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Amc spirit/sx4 1/4 window louvers

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Forum Name: Product Announcements
Forum Description: This section is for vendors or members who offer products or services. VENDORS, Please post here and not in the general tech forums.
URL: https://theamcforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=67502
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Topic: Amc spirit/sx4 1/4 window louvers
Posted By: racerkilla
Subject: Amc spirit/sx4 1/4 window louvers
Date Posted: Feb/12/2015 at 9:36pm
Hey everyone. I was running the idea with a a friend of mine about trying to make side window louvers for the spirit/sx4.

I have a mint sent of amc originals on my amx I would use for a mold. I am thinking of trying to vacuum form them out of black plastic 1/8 thick of a bit more. There seems to be a need for them.

Wondering how many people would might be interested in them if I could make them. This is in the beginning steps and no idea of price or actual time yet.



Replies:
Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Feb/13/2015 at 5:12am
I'm down for a set, thanks for the effort!!



-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: Fjord
Date Posted: Feb/13/2015 at 10:32am
I'd be interested, but only in conjuction with rear louvers. Shipping could be a killer unfortunately.


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/13/2015 at 12:29pm
I won't be doing the rear louver. The size of plastic sheet and trying to heat it evenly to try to vacuum mold would be very difficult. 


Posted By: uncljohn
Date Posted: Feb/14/2015 at 12:20pm
I would be interested however plastic that if vacuum formed would not tolerate the sun and the U.V. and the 3 months of over 100 degree temperatures that exist here during the year. I have an 80 AMX and a custom Spirit both with rear window louvers but after market ones. I also have a brand new in the box set of rear louvers if I need them.
Sorry If I though that they would hold up I would be interested, but I do not think that they would

-------------
70 390 5spd Donohue
74 Hornet In restoration
76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power
80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit
74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/14/2015 at 1:12pm
I honestly never even gave the heat or uv light a thought. Was trying to figure out a fast simple way to recreate them with out spending a small fortune.

I actually don't need any for my 3 79 amxs. All of them have rear and side louvers with the exception of one side louver being a bit damaged. I figured it would a project to help get some member hard to find parts.

Still up in the air about trying it or not.


Posted By: Fjord
Date Posted: Feb/14/2015 at 1:47pm
Originally posted by uncljohn uncljohn wrote:

I would be interested however plastic that if vacuum formed would not tolerate the sun and the U.V. and the 3 months of over 100 degree temperatures that exist here during the year. I have an 80 AMX and a custom Spirit both with rear window louvers but after market ones. I also have a brand new in the box set of rear louvers if I need them.
Sorry If I though that they would hold up I would be interested, but I do not think that they would


Where did you source the aftermarket rear louvers?


Posted By: Budwisr
Date Posted: Feb/14/2015 at 2:24pm
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the side window louvers were never available as a factory accessory.

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1970 AMX 1980 AMX
<br


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/14/2015 at 4:05pm
I don't think ever factory installed. I have 3 different sets of side louvers. 

Two sets I have use 6 tabs that push in behind the window rubber and have amc cast in the back of them.  They have 5 slats

The other set must of been a jc whitney or something because the louver opening are a bit smaller and use 4 nuts to hold them on. Plates with studs get glued or taped to the glass. They have 7 slats

amc style (ones I wanted to copy)
http://s567.photobucket.com/user/racerkilla/media/my%20cars/IMG_1878_zps61394d89.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">

other style (hard to see in the pictures the major difference)
http://s567.photobucket.com/user/racerkilla/media/my%20cars/S5002052.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
http://s567.photobucket.com/user/racerkilla/media/S5001599.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">





Posted By: uncljohn
Date Posted: Feb/14/2015 at 9:03pm
Originally posted by Fjord Fjord wrote:


Originally posted by uncljohn uncljohn wrote:

I would be interested however plastic that if vacuum formed would not tolerate the sun and the U.V. and the 3 months of over 100 degree temperatures that exist here during the year. I have an 80 AMX and a custom Spirit both with rear window louvers but after market ones. I also have a brand new in the box set of rear louvers if I need them.
Sorry If I though that they would hold up I would be interested, but I do not think that they would


Where did you source the aftermarket rear louvers?

