V8 HHR Build
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 04-06-2010
Posts: 655
From: Riverside, California
Louvers Revisited
First off, people that punch louvers are a dieing breed. I searched all around my area and nobody does them anymore. I ended up buying a louver punch from Mittler Bros. and followed their instructions for a frame. Once that was built I started practicing with it. I quickly found out why the guys that punch louvers are a dieing breed......it's easy to punch louvers; it's hard to punch them correctly. It's especially hard to punch them on a modern car hood. The sheet metal is like a beer can and you have to cut out the reinforcing layer inside the hood and then reweld it back in when you are finished.
I own 2 '08 black panels: my daily driver and the V8 project. They both have louvered hoods. It's a ton of work to louver a HHR hood. I would estimate the price to be in the $500 range if you had someone do it for you. Anyway, here are some pics of the process.
Senior Member
Joined: 11-04-2012
Posts: 1,548
From: Dedham Maine
I brefly covered louvers earlier but I will go into more detail here.
First off, people that punch louvers are a dieing breed. I searched all around my area and nobody does them anymore. I ended up buying a louver punch from Mittler Bros. and followed their instructions for a frame. Once that was built I started practicing with it. I quickly found out why the guys that punch louvers are a dieing breed......it's easy to punch louvers; it's hard to punch them correctly. It's especially hard to punch them on a modern car hood. The sheet metal is like a beer can and you have to cut out the reinforcing layer inside the hood and then reweld it back in when you are finished.
I own 2 '08 black panels: my daily driver and the V8 project. They both have louvered hoods. It's a ton of work to louver a HHR hood. I would estimate the price to be in the $500 range if you had someone do it for you. Anyway, here are some pics of the process.
First off, people that punch louvers are a dieing breed. I searched all around my area and nobody does them anymore. I ended up buying a louver punch from Mittler Bros. and followed their instructions for a frame. Once that was built I started practicing with it. I quickly found out why the guys that punch louvers are a dieing breed......it's easy to punch louvers; it's hard to punch them correctly. It's especially hard to punch them on a modern car hood. The sheet metal is like a beer can and you have to cut out the reinforcing layer inside the hood and then reweld it back in when you are finished.
I own 2 '08 black panels: my daily driver and the V8 project. They both have louvered hoods. It's a ton of work to louver a HHR hood. I would estimate the price to be in the $500 range if you had someone do it for you. Anyway, here are some pics of the process.
( but not as much as you do lol )
Deceased
Joined: 03-22-2012
Posts: 1,012
From: Rogers City, Michigan
Man I love those louvers! Perfection!
Boydie
Boydie
I brefly covered louvers earlier but I will go into more detail here.
First off, people that punch louvers are a dieing breed. I searched all around my area and nobody does them anymore. I ended up buying a louver punch from Mittler Bros. and followed their instructions for a frame. Once that was built I started practicing with it. I quickly found out why the guys that punch louvers are a dieing breed......it's easy to punch louvers; it's hard to punch them correctly. It's especially hard to punch them on a modern car hood. The sheet metal is like a beer can and you have to cut out the reinforcing layer inside the hood and then reweld it back in when you are finished.
I own 2 '08 black panels: my daily driver and the V8 project. They both have louvered hoods. It's a ton of work to louver a HHR hood. I would estimate the price to be in the $500 range if you had someone do it for you. Anyway, here are some pics of the process.
First off, people that punch louvers are a dieing breed. I searched all around my area and nobody does them anymore. I ended up buying a louver punch from Mittler Bros. and followed their instructions for a frame. Once that was built I started practicing with it. I quickly found out why the guys that punch louvers are a dieing breed......it's easy to punch louvers; it's hard to punch them correctly. It's especially hard to punch them on a modern car hood. The sheet metal is like a beer can and you have to cut out the reinforcing layer inside the hood and then reweld it back in when you are finished.
I own 2 '08 black panels: my daily driver and the V8 project. They both have louvered hoods. It's a ton of work to louver a HHR hood. I would estimate the price to be in the $500 range if you had someone do it for you. Anyway, here are some pics of the process.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 04-06-2010
Posts: 655
From: Riverside, California
Firewall detail
For those interested, here is a shot of the finished firewall, in primer almost ready to paint. All it needs is a scuffing with 220 and it goes in the booth. You immediately notice the cutout for the engine but the part that was just as much work was modifying the bottom of the rain sump in the cowl. I probably could have gotten away with keeping it stock but it would have really been close to hitting the passenger side head. This pic also shows how I ran the steering colum down to the rack.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 04-06-2010
Posts: 655
From: Riverside, California
All part of the process
Because there is no way that I can do everything on this car myself, it gets towed all over the place for experts to do their magic on it. Right here it is being dropped off at one of the paint guys shop for color sanding and buffing......sure wish that engine would get done!
Deceased
Joined: 03-22-2012
Posts: 1,012
From: Rogers City, Michigan
That would be my dream car!
Boydie
Boydie
Because there is no way that I can do everything on this car myself, it gets towed all over the place for experts to do their magic on it. Right here it is being dropped off at one of the paint guys shop for color sanding and buffing......sure wish that engine would get done!
