My Newly-Vented Hood (20 photos!)

[CorvetteFan]

Rob, if you are in Hurst I may have to come out one day and check the vents out in person. I am in Benbrook.

Daniel

Yep, Daniel, I'm in Hurst, and you are welcome to drop by and take a look... I'll PM you my phone number.

 

[Romer]

Rob, I hope you don't mind my adding my install here. I can split it out to a separate thread.

I bought some vents that were listed as a 2000 Grand Prix on ebay. They were Red and had 5 lovers like the 96.

I was impatient and didn't wait for the template. Course, my truck isn't as pretty as Rob's and has lots of character marks from wheeling.

First I peeled back the insulation and waited to trim it when I was all done.

I had some spray paint left over that matched my trim, so I painted the top side of the vents the same as my trim.

The vents are mirror image of each other. So I cut a piece of poster board to fit the underside of the hood. I then took the passenger side louver from the underside to make the drill marks. What I did was paint the posts black and set them on the poster board. That left the black marks where I should drill.

I then took the poster board and drilled the holes where the black marks where.

 

[Romer]

I masked the top of the hood with tape

I then lined up the poster board on the bottom side of the hood and drilled small holes from the bottom up.

I then set the vent on top and a couple of the holes were slightly off, so I marked them from the top side and drilled holes until they all aligned just right. I have a couple of extra holes, but they are under the vent.

 

[Romer]

Once the holes were all aligned, I drilled the holes larger till all the posts slided through. As yopu can see, I had one post that was off and an exxtra hole hidden under the vent when all done.

I then drew a line with a sharpie on the tape defining the cut out area. Not as pretty as Rob's template, but worked fine. I made the jag around the middle set of posts otherwise the louvers would interfere with the hood

I then drilled large holes in the corner and three places around the jag. I used the jogsaw the cut the plate out

 

[Romer]

I put a bead of silicon all the way around the underside of the vent and installed it into the holes

I then trimmed the insulation below

The posts stick out a bit on the bottom, so I went to ace hardware and bought some plastic spacers and flat washers. Slipped those over the posts and screwed it down.

I then repeated it for the other side

Not as perfectly placed as Rob's, but pretty darn close

Then a Step #6 to enjoy the completed job

Took me about 2 hours once I started on the hood

I want to thank Rob, Summit Cruisers and the others who did this before me. Their write-ups made the planning real easy

 

[Romer]

I didn't take any before and after measurements. When I stopped after driving in the mid 90 degree day, you could really feel the heat escaping out the vents rather than remaining trapped under the hood. That to me is success.

 

[CorvetteFan]

Rob, I hope you don't mind my adding my install here. I can split it out to a separate thread. <<< snip >>>

Of course I don't mind, Romer... it's good to have an alternative installation method posted here!

It's interesting that you put your louvers on the opposite sides of the hood than I did... compare your installed photo to my installed photo... two different "looks!"

Good job... and I certainly agree... they work!

Rob

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

Romer - You put them on wrong. You have the left on the right and vice versa.

 

[Romer]

It's interesting that you put your louvers on the opposite sides of the hood than I did... compare your installed photo to my installed photo... two different "looks!"

Romer - You put them on wrong. You have the left on the right and vice versa.

I guess your saying I didn't put them on the GM way


I like them this way. I played with them to see which way I liked better.

It also seemed to me with the brick of a lancruiser, the air flow would be better faceing out from the body rather than into the windshield

Since these don't come with them, there is no right or wrong way, only the way you prefer

 

[inkpot]

I didn't take any before and after measurements. When I stopped after driving in the mid 90 degree day, you could really feel the heat escaping out the vents rather than remaining trapped under the hood. That to me is success.

I like it! Now I feel bad that I didn't get that set when I looked at them. They look a lot better mounted than my imagination had come up with. Geez, your done already, and mine are still on a UPS truck coming across the desert somewhere!?!? Oh well, at 118 degrees, it's too hot to be leaning on my fenders anyway. John

 

[Romer]

I have been wanting to do something with my hood for some time. When I first bought the scoop that is still sitting in my garage, I did a "yarn test". The yarn test showed that the yarn in the middle blew into the windshield. It also showed the yarn on the outside blew to the outside of the vehicle showing thats the way the air flow is there.

