Louvers

[red_dog007]

Well, I want to get one for my rear hatch window. They look extremely nice and should keep the cabins temps down when parked.

How much do these aluminum louvers weigh?

Does anyone have the side window louvers? I am thinking that I might get a pair but am not sure how they look. Any one got a Z with these side window ones on that have a link?

[EScanlon]

I dont know of any other members with the rear and the side louvers, here's pics of mine.

My louvers however, aren't aluminum but ABS plastic. Big difference in the weight as well as the way they mount.

Aside from a bit of difficulty sometimes in looking out the rear mirror, and the side windows, I like them. They really DO keep the car cooler, and that is the main reason I got them. Don't want to be replacing the carpet in the rear deck just because of it fading in the sun (which they do in a short while). The bit of difficulty is in getting used to them when changing from one vehicle to the next, but not anything you can't get used to.

Here's a few pics:

Kind of hard to see the side louvers in this shot:

http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=8920&cat=500&ppuser=1490

Good shot of the rear louver, and you can just barely make out the side ones:

http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=8921&cat=500&ppuser=1490

This one shows both sets well:

http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=8924&cat=500&ppuser=1490

The aluminum ones I've seen either mount onto the glass, and then get mounted to the hatch, or are drilled and screwed onto the hatch. But those are the ones I've seen.

FWIW

E

[red_dog007]

I would like to get the plastic but that is all I can find, unless the ABS are all plastic ones.

All I can find are

Rear Window Louvers, Aluminum, model years

and

Rear Window Louvers, ABS, model years

So are all the ABS plastic? With the Aluminum I was afraid of all that extra weight of metal. If the ABS are plastic, will these go on pretty easy?

[Namor]

I would like to get the plastic but that is all I can find, unless the ABS are all plastic ones.

All I can find are

Rear Window Louvers, Aluminum, model years

and

Rear Window Louvers, ABS, model years

So are all the ABS plastic? With the Aluminum I was afraid of all that extra weight of metal. If the ABS are plastic, will these go on pretty easy?

abs is a type of plastic

[EScanlon]

As Namor said, ABS is a type of Styrene plastic (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene if memory serves). It is quite strong and is easily molded or extruded into various shapes.

As far as mounting the louvers, it all depends on the mounting method used. Some use clips that slide under the hatch seal rubber and then with the use of some D'Zus fasteners (sp?) they are then screwed into the brackets. Mine do that but also are double taped onto the glass to provide a double foot for the bracket. It takes 6 fasteners for mine. Not sure on the others.

The side louvers have tangs that stick out the side and you slide those into the quarter panel window seal. These can be tricky to insert, and as a result, I don't remove and replace these as often as I would like to.

I have a set of aluminum ones in the back awaiting repairs and possible re-mounting onto one of the other Z's in work, but in my experience different manufacturers addressed the fit to the rear window differently. Some had pretty rigid sub-frame members keeping the louvers in shape, others relied on the louver to keep the shape, and yet others had an external frame to which the louvers mounted. As a result, I've seen all sorts of variations on the concept, which is one reason why I chose the ABS type. The other reason being that it didn't mount to the hatch metal via screws or latches or any form of metal hole.

I'd be interested in finding out where you found a source for the rear window ABS louver as I have a couple of other cars in work.

E

[beandip]

I have a set of aluminum louvers and chose not to reinstall them when I redid my Z . For one they have hinges at the top that screw into the upper hatch and catches that do the same at the bottom corners. I found that they rub the glass in the center and it made a line in the glass down the middle of the hatch. Also they are noisy , they tend to vibrate while you are going down the road. I like the look of the aluminum type over the ABS because they are thinner and do not obstruct the view out the back , and provide a good sun shade at the same time. I have not run side louvers . Gary