One set of louvers those on the 80 AMX were either purchased aftermarket about the same time the car was first sold or they were dealer installed. The AMX I have is a some what rare base model and many of the cosmetic features and some performance items are not installed in the car simply because they were options.
The set on my Spirit came from an 81 I saw for sale on the side of the road, I bought it, removed the louvers and installed a new valve cover and sold the car.
The one in the box, I bought at a swap meet.
I don't think aftermarket louvers have been available for this model since some were around 1985 or so.
As far as the side window louvers, in almost 40 years of being in the hobby I have only seen a couple of them installed and I assumed they were OEM. And some people have stated that. The last of the AMX's must have been hard sells as some of them I have seen seemed to have been dealer painted in a less gaudy paint scheme. All of the side louvers I have seen seemed to be the same material and style while rear louvers either matched the side or were obvious aftermarket. If matched the side they were all a plastic material, while rears if alone were metal

-------------
70 390 5spd Donohue
74 Hornet In restoration
76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power
80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit
74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/15/2015 at 10:31am
I have honestly never found any louvers to buy online anywhere. This is why I was hoping to try to remake the side ones somehow. The factory side ones are less then 1/8 thick and made very cheap. I was hoping to make them out of 1/8th or a bit more.

The full set was on my red amx and black amx when I bought them. 

The other full set was on an sx/4 parts car that I was actually paid to take it. They went on my white amx. 

I have never had an aluminum rear one. I keep an eye out for it but highly doubt I will ever find one. Very lucky to have the ones I do.


Posted By: DaleG
Date Posted: Feb/19/2015 at 7:44pm
Hi. I'm new here but would be very interested in a set of louvers.  A top spray of clear coat would probably keep them from getting UV damage. I used to do that with the Neon colored double wipers back in the 80's.


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/19/2015 at 7:48pm
I will be in contact with mirror images in the next few days to see if they can make a mold and figure out a material. This is the same company that a member here used to reproduce the 79 amx air dam, which looks great by the way.


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/19/2015 at 9:29pm
So talked to mirror images... The side window louvers would be made out of a urethane plastic. 

They would run around 180 plus shipping I think.

 I need 15 preorders to start the molding process. After the 15 sets it would be 4-8 weeks after they receive my originals to finish the molds and start production.

If you are honestly 100 percent interested in a set at that price please pm and go from there


Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Feb/20/2015 at 8:17am
PM Sent!  WooHoo!!

-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: uncljohn
Date Posted: Feb/20/2015 at 8:43am
Originally posted by DaleG DaleG wrote:

Hi. I'm new here but would be very interested in a set of louvers.  A top spray of clear coat would probably keep them from getting UV damage. I used to do that with the Neon colored double wipers back in the 80's.


Living and dealing with the destruction of plastic and rubber in Arizona's environment of Heat and U.V. problems, it almost makes rust look good.
Clear coated automobiles paint job's are destroyed after about 5 years or even less.
I have one car that the Clear Coat lasted only 3 years. And it was a PPG product.
I'd have to have some very serious explanations as to the UV tolerance of a product. As it stands at the moment, while $180.00 would be a fair price, it is not something that I can support.
Sorry about that.
I have a 1980 AMX and a Spirit that could stand a set, but not enough to gamble the price asked at the present.


-------------
70 390 5spd Donohue
74 Hornet In restoration
76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power
80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit
74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam


Posted By: garsod
Date Posted: Feb/20/2015 at 1:22pm
I'm in for a set or two. PM sent



Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Feb/20/2015 at 2:57pm
Originally posted by uncljohn uncljohn wrote:

I'd have to have some very serious explanations as to the UV tolerance of a product. As it stands at the moment, while $180.00 would be a fair price, it is not something that I can support.


I've seen you post on this issue a couple of times (UV and Paint), and I can certainly understand the concerns. 

