POLL: Filled cowl vent Yes? or No?

NO NO NO !!!!. When I chopped my 32 I kept the cowl vent ,opening winshield,and roll down back window . Open them all and it will blow your hat off.I just scored a 34 5 window,un chopped out of florida it has a opening windshield,working cowl vent AND air.

 

I'm in the minorty I think. I'd fill it. I like AC (I'm running factory caddy ac on my 57 365 for the traditional police). My avatar has a new gasket and pours water in like crazy (as has every other car with a vent I've ever owned) The 34 truck I'm rebuilding was filled back in the 70's and will stay that way.

 

If the lid is rotted off would it be easier to put an air scoop over the hole? Or wire mesh, with a drain underneath like later model cars?

 

I keep them on all cars that have them. I prefer the real air over conditioned air. They are a great way to move all the heat from the engine right out of the can too.


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falconsprint63 beat me to it! I was going to ask if you were going to do A/C. I live in the desert and while you guys talk about pleasant summer days and kickin' the cowl vent open and feeling the breeze, that doesn't work so well when it's about 120 or so. When I did the A/C in the Plymouth about ten years ago I took great pains to keep the factory cowl vent operational. It wasn't easy as I had to off set the entire mechanism to the drivers side to get enough room for my evap unit under dash. Two problems came out of this deal though. When it is 105-120 out (about four months a year) I constantly have a small bit of extremely hot air that finds it's way through the vent's seal and reduces the efficiency of my A/C. That's with a new gasket and everything adjusted "just so". Annoying as hell to be cool and comfy driving down the road with only your right knee cap on fire in a blast furnace! The other is that because I needed such a big unit (heh huh... He said big unit...) to cool my rather extreme conditions, it blocks off most of the incoming flow when the cowl vent IS open. Kinda sucks to open it up and not feel too much airflow coming through after all that work.

Just some food for thought...

 

I vote make a new lid or find a replacement. I wish I had one on my OT GMC with a busted AC. The best I can do is stick my hand out the window and cool it off.

 

One of the first things I did.....then shortly there after in a conversation with Uncle Ray he says "yah we filled in that hole in the cowl, I shoulda never done that, woulda been nice to have the fresh air down there".....DOH!
To late now....

 

You will be sorry if you fill the cowl vent,I needed it on my 37 Chevy p/u as it seemed to flow more air then cranking the windshield open and was much quieter too. Since I am still running a stovebolt six in the 37 I installed the splash pans on the sides of the motor and I do not have to open it now as the firewall seems a little cooler.

 

well I'll be darned ! I thought the split would be a bit more even than its turning out.

The weather here is relatively cool much of the year. 30+-degC (80degF)is a hot day here. Mostly its 10-20degC. Winters can be fairly wet and the truck is gona get regular use.I do have wing windows ...but it is a chopped n channeled cab..hmmm

So I'm still not too sure.

 

As many others have already said -- cowl vents are quite functional and add to that old car charm.

 

I am really glad I have my cowl vent working. A quality gasket and the handle adjusts so I can pull the lid in tight to the cowl/gasket. No vent windows in a '39 to open.
Even up here it gets pretty damn warm in the summer, just make sure your floor is clean or you may get a lot of crap blowing up from it.

 

I love how my cowl vent looks, shut and open, but with no side windows, its not real functional. It is a worry when its raining, as it leaks all over my wiring. I voted fill, as i wanted to balance the voting for ya! Lol.

 

Come on Paul, a man of your talents should be able to repair the cowl vent with your eyes closed. No fill, keep that vent in there as Ford intended.

 

Cover it to keep the snow out!

Scotty

 

Keep it, they look cool and keep you cool. I HATED the filled cowl vent in my old '39 Coupe.

 

Used to ride around in a sbc deuce truck with filled vent. Summer bummer.

 

I,m adding a cowl vent to my Model A. I think every car/truck should have them. -Fat Chico .


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Don't fill it, might get hot in summer but its your car so you do what you want with it.

 

Its snowin somewhere down this island today. Cold as, im stayin by the fire. Got that hole filled yet? Lol.

 

pondering.... might have to play paper scissors rock on this one

 

mine is not working now and my truck is hot as hell. I like them and think they should be kept, unless its a non driver or you run a/c, I feel it is a must

 

You inside by a fire too? Snow must be down your way. Nice and sunny here. Best i get some work done after lunch. Might go seal up my cowl vent. (joke, well maybe...)

 

not snowing today but theres still traces on the hills from the weekend..brrr

 

That's weird that I see this post tonight. I have a 40 international P/U that I just got the cowl vent un-glued and working. I like it to be operational. My only issue is that I have tried a couple of rubber gaskets from restoration specialties and other sources. I can not get the cowl vent to seat like it should . Seems that these gaskets are to thick. I'm looking for rubber or gasket material that will work in my application. I like the cowl vent as well as my roll out windshield to be functional. I saw keep it.

 

filled the cowl vent on my '34 sedan delivery, lived in SoCal, summer heat and no vent! Only good thing was that the girls who rode with me got so hot they started shedding their cloths, but not enough of them.....so wish I had kept it functional!

 

I forgot to add, It makes a great place to put emblems makes the difference for someone mistaking my Dodge for a Chevy truck for the one millionth time. and Also being that its the only way I can cool my trucks cab down in 120+ degrees on Phoenix, AZ and it does fine I have never thought, I would rather have A/C than my vent. I also love when people come up to me and ask "What the hell is that hood scoop thing?!"...

 

x3 ^

 

Same here, was supposed to do a half marathon on Sunday but was postponed to this coming Sunday, some thing about snow to 200m

Trad rods have them open, Customs have them filled

Scotty

 

OEM in both the 35 phaeton and 46 sedanette. Nothing like factory AIR.

 

Wish mine wasn't filled.....Keep it!