Good photos please of Ventilation flap

[JonathanT]

Hi everyone.. Ive just about given up hope of getting hold of an original ventilation flap (below windscreen) as fitted to the TL types.

So as you are all stingy or all wanting the same thing to 'retrof'y a GTL Im going to attempt to make a facsimile.

I would really appreciate some good photos of such a flap so I can get
m y head round it

Thanks a lot chaps! :-)

 

[Azazello]

My car is in the bodyshop and my barnifind is some 50 kms far from me... sorry but can't help!

 

[malcolm]

Here is a photo of the vent flap mounting. The flap slides underneath a rolled edge spot welded to the bodywork. There is fine mesh spot welded to the inside of the hole. Decent vent flaps are tricky to find as they are double skinned and tend to rust. I think I have pictures somewhere.

 

[malcolm]

Here are a few of a flap installed. Would be a fiddly old thing to make. Most of us make do with the stainless grille and chrome bumpers.

 

[mr-reno-139]

See I told you would have to make one
I have got a contact who knows of a scrapyard in france with loads of 4s where abouts and wether the right years who knows
Might be a bit of a wild goose chase

 

[JonathanT]

Malcolm thats SO helpful thank you. a cunning plan is hatching! I have salvaged some bits with similar rolled edges...

 

[JonathanT]

See I told you would have to make one
I have got a contact who knows of a scrapyard in france with loads of 4s where abouts and wether the right years who knows
Might be a bit of a wild goose chase

worth a try

 

[angel]

The problem is not the flap itself. You will need to fabricate the hinge and weld it properly so that it won't get warped. Plus, the apertures on the body panel are quite different, it will need a lot of reworking to look good. My thought is that it isn't worth the effort.

 

[JonathanT]

Hi Angel you could be right... I do have a cunning plan though to use layered sheet steel cut by laser! Tech or what? Yes the hinge does pose the biggest prob.

I'll see how well do on the flap before attempting the hinge

J

 

[mr-reno-139]

Good luck hope it's more of a success than the the bodyshell shot blasting
Did you keep that bit to experiment with ?

 

[JonathanT]

Hello Paul yes I still have it and guess what Derek on Renospeed found me a flap!

 

[mr-reno-139]

But can you afford the holy grail

 

[JonathanT]

You are a wise old bird

 

[Azazello]

You are a wise old bird

 

[JonathanT]

Ha ha ... And I'm a cunning old fox .... Here is my cunning plan taking shape. It's the remains of the door pillar off the donor bodyshell. As I suspected the rolled edge fits the flap perfectly so I'll chop this bit off and use it on the bulkhead. Next prob is more challenging. The depression on the GTL bulkhead is longer than the flap. So some significant head scratching required !

 

[malcolm]

Use the force young Jedi. Filing that what's wrong with car bodyfiller to get the bulkhead right.

 

[JonathanT]

Yes I can feel the force and i'm not sure its at ease with body filler --- Though I guess its probably a much better solution and less likely to be a rust trap in the future.

Weld it...weld it the voice is saying... you are a tin man ! Oooer

 

[JonathanT]

Stop Flapping!! Ok this eve I've made a start on the flap ....so far so good. The hinge came from the old door pillar edge. Ground to follow the profile of the indentation in the bulkhead. I've tacked it in place to check all works correctly ....AND so I can reverse the process of it all goes horribly wrong

 

[petak]

smart head and capable hands can do anything

 

[malcolm]

That's brilliant! It doesn't look bad as it is with the wider depression in the bulkhead. Looking forward to seeing the progress.