Louvers

Nick Cozzitorto's 1952 Ford F-1 Pickup. In 1952, with barely 100 miles on the odometer, Nick brought the pickup to Gene Winfield at Winfield's Custom Shop for a full custom treatment. The stock moldings on the hood sides were replaced with louvers. The only available louvering machine was not equipped with an extension capable of reaching the area decided on, so Barris Accessory louver plates were purchased and welded to the hood sides.

Gene "Clean Gene" Sadoian's 1934 Ford Four-Door Sedan of Fresno, California. The car went trough several iterations in the 1950s. In 1953, after attending the 1953 Oakland Roadster Show, Gene installed a 1950 Oldsmobile V-8 in the car. He also painted it fire engine red and had Tommy the Greek dress it up with pinstriping. Other modifications included a fully chromed and louvered hood, nerf bar bumpers, and copper-plated Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels. New England Sheet Metal fabricated a three-piece metal hood for the car that Gene brought to LA so Art Ingles could louver it. Art punched 92 louvers in the hood, charging 15 cents each. After the louvers had been punched, the entire hood was chromed.

Joe Tully's 1931 Ford Model A Coupe of Dixon, Illinois. Tully was a member of the Blackhawk Rod and Custom club. He built the coupe in the 1950s, and the iteration seen here was raced at the The World Series of Drag Racing in Lawrence, Illinois in 1956. It ran a louvered hood.

Bill Daniels' 1950 Oldsmobile of La Habra, California. Bill was a member of the Agitators of Fullerton car club. Jack Coughran helped Bill restyle and louver the car, before Von Dutch dressed it up with pinstriping in 1956. Jack ran Coughran Louvers, and he punched louvers on the Olds in any area available. 200 in the hood. 100 on deck lid, and on all interior garnish moldings.

Ron Dulin's 1956 Plymouth Fury of Long Beach, California. Dulin was a member of the Cut Outs of Long Beach car club, and his Plymouth went through seven iterations between 1956 and 1962. One of the first things he did to the car was to have the hood louvered. This photo shows the car as it appeared early in 1957.

Bill and Bob Glazier's 1953 Oldsmobile Convertible from North Bend, Washington, restyled by Barris Kustoms in 1958. Originally yellow, it was transformed into a Candy Apple Red custom with quad headlights, Packard taillights, a continental kit, and Dean Jeffries applied scallops and pinstriping. The hood received 96 louvers. Stored away in the early 1970s, it resurfaced in 2024, catching the attention of Chip Foose, who cleaned up and woke up the iconic piece of custom history.

Kalle Jonasson's 1939 Mercury Convertible of Costa Mesa, California. Originally restyled in the 1940s or the 1950s. An earlier iteration of Kalle's Mercury was supposedly spotted in Lynwood, California in 1958. By 1963, it had been repainted in Green Metalflake, and an old photo shows it sitting at a car dealership in San Diego. Kalle bought the car in May of 1978 and spent two years restoring it, giving it his own look. The louvers were already punched when Kalle bought it.

Hot Rods Featuring Louvers

Joe Tully's 1931 Ford Model A Coupe
Gene "Clean Gene" Sadoian's 1934 Ford Four-Door Sedan

Louvered Customs

Kalle Jonasson's 1939 Mercury Convertible
Bill Daniels' 1950 Oldsmobile
Nick Cozzitorto's 1952 Ford F-1 Pickup
Bill and Bob Glazier's 1953 Oldsmobile Super 88 Convertible - The Candy Wagon
Ron Dulin's 1956 Plymouth Fury