Hot Rods Why do hot rods have louvers on the trunk lids?

Are they just for looks or do they perform a function? I've ALWAYS wondered and nobody whom I've asked had an answer. Finally decide to just ask here and see if an answer could be found.

Thank you !

 

To let the air escape that came in through the louvers in the roof.

 

**clic pic**

 

Both.... If on a hood, they help heat escape. If on a trunk lid, they allow water in... But look cool doing it.

Think of the cars up thru the early 40's.... Most had some kind of louver, either fixed or moveable to keep engine temp down. As motors started getting hopped up more they started generating more heat so louvers we're added on cars that didn't have them... Or not enough of them. The guys with customs started using them because they looked cool... Some got carried away with it.

On the trunk? Not only did they let the rain in, they also helped the wind flow thru. You see them a lot on dry lake and salt flat cars for that reason.

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I always assumed it was to allow the air that built up in the trunk or under the car to escape when the trunk 'floor' panels were removed.

My '50s built drag car has no floor in the trunk, but never had a louvered trunk lid. Maybe that's why it wasn't successful enough to keep it from getting pushed into the back of a barn...

 

Because that's what GAWD intended.

 

When used at the back of the car, they let the high pressure air out of the car body, which builds up and up as air gets in all the nooks and panel gaps when traveling at high speeds. That's what I've always been told. Gary

 

So the kids being snuck into the drive-in could breathe

 

Anybody who is anybody amongst the hotrod cognoscenti knows that they function as turbulators not louvers. Look it up. Jack E/NJ

 

To piss off the guy color sanding your deck lid.

 

Thats what I thought

 

So that when the old hotrod was retired and in the back 40 it would be less likely to be yanked off and used as a sled for firewood and such due to poor slidability......Joking aside aiding cooling in the cabin as well as release and movement of air at speed which would otherwise cause lift and drag sounds pretty plausible. On the street Looks is a big part of it as well...

If your a louver lover check this out...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/just-louvers.1028008/

 

I did mine solely because I think they look cool.



-Abone.

 

,Well ,my Italian buddy's said it had to do with letting the smell out of the trunk ! Hmmm wonder what they meant !

 

I always thought that is was done to emulate a Bonneville car with its radiator in the trunk.

 

For the people in the trunk to breath.

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Cause they look cool! Does there need to be another reason?

 

I guess I like the closer to earth definition better over the scientific version...but yes they have function over art no question depending on application. Doesn't do much for my fuel economy however...

 

Painters hate Louvers

 

to keep the louver guys employed

 

Always liked the looks of them. Just never thought I wanted a trunk full of water....
SPark

 

The ones on a trunk lid make you look at least 5mph faster than everyone else! How would I know that?

 

Because they Can ......... and they look Cool!!!


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That's a question that doesn't need to be asked.

 

Refer to Flamedabone's post.

 

Flatulence escape route.

 

Louvers sorta hide lumpy metal pretty damn good

 

My dad is getting his 32 3window body work and paint done right now. He has a louvered deck lid. That was the number one sentence said numerous times by the body man...he hates louvers. But damn they look killer.

 

Why not? There seem to be quite few, but no definitive, answers. There really aren't many questions that don't deserve to be asked if you really want to know and aren't being a smart ass. And FWIW, I like louvers on hoods,but I don't really care for them on trunk lids. Seems to me to be taking a good thing to overkill.

 

Any more questions?