[mortalenema]

I just spent the day installing the 2-way vents. As promised, here's the write-up.

First off, I ordered these cool 2-way hingeless vents from Austin Hardware.



Today, I made some backing plates to strengthen the hood.



Then, I masked off the area of the hood I wanted to install these vents in.



I got some cool stainless allen head bolts to hold the vents down. I thought they would look better in black, so I painted them.



It took me about two hours to make sure I had all the measurements and such correct before I began cutting. I used a jigsaw. I think it might have been the first Craftsman jigsaw ever to grace the pages of the Sears catalog. At one point in the cutting, It decided it wanted to run continuously without permission. The trigger got stuck. I had to start cuts with the blade already moving. It was the suck. Eventually it worked itself out.

It's scary cutting a perfectly good hood.



After that it was just a matter of marking and drilling some holes, and bolting them up.

Here are some after pics.

[mortalenema]

Here’s a shot from the drive home.



Cooling seemed improved. It never got up to 210º. I know it’s about -4º here right now, but usually I can hit 210º in any weather.

Overall I like the vents. They have a lack of style that is beautiful all by itself. Utilitarian and purposeful. They do what they look like they’d do. Vent hot air and close when needed to keep the crud out.

I’ll try to get some better pics when going outside is a bit more comfortable.

[89XJ74]

how much were the vents... they look very good

[mortalenema]

30bux a piece.

[Matt Gertsch]

Air pressure keeps them open?

[mortalenema]

no, there are triangular brackets with detents that lock it in position.

you can see them on this picture.

[Guswut]

Why did you install them front-rear as opposed to side-side? I would think that having them pointing the venting part towards the windshield would make the most sense to help melt any ice on the windshield, as well as venting hot air (pointing the venting end towards the direction of movement would be more of a forced air induction into the engine area, and thus it would also suck in loads of other stuff)?

They look really good, if not a bit tall. But then, who am I to call the pot black, right? Good job man!!

[mortalenema]

Well, as I see it, they are for venting hot air when I'm barely moving. Crawling along. They aren't a CAI or defrost, so I figured I'd mount them in a way that would look the most evil.

I did do the measurements, though. There is room to mount them at the rear of the hood in the vent/scoop position.

[mecompco]

I think I like them. They look kinda "Batmobiley" I still think it would be trick if you could raise/lower them via remote control.

[FlexdXJ]

those are pretty cool looking. i like the fact that you can close them when its raining

[balloo93]

Pretty cool and deff different If they actuate easy enough, you could probably run a choke cable set to it and open/close them from the cab.

[mortalenema]

I thought remote operation through. The detents are pretty hard core. It takes some effort to position the vents. This does give me the option of setting them at different angles.

[trailblaze]

looks neat...

i have a set of lebarron vents waiting to go on... it's cold enough outside now i saw no need to put them in untill spring...

[ReconMill]

Originally Posted by mortalenema

I thought remote operation through. The detents are pretty hard core. It takes some effort to position the vents. This does give me the option of setting them at different angles.

can they be pulled straight up so that all sides are open?

edit: are they steel or aluminum? I dont care to buy something thats just gonna rust. I have enough rust in the undercarriage as it is.

[mall_crawler]

Damn i really love those vents