Unless the parts crack or warp under the constant heat, what's wrong with a new coat of paint after a few years?




-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: billd
Date Posted: Feb/20/2015 at 4:24pm
I know my nephew WOULD take a pair, in fact, I bet my family would support 2 pair of side louvers.
I'll say yes for my nephew - and not even have to ask him and say yes on a second set as if my niece doesn't want them, i'd take them for spares as the ones I have I had to repair with epoxy - the split between the "slats" at the edges.
I have 2 styles of mounting tabs - I used the stick-on set, the other set is the sort that slips under the seal but knowing how old the window seals are and how likely such things are to leak, I opted to NOT mess with seals. Besides the profile on the GLASS is identical between the 2 sets of mounts I have, and they all use the nuts to hold the side louvers to the mounting pieces, be they stick-on or "under the seal" types.

My car came out of California and set in a yard in the sun for roughly 10 years. Some parts were toast, yeah, like the bumper ends, but others were still fine. There wasn't any paint on the horizontal surfaces but no biggy, at least there wasn't rust, either!








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http://theamcpages.com" rel="nofollow - http://theamcpages.com

http://antique-engines.com" rel="nofollow - http://antique-engines.com


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/20/2015 at 4:31pm
The set of louvers you showed billd are the same ones I have on my black amx and have 7 slats to the louver with 4 mounting nuts from the front side.

The ones Id like to mod are 5 slat which are on my amx and pictured below... they have no mounting nuts and use tabs made to the louver
http://s567.photobucket.com/user/racerkilla/media/louver_zps09397bfa.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">



Posted By: Extract2th
Date Posted: Mar/07/2015 at 3:58pm
If this is a go, I would be in for 1 set as well.  Any updates to this?

-------------
Shane Blake
Current Cars & Projects:
1968 AMX
1970 Gremlin
1970 Javelin SST
1973 Javelin
1977 Hornet AMX
1979 Spirit AMX
1988 Eagle wagon
Parts Cars/Future Projects:
1970 Javelin SST, 1972 Gremlin


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Mar/07/2015 at 4:53pm
I just bought a single mint passenger side louver. I bought a molding agent that I am going to make a hard mold out of I hope next weekend. From there I will be buying 1/8 hdpe plastic sheets to vacuum mold them. The original louver wasn't even 1/8 thick so the new plastic will actually be an upgrade.

I have been waiting for my single louver to show up. I didn't want to hurt any of the sets I have on my cars. I will be able to practice with this one until I get it to work. If I can get it to work on the passenger louver I bought I will be pulling a driver side off my amx and copying that one.

I was going to have a company mold them but cost a bit of money up front to get it going. I rather do it with my friend as a project and try to keep the price down.


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Mar/14/2015 at 9:47pm
So made some progress today.My friend and I hard molded the passenger louver. It come out very good for the first time ever doing this. The hard mold just needs the slats(area that will be cut out) sanded down before vacuum molding. I now have a mold I can use over and over with out damaging my original louver.

I am hoping to make the vacuum molding set up sometime soon and see how it comes out. If it works out good we will be repeating the process on the driver side louver

Pics for now
http://s567.photobucket.com/user/racerkilla/media/Amx%20air%20dam/20150314_171558_zps24uolct8.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
http://s567.photobucket.com/user/racerkilla/media/Amx%20air%20dam/20150314_182006_zpsyemburd9.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
http://s567.photobucket.com/user/racerkilla/media/Amx%20air%20dam/20150314_210844_zpstriutm7e.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
http://s567.photobucket.com/user/racerkilla/media/Amx%20air%20dam/20150314_211622_zps1kymrycn.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
http://s567.photobucket.com/user/racerkilla/media/Amx%20air%20dam/20150314_211523_zpsht4da3uc.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">



Posted By: garsod
Date Posted: Mar/14/2015 at 10:34pm
Looks Great.........


Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Mar/15/2015 at 3:46am
Progress....very cool!!

