Was s****ping an old Maytag dryer and had the idea to save the rear panel with louvers to use as some hood vents. Found more on ebay, Maytag Dryer Rear Access Panel part number Y312951 or 312951. They are steel, so welding is an option for the right flat-ish panel. Hope it helps some custom Hot Rodders create something cool! Made a quick vid for any interested just check out my signature for the channel link
Great idea if you can find enough matching pairs. Do you think the heat generated when welding them in your hood is going to create too much distortion?
They are kinda thick compared to modern body panels. Just measured a couple in a few places .035 at the thinnest, .040 thickest. Also forgot to mention the entire back panel had more louver sections(diff sizes) but they'd have to be cut off.
Just figured some might even want em for a ratrod and they can be found free on the side of the road LOL
On second thought, louvres are too wide. Better to go with traditional style and size. Plus better results and lower cost would probably be obtained by punching the hood.
Have a look at any s****ped, "pusher" style school buses. The rear panels over the engine are full of louvers.
I got mine out of a s**** pile at an estate sale, cut it down to the size I needed. It looked to be off of a equipment case of some sort.
I never have understood why guys want to poke a bunch of holes in their cars. Just me,...the old grouch...carry on
Putting appliance parts on my rods...I don't know if I would like the Maytag Repairman just popping up in the rear view mirror or being found curled up in the trunk.
This is the last version of my old T bucket. The louvers I used to create these parts were originally a large piece of house gable venting that I found in the attic, complete with multiple layers of house paint. I had to strip these, carefully, to avoid lead poisoning (house built in '42). The front cover piece was the most difficult because of the bending, but worked out OK. Reuse in Rodding!!
Back in the 80`s while going thru Chicago on the interstate in stop and go traffic during the summer. Dad`s flathead got hot. He had louvers punched in the hood. The next 35 years it never got hot again.
Really not a bad idea. I have seen a lot of louvers that have varied quite a bit. There was one well-known model car builder, he made his own louvers from thin aluminum stock and grafted them onto hoods and trunks, very well done and blended right in like they grew there.
Not for every project but on the right type of vehicle a bit of military looking rivet work lends an industrial no nonsense business at***ude without the welding, warping issues.
Vintage lockers are another source, but the doors are usually very thick-- maybe too thick to match up with a vehicle's sheet metal. Older central air type A/C units usually have plenty of louvers, too: Vintage space heaters...the list goes on. Basically anything pre-'70 made of metal, designed to heat, cool, or ventilate.
I just happen to have a junked dryer that I kept for sheet metal to make patch panels from and measured the louvers. 6" wide. Don't think they will work. The only way to get good louvers is to get them punched by someone with a louver press made specially for our cars.
Forgot to mention for my use they will deff be trimmed up some and I'll drill holes for rivets. I'm not a body guy, just thought cause they were steel and a decent gauge ,they might be welded on for the right app.
I’d guess they would be good on hood sides and other flat panels I wonder how trying to make them conform to a curve area would work?
As you installed them(rivets/screws) they'd bend a bit and some you'd have to maybe prebend them but I doubt you'd be able to much. Welding you'd deff have to push with like a handle n tach n then position again tach n so on... I mocked them up on my 09 truck hood in the vid But I know some of the older cars have flat-ish panels. Also I own some other more expensive larger vents/louvers and they are flat and meant for slightly curved hoods.
A buddy of mine had some old electrical cabinet doors, that he used for hood sides. He lucked out, and the space between the rows of louvers was enough to cut a slot for the header tubes to come out. No welding just cutting, and breaking an edge top and bottom for hood, and lower mount flange.
These are 5 inchers from a big utility truck box I found in the junkyard, heavy, like 35-40 pounds a panel.
Stepped outside and took a few pics of my Rheem A/C unit from 2009 or so. A bit too wide and too close together compared to traditional louvers, but they could be useful.
Didn't corvair's have some interesting louvers on their decklids? That might be an interesting option.
So they can be curved to match. Prob helped that they were thicker metal I bet and that locker type being longer, I imagine was also easier to work with.
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