could get them stripped & clearcoated (don't leave them bare, they will probably oxidise)