-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: SPIRITAMX79
Date Posted: Mar/17/2015 at 2:30pm
I'd buy a set. Sending PM now


Posted By: DaleG
Date Posted: Mar/17/2015 at 8:13pm
Looks great. I saw that passenger side one on ebay and it did look good but I didn't bid on it because having only one side would have been worthless to me. Glad that you are working on this. Thank you for your efforts.


Posted By: DaleG
Date Posted: Mar/17/2015 at 8:20pm
I wonder if it would be possible to do a rear one as a multi-piece kit. There is an instructional page called  How To Make Rear Louvers for an SX/4 - AMC Evolution  on another site where the guy was making them out of aluminum flashing but I'd rather have plastic

I know......one step at a time.....haha


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Mar/18/2015 at 3:21pm
The passenger side one on ebay was the one I bought and used to make the mold. It cost me 125 shipped but I wanted it for this project. I didn't want to pull any sets off my car and chance damaging them. With that being said the molding process went very. So I will be pulling the driver side off my white amx to mold as I did the one above.

I will molding the driver side after I know I can vacuum form of the passenger mold to produce a nice piece.

I have no plans on doing the rear one at this time. Maybe someday...


Posted By: garsod
Date Posted: Mar/18/2015 at 6:49pm
Great to hear. Wish I could be there to help.


Posted By: fred amc in ripley
Date Posted: Apr/09/2015 at 12:36pm
I am up for a few pairs of the side window louvers also. E-mail me when ready with prices and pics fredd@mikal.com thank you


Posted By: Just4u2c
Date Posted: Aug/10/2015 at 12:29am
I too would like to know prices if they become available.. I might be interested in 2 maybe 3 sets...

Also if anyone decides to start doing the rears I might be interested in a couple also...



Posted By: amcismeagain
Date Posted: Aug/10/2015 at 1:19am
Thought I would post the photos I have of a set of "plastic" rear louvers I bought/sold a few months ago. Have an aluminum set on my 79AMX.
 
 


-------------
The HERD includes:
1970 BBB Mark Donohue
1973 Gremlin
1974 Gremlin X Levi's edition
1972 Jeep J4800 Camper Special w/ 454 BBC
1967 Malibu Station Wagon


Posted By: amcismeagain
Date Posted: Aug/10/2015 at 1:22am
Got trigger happy.....here are the photos.
 
 
 
 


-------------
The HERD includes:
1970 BBB Mark Donohue
1973 Gremlin
1974 Gremlin X Levi's edition
1972 Jeep J4800 Camper Special w/ 454 BBC
1967 Malibu Station Wagon


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Aug/10/2015 at 7:03pm
It is still an on going project. I have the mold made just haven't to to vacuum forming yet. I have been so busy this summer with customer and personal cars. I haven't had time to finish the side louvers. I will post when I make more progress but it may be in the fall once things clam down around the shop.


Posted By: Vendire1
Date Posted: Jun/02/2016 at 11:17am
I am interested in the side window louvers. Email when you have them available davidl227@aol.com


Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Jun/03/2016 at 8:36am
Rear Side-Windows Louvers  ->  I'm In!  I'm definitely still in!

-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: SeanHatfield
Date Posted: Aug/29/2016 at 9:49pm
Any updates on this project? I'd definitely be in on a set if they're still in the works!


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Aug/29/2016 at 10:03pm
It is still in the works but still have no luck locally sourcing plastic. Trying to get it through the mail in sheets is very expensive do to shipping size. Louvers would end up costing to much with material, my time and shipping them out. If I can not keep them reasonable priced no since of doing them


Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Jan/26/2017 at 8:17pm
Ben over at Galvin's Rambler Parts is trying to source a set of Spirit side-window louvers for reproduction.  His vendor will repop them in fiberglass and is only requiring 6 sets for the initial run.

Ben will make them available for purchase through Galvin's.

If anyone has a good set available, please reach out to Ben @ Galvin's and see if we can get these extremely hard to find parts reproduced.





-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Jan/26/2017 at 8:23pm
delete


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Jan/27/2017 at 6:59pm
delete


Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Jan/27/2017 at 7:45pm
I'm more than willing to help if I can, let me know if there's something can do from here to assist...

