Same here!

 

You are very welcome. I hope nobody gets the wrong idea - I do appreciate the feedback, and a lot of times incorporate it into our designs. I hate being the "NO" guy, but I have to look at the part from many angles, not just the one pictured in my head. The honeycomb panel had the same issues when in the design stage, and we actually did make customer submitted modifications to it during this stage.

This piece will be the best we can make it, that I can say without a doubt. Will it be an exact clone of the 65-66? No. It can't be, not without a lot of smoke-wrench work that nobody wants. But it can draw off of the design ques of the original, while incorporating the visibility that a lot of people would like to retain.

 

I think my ideal louver might be a cross between the CDC ones (http://www.classicdesignconcepts.com...splay/629.html) and the CAD drawing posted by Marcello. I kinda like the square edges more than the rounded ones. The main problem with the CDC one is that it sticks out too far from the body. The flush mount ones wouldn't need to have that problem since the louvers would fit into the window hole. One other important thing is that the (outside) lines of the louver need to follow along with the existing lines of the front window.

I'm just one person, though, so everyone please speak up so that Marcello can build what we enthusiasts want.

-TRB

 

TRB,

I know the piece you are speaking of, and the front of their piece (where it is just a plain rectangle) would be the same look you would have to have with our piece to square it up. Otherwise, you end up with a double-step, which isn't going to look right, or a larger arc on the inside edge and a square on the outside, which also wouldn't be right.

Our piece replacing the glass and being square would only make the CDC style deeper, otherwise it would be about the same piece. And given that, why would anyone want to go to the trouble of pulling the glass if they could have 90% of the look for 10% of the trouble? You lose the flush mount in making it square, and you lose the drop-in look, so you really didn't gain anything except a lot of work.

 

I was thinking about how hard it would be to make the corners squared off when I first replied about that. I can think of a couple ways to do it, which would add complexity to the piece, and material, and no matter what it'll stick up above the surrounding panel. I'm fine with them as you have them drawn, the vent is the most important part anyway.

Here's a thought though. How about a second piece that goes around the seam to cover that up and give the squared off look? It wouldn't be easy to get the dimensions to look right, and it might never look right. I was just thinking that way you make the one piece that replaces the window, and for those that want the edges squared off, they can add this piece on top, sort of as trim around the window/vents.

Kind of like the lip StangNut is talking about, although to cover the rounded corners on the window piece it'd have to be pretty wide, and probably wouldn't look that good.

Just thoughts on what might be done. I love what you've done so far, and can't wait to see what's next.

 

hhmm..... keep talking Jay, I would defenitely buy the add-on piece if it was to become available...

 

That's the part that bothers me. Maybe we do some design work on it and see for an add-on later, because even though it just might be a "piece of plastic" you are talking about a lot of money to make the molds for it... so how many have to be sold of a "simple add on" to make it just break even? But let's leave that open-ended right now, it might be a possibility.

What about this - what about a square "frame" around the louvers, and the rounded edges at the edge of the part? You'd get some of the look you are after, while keeping it within the design constraints of the opening. It would have to be run by our mold guys - but it mihgt be a possibility.

 

If the final product looks like something along these lines....agressive....I'll be all good with it.

 

You'll be good then - Ours are much deeper "gills" than that.

 

It really makes a HUGE difference when I see those added-on pieces vs. the one you showed (I'm imagining the finished product) recessed. I would never buy the rounded add-on piece, but I would buy the rounded recessed you guys are developing

 

Yeah, I really like the look of the CAD drawing you posted Marcello. I wish I had any skills at all with Photoshop, or cad software, I'd try a couple variations on the frame option. It's just too bad the sheet metal under the window doesn't allow for wider gills. But I'd be happy with what you are working on anyway. How tight do you think you'll be able to get the gap between the new insert and the body panel?

 

Those don't look that bad except they should stick IN instead of OUT.

 

The only ones I liked were Roush and CDC's Louvers (not the smooth one), they are the most aggressive one out there. Other than that, might as well buy the louver stickers on ebay (JMO), from far, they look exactly the same...

 

How tight would you like it to be? I think we can consistently inject +/- .005", but expansion and contraction rates and body variances are going to force us to stay away at least a bit. Add to it that you have to be able to remove them should the need ever arise, and it will probably ave to be close to the stock dimension there, although we can probably close it up a bit.

Once it is painted to match though, I don't think it will really be noticeable, at least not stand out anyway.

 

Absolutely agree. Id rather it match the window glass in size so it appears to have a uniform small gap than be designed to have very close tolerances where the gap could be noticeably different around the piece.

 

BUMP. Just bumping my topic back to page one, so it doesn't get lost. Hope you all don't mine. Just getting anxious for new updates.

 

Agreed, let's keep this bad boy on page one!

 

I like it, do something with a lip to make it look more like that old school vent on teh black mustang, and you have my business.

 

Ok - well I have to go update the billet rear emblem thread because that's where I was all day, but here's the scoop as of this moment on this:

Friday is the next meeting to see updates on the drawings, etc, and compare notes. The laser scanning of the OEM glass is complete, so we have the exact shape and dimensions of the stock piece to work from with no mistakes due to sloppy fingers on calipers and stuff...

I have "locked down" most of the details, and am awaiting the next round of CAD drawings before going to prototype stage. I think we have most of what everyone wants in this piece, and if it ends up looking and working half as good as I think it will, most everyone will be very pleased.

As to the "lip" - I am holding out judgement on this until I see the actual prototype. The lip on the original was there because it had to be. IF you put a lip on this piece, you really need to put it close to the vent, and not on the edge of the part. Putting it there though does not serve any purpose, and may or may not detract from the appearance of the piece. I am not opposed to the border, just not sure if it will make it to production - it's one of those "it sounds good, but how does it look" type things. Especially given the fact that if you put the border around the vent, then there is about an inch of flat space all around the part that is not connected to anything, and kind of gets lost - which would not really look right since that is the part that is following the arc of the front window - the vent can't because of the restriction of the opening.

As to visibility - it is shaping up that two versions will be made available, one completely blacked out, and one that will pass tint laws in most states and have visibility through the vents. I say most because there are a couple states where it is not legal to tint OEM glass at all (thankfully not the case here in FL) and they may or may not take issue with this part in place. As usual, there will be the standard disclaimers included, but I think there wouldn't be much issue most anywhere with this. I am starting to see though the possibility that some people are not going to want to paint these parts, and that they will install them as finished, which might give a different, yet cool look to the car.

Ok, that's all for now - more Friday. Any questions in the meantime, just ask.

 

Thanks Marcello!