I didn't have yarn where the vents are, but being an engineer, I interpolated the test/ This told me that the air flow from the vent would move faster if I angled them out

It would be fine either way I'm sure as its not a huge difference.

http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/uploads/Romer/Yarn.wmv

See, and you thought I just screwed up. I have on many a occasion, but this was intentional

 

[pkelly72]

Good work. Mine are ordered and on the way.

 

[CorvetteFan]

<<< snip >>> See, and you thought I just screwed up. I have on many a occasion, but this was intentional

Nope... I just thought that you were being creative!!


I like mine "my way," and you like yours "your way"... sounds like a "win - win" deal to me!
Rb

 

[Dave 2000]

I didn't have yarn where the vents are, but being an engineer, I interpolated the test/ This told me that the air flow from the vent would move faster if I angled them out

Now see what you have gone and done Romer? I like the look of the OP but the engineer nerd in me wants (needs?) functionality, oh the pain the pain


regards

Dave

 

[Dave 2000]

If someone can send me the template I can make vector of it then anyone can print it. Unless that is part of the allure... sharing a single template.

The template that made its way across america, one hood at a time.

You might let it make it across the Europe as well?

regards

Dave

 

[inkpot]

Now see what you have gone and done Romer? I like the look of the OP but the engineer nerd in me wants (needs?) functionality, oh the pain the pain


regards

Dave

Functionality is where it's at. I have only 1 fellow club member with a SC, and he has added slightly smaller vents in his hood. He did not have any numbers to go by, but he felt that it did help, especially with heat sink issues here in the summer. I have been playing around with this scoop/vent mod debate in my head for the entire year that I have owned my SC'd 80. With my upgraded fan/clutch setup, it moves a lot more air, but WHERE? I suppose it shoves it all out the bottom of the engine bay, but it does make me wonder at what point is there so much back pressure under the hood that the fan cannot move any more air. While the hood scoop and/or inter cooler are still on my option list, this vent concept is way easier and cheaper. I forgot to even test drive the 80 in our record 118 heat the other day, which is really dumb, because I was outdoors playing in that heat all day. Several of my club members did post up daily temps for their rigs, so I do have some ideas of what mine would read. I do know that at 115 last week, my coolant temps were quite normal on secondary streets, and my A/C vent temp was 55 after 3 miles, and below 45 after about 12. I don't know if the vents will really make it any better, but I do want the extra safety margin that it gives. John

 

[NLXTACY]

Only pussies need templates!!!

Hung out with DR GIL today to FINALLY finished my tailgate lid install. Figured that was a good time to see how cutting the sheet metal was going to be on the LX. It wasn't as smooth as I had hoped but I was more confident.

So my vents haven't arrived yet but Gil was awesome and gave me his set until my set finally came.

Couple of measurements. Some blue tape and a laser guided eye ball. My good arm is a precision instrument

Eyeballed the holes, center punched them all and drilled. Each one landed spot on. We were both floored

So one side done and the other side for another day.

Now when I got home I had a nasty surprise waiting. The wifey was PISSED. Turns out I only "mentioned" adding vents was a good idea. I failed to mention I was GOING to carve up her hood.

Couple that with the fact that it's unpainted, it's held on with blue tape AND it's only one side

So now I need to hurry up and finish.

 

[Flank]

Joey,

That story had me ROLLING! Read it to my wife, and she was speachless. Told me "do what you want to your f-ing truck, if you had done that to mine..."

I received the ultimate validation this week... When I was checking my oil at the gas station, I had the hood flipped up (natrurally) and my five year old was in the back seat and saw the vents - she thought they were very cool.

 

[Dave 2000]

Hung out with DR GIL today to FINALLY finished my tailgate lid install.

I am so jealous, I was after one of those and when the time come in to collect the coin had gone out!

Moved house/home three times in a year, never good for your pocket, getting sorted now so may get back on the list soon all being well.

regards

Dave

 

[e9999]

there is definitely a right and a wrong direction to install these in, esthetics wise...

I would also like to have a system where there are sliding slats on those so they can be closed when desired.