-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Jan/27/2017 at 8:11pm
delete


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Jan/30/2017 at 5:16pm
delete


Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Jan/30/2017 at 5:59pm
Right on My Brother!!

-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: amcglass
Date Posted: Jan/31/2017 at 11:06am
will be interesting to see what the outcome ends up like.

KEEP US POSTED


-------------
Javmanpres

BBG Mark Donohue 401

74 Jav/AMX
71 Matador 2dr sedan delivery wagon
1902 Rambler Runabout   
70 T/A Javelin


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/01/2017 at 5:19pm
delete


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/03/2017 at 5:20pm
delete


Posted By: amcglass
Date Posted: Feb/03/2017 at 6:10pm
very interesting  and looking good



-------------
Javmanpres

BBG Mark Donohue 401

74 Jav/AMX
71 Matador 2dr sedan delivery wagon
1902 Rambler Runabout   
70 T/A Javelin


Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Feb/03/2017 at 9:06pm
Cool Stuff Ronny!

-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/09/2017 at 5:29pm
delete


Posted By: tloftus
Date Posted: Feb/09/2017 at 5:51pm
Wow!  Those are awesome!  Good work!

-------------
1966 AMC Rambler American Rogue - 232 I6
http://theamcforum.com/forum/1966-amc-american-rogue_topic20995.html

1978 AMC AMX - 258 I6
http://theamcforum.com/forum/1978-amc-amx_topic62333.html


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/09/2017 at 6:18pm
delete


Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Feb/09/2017 at 7:43pm
Way to go Ronny!!

I'd say you could ship them whole, with just a tracing of the outer edge and we could handle cutting them out ourselves (including cutting the slats).
That is, unless you want to recover the extra plastic to make another set.


-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/10/2017 at 5:32pm
delete


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/10/2017 at 9:53pm
delete


Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Feb/10/2017 at 11:17pm
That rocks Dude!!

Way to Go!!


-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: Tim76
Date Posted: Feb/11/2017 at 12:36am
Nice!  I'll Buy a set for my 79 Spirit!  Where do I sign up?


Posted By: garsod
Date Posted: Feb/11/2017 at 11:32pm
Looks great.


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/12/2017 at 10:51pm
delete


Posted By: Tim76
Date Posted: Feb/13/2017 at 8:32pm
Ok I'll take a set.


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/15/2017 at 7:31pm
delete


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/20/2017 at 6:48pm
delete












Posted By: 83GT
Date Posted: Feb/20/2017 at 9:32pm
Those look great Ronny!!  I can't wait to have them installed on my GT!!



-------------
2014 Star Stryker - Only Ride
1992 Bayliner Trophy Walk-Around


Posted By: scott
Date Posted: Feb/21/2017 at 3:58pm
Very nice work!



Posted By: DaleG
Date Posted: Feb/25/2017 at 7:15pm
This is most awesome and historic. Many folks have talked about it or dreamed of doing it but you pulled it off.


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Mar/09/2017 at 9:24pm
I have a few sets available now. Please Pm me for pictures and price. So far people have really liked the outcome of them.

If you search 83gt build thread that was the first set of louvers mounted on a car with pictures.


Posted By: bssorrells
Date Posted: Sep/03/2017 at 11:16pm
I see that this was a few years back, but if there are louvers being manufactured, I will purchase for an 82 amc eagle, full set back and sides. this would be awesome!!
brent sorrells
7734100199


Posted By: bssorrells
Date Posted: Sep/03/2017 at 11:18pm
please contact me with the available louvers , amc eagle sx 4. that would be amazing!!!


brent sorrels
7734100199


Posted By: racerkilla
Date Posted: Feb/17/2018 at 7:52pm
I have a few sets of these louvers left from my last batch I made. This will be it for making louvers for awhile. The price of shipping and material keep going up. I get 225 shipped for a set.


Posted By: 79AMX
Date Posted: Feb/26/2018 at 8:33am
PM sent.



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