Cowl vent discussion - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

BlueJeep · 01-04-2011, 12:12 AM

For those of you with finished trucks, did you keep your cowl vent?

For those who said yes to that question, are you happy with how it seals?

And for those who said yes to that do you ever use it if you also have A/C?

Thanks!

dicer · 01-04-2011, 04:24 AM

For what year trucks?

BlueJeep · 01-04-2011, 08:19 AM

47 - 55.1

PDW HOTRODS · 01-04-2011, 10:08 AM

I have kept the vent on each of the trucks I have built. With new gasket I have not had one leak yet. Also it is nice to have open when in a cruis in the summer, I don't have air.

solidaxel · 01-04-2011, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDW HOTRODS

I have kept the vent on each of the trucks I have built. With new gasket I have not had one leak yet. Also it is nice to have open when in a cruis in the summer, I don't have air.

The only thing I would add is use a good quality gasket for the right year(2)
Steel Rubber had a better gasket for me!
I do have A/C in both of my trucks and both have electric motors to open and close the vent from Rocky Hinge Co.

Lextech · 01-04-2011, 11:18 PM

My brother and I have a 51 and kept the vent. It has been a summertime hotrod for 30 yrs now. We used a Steele gasket and have had no problems or leaks since it was installed in 1980. We don't have A/C. A LOT of air comes through an open cowl vent.

Jeff

Indian113 · 01-04-2011, 10:38 AM

If you have AC is the Cowl Vent in the way?

**youngrodder** · 01-04-2011, 10:47 AM

I kept mine on my 48. Manily because I like the looks of it when it's open. I also have A/C but since my project is not on the road yet I can not speak to its efectivness. I think mine will seal fine. If not it has a drain. I also converted mine over to power. It opens and closes by a flick of the switch.

I did shave the side vent as I don't care for those.

Marc

**mr48chev** · 01-04-2011, 01:48 PM

I kept mine but the louvers in the hood may have sent more warm air than cool air right back in the vent.
Chopped the way it is my cab has little or no air flow from the windows when I am going down the highway and I get almost all of the air movement from the cowl vents both top and side but since I plan to put in ac I haven't decided what to do with the top one.

I do know from experience that if you decide to fill the hole that the cowl vent drain goes through the firewall through you need to run a drain hose down and out through somewhere. I had a real bad and wet experience from that little mistake when I didn't do it.

Houston54 · 01-04-2011, 02:40 PM

I retained the cowl vent on my 54 and love it. It does not interfer with the Newport elect wiper motor or the vintage air system. Routing of the defrost ducts takes some care but it all works well together. A new vent gasket is highly recommended.

mylow53 · 01-04-2011, 05:44 PM

keep the vent it looks like a hood scoop to most people.... and yes the rubber seal is crap! even the one from steel ruber falls off...
GT

BlueJeep · 01-04-2011, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mylow53

keep the vent it looks like a hood scoop to most people.... and yes the rubber seal is crap! even the one from steel ruber falls off...
GT

Do you have leaking issues then? My fear is that I'll spend $1200 on a/c and then a little water from the cowl vent will ruin some electronics in it or something to that effect.

mylow53 · 01-04-2011, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

Do you have leaking issues then? My fear is that I'll spend $1200 on a/c and then a little water from the cowl vent will ruin some electronics in it or something to that effect.

the way it's designed should help with run off. but then again i park it inside and live in sunny socal so i may not be the best person to ask....
GT

BigJock · 01-05-2011, 03:05 AM

Where I live I couldn't justify the extra cost of A/C so I opted to keep my cowl vent and drivers side 'crotch cooler'.
Plus I like the look.....

01-04-2011, 12:12 AM	#1
BlueJeep Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Waukee, Iowa Posts: 1,608	Cowl vent discussion For those of you with finished trucks, did you keep your cowl vent? For those who said yes to that question, are you happy with how it seals? And for those who said yes to that do you ever use it if you also have A/C? Thanks! __________________ build threads: 86 Suburban 88 Jeep 6.0 swap 49 Chevy truck 54 Chevy wagon 86 Suburban lowered 4/6 54 Chevy wagon 49 Chevy/s10 mix 88 Jeep Wrangler rockcrawler

01-04-2011, 04:24 AM	#2
dicer Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 529	Re: Cowl vent discussion For what year trucks?

01-04-2011, 08:19 AM	#3
BlueJeep Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Waukee, Iowa Posts: 1,608	Re: Cowl vent discussion 47 - 55.1 __________________ build threads: 86 Suburban 88 Jeep 6.0 swap 49 Chevy truck 54 Chevy wagon 86 Suburban lowered 4/6 54 Chevy wagon 49 Chevy/s10 mix 88 Jeep Wrangler rockcrawler

01-04-2011, 10:08 AM	#4
PDW HOTRODS Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sutherlin Oregon Posts: 502	Re: Cowl vent discussion I have kept the vent on each of the trucks I have built. With new gasket I have not had one leak yet. Also it is nice to have open when in a cruis in the summer, I don't have air.

01-04-2011, 11:18 PM	#6
Lextech Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Oak Forest, Ill. Posts: 194	Re: Cowl vent discussion My brother and I have a 51 and kept the vent. It has been a summertime hotrod for 30 yrs now. We used a Steele gasket and have had no problems or leaks since it was installed in 1980. We don't have A/C. A LOT of