Originally the one and only Kent Fuller punched the louvers in the hood of Tom Medley’s ’40 Ford. After a devastating fire that nearly destroyed the coupe, Randy Clark and the crew at Hot Rods & Custom Stuff brought the car back from the ashes restoring it exactly—right down to the hood’s unique louver layout.
If real hot rods have louvers,...
If real hot rods have louvers, this ’32 sedan qualifies as one. Louvers in the top may not be practical, but they look cool.
It’s been said before but it’s worth repeating, real hot rods have louvers. Those little raised slots are the perfect example of form following function.
From the earliest days of the automobile louvers have been used to vent hot air from the engine compartment and when hot rodders began making more heat under the hood the answer was more louvers. But there were other reasons to ventilate a rod’s sheetmetal—in some cases it was to let air out, in others to let it in.
Along with their practical purpose, louvers also provide visual impact and consequently how they look is important—the arrangement, or layout, is critical to their appearance. We’re not about to say there is a right and wrong way to do it, but rather provide food for thought. A case in point is the ventilated nose of Tom Medley’s ’40 Ford. The creator of Hot Rod’s Stroker McGurk, former editor of Rod & Custom, and one of those responsible for the first R&C Street Rod Nationals in Peoria, Illinois, in 1970, he’s been a hot rodder longer than most of us have been alive.
A full hood isn’t necessary...
A full hood isn’t necessary for louvers—let the Hemi hang out the sides and punch the top panel. Done in the usual manner, the rows are laid out parallel to the hood’s centerline.
While so much of what is done to a hot rod is subjective, Medley’s longevity gives him a unique, historical perspective on traditional techniques and his artist’s sense of style also comes into play. Those elements certainly had an impact when Kent Fuller punched the hood of Medley’s coupe. The duo agreed that when louvers are in a straight line on a tapered hood it gives the illusion that they come closer together in the rear, sort of like the vanishing point in a drawing. Their approach was to gradually spread the rows of louvers further apart toward the back of the hood. In addition, while the lines of louvers are angled, the back edges, or the openings of the louvers, are aligned and 90 degrees to the hood’s centerline.
As most of our readers now know, Medley’s coupe was heavily damaged in a fire that reduced the garage it was in to ashes. By all practical standards the ’40 was a write-off, but lots of Medley’s friends came to the rescue and Randy Clark of Hot Rods and Custom stuff pulled off what many thought was impractical, to say the least, and damn near impossible, to be brutally honest.
Every effort was made to reconstruct the coupe exactly as it had been, including the hood Medley was so proud of. Like most things there’s more than one way to lay out louvers and what Medley and Fuller did, and Clark recreated, was complicated and time-consuming. We think the results certainly justify the effort.
The Merc’s louvers are well...
The Merc’s louvers are well executed as the fronts of the rows follow the contour of the hood.
A well-ventilated trunklid...
A well-ventilated trunklid gives this Model A the competition coupe look. Notice how the ends of the rows have a slight arc; this often happens with a straight layout on a slightly curved panel.
Louvers don’t have to be for...
Louvers don’t have to be for letting out hot air, they can be used as air scoops too, as demonstrated by the SO-CAL belly tank.
Something simple like this...
Something simple like this mini bellypan and gas tank cover can be dressed up with a few rows of louvers.
A little creativity can add...
A little creativity can add a unique touch to a hot rod. Punching a patch panel then welding it in place is one way of louvering panels that won’t fit in a press.
The panel below this pickup’s...
The panel below this pickup’s bed just goes to show a few louvers can add some hot rod detail to an otherwise overlooked area.
Louvers can be found in a...
Louvers can be found in a variety of shapes; these are noticeably rounded. The pinstriping accentuates their shape.
Speaking of accentuating louvers,...
Speaking of accentuating louvers, the polishing treatment on George Poteet’s Moal-built pickup makes them easy to count. Note how the rows on the tailgate and lower panel are aligned.
The team at Hot Rods & Custom...
The team at Hot Rods & Custom Stuff performed a miracle resurrecting Medley’s coupe, but the one thing that couldn’t be saved was the hood.
The replacement hood is just...
The replacement hood is just about ready to be ventilated. Thanks to right coast hot rodder supreme, Billy Belmont, Medley found a mint spare hood some years ago. Although there was far-out paint on the outside, the inside was still in the original factory finish.
An exact copy of the original...
An exact copy of the original louver pattern was laid out on the inside of the hood. To get louvers as far to the rear as they were, the hood’s inside brace had to be removed. The C-clamps are attached to the stands that help support the hood and level it in the press.
Reference lines for the front...
Reference lines for the front and sides of the die were made along with centerlines marks on the hood and the press. Note the alignment mark on the center of the die.
A level was used to ensure...
A level was used to ensure the hood was flat on the machine, and then the C-clamps on the supports were then adjusted to keep it that way.
This is where all the time...
This is where all the time to do a precise layout pays off. There will be no surprises when the job is done.
The finished hood: The louvers...
The finished hood: The louvers are 90 degrees to the centerline of the hood, all the rows align, and when viewed from the front they follow the shape of the hood rather than looking like they get closer together at the back.