Also started preparing the FJ45 Landcruiser bonnet vents so I could use them. This is the one I repaired earlier in this thread. I wanted more flat area next to the louvers so needed that step up part gone.
Put it in my English Wheel to flatten the two folds. Can see it getting less within a minute of work.
Took more time to setup the photos than to flatten it! This is how it came out without any further sanding etc. Straight from the wheel.
Got to see how it fitted the Willys bonnet for the first time. Great to see it matched the contours and thought everything was sweet. But then I noticed the lower part of the louvers were going up hill and that they were not parallel with the end of the bonnet either. Might be able to see the scribe line as see how much it was out. The top edge of the louvers actually matched the fold in the Willys bonnet exactly. On the Landcruiser though it tapered away from both the fold and the bottom edge as the louvers get smaller towards the front.
If I made the louvers parallel with the back edge of the bonnet, it hung out like this. It is very hard to bend the louvers to correct this as you are basically bending angle iron for each one. I started forcing the louver into the new bend over my knee and was able to clamp it into place to see what it looked like. The taper is now the same distance from the bottom of the bonnet as it is from the fold and looks balanced the same is it was on the Landcruiser.
Took several hours of carefully bending the louver over a pipe in the end to get it all even. But the top would tip downwards where the bending was taking place so had to stretch that area of each louver to get it back up while not doing that to the base of each one. Can see I had to shrink around the base as well as it wanted to sit up compared the the front of the piece. Least it was easy to see if each and every louver was touching the bonnet by looking through them.
Sitting without any force now so time to do the other side. I also had the bonnet support clamped in the whole time to make sure I had the final contour in place to shape to. Both sides done now.
Bit of an over view. Thought about having it further around the side as well like the very earlier Landcruisers, but then realized the hot engine air would then be drawn straight into the other louvers I made in the side of the cowl for the AC intake.
Cut the holes the same distance from the end of the bonnet as on the Landcruiser. Got some good fit up ready to be tigged.
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