My car is getting a complete paint job, so I would need to do this before doing that. You all know how much I loved my E type, that I sold in the 80s for around $2500(fool), to buy an Opel GT(fool again). Right now I made the grill look similar to an E Type, and am putting on Dayton 16" bolt on wire wheels with the correct spoke pattern and taller tires. My E Type had louvers in the hood. With all the other stuff I am doing to get a trouble free car, that pays homage to my old XKE I would love to have that louver pattern punched in my XK8's hood. Do you see any real problems with this, other than I might need to put a water deflector under it? Before you say why don't you just get an XKE, they have appreciated way out of my price range, and had problems of their own. The carbs, unless you drove it everyday, rust, comfort, overheating in traffic, loud leaking top(why I bought a coupe), every inside component split fell off or ripped, the wheel splines, and last of all the electrics. Come to think of it, the only reason I kept it was it was beautiful, and fast...Thanks.....Mike

 

The XKR louvers are located near the front of the engine. If you were to have classical style louvers like the E type, water would get in the coil covers and other electrical components, unless the louvers were false.

 

I was thinking of fiberglassing water deflectors under them....

 

That could work, but there is very little clearance over the intercoolers, so maybe two rows would work.

 

While getting rid of an XKE (in retrospect) for an Opel GT seems a bit nutty, I always liked the Opel GT. It reminded me of a 3/4 scale Corvette and was beautifully shaped. Near me I have seen a primered one parked in a driveway for years and have often wondered if it was available, I'd love to get one. And the other day I saw a PERFECT original Volvo P1800, boy was that car beautiful, just a couple of cars to add to my wish list. Any pictures of your Opel GT?

 

I have a picture of my Opel GT, but sadly no scanner, and it was taken with an old Poloroid instamatic camera. The camera was state of the art in it's day, but now all the pictures have cracks in them. My Opel was bright red. I am looking at a Volvo P1800 wagon now too, like my wife wouldn't kill me if that found it's way home. It is sitting on 4 flat tires next to a MAACO paint shop. Since cash is running low, and they are running a bumper special for $199, I am going to have them paint my rear bumper, where the old man before me used the touch method to park. I will have the whole car painted after I am done doing a little magic to it. It is kind of rough on disability......Be cool.....Mike

 

This is something I would love to do myself. My XK8 is a toy so I don't drive it in the rain if I can help it. That being said to do this would mean cutting into the structure underneath. Not an easy thing to do. It would look fantastic though.

 

Here's an option. Grantley design louvers. They have a modern E-type feel and surely Grantleydealt with water issues. I looked at them but went fith the "controversial" Arden bulge vents to match my Arden style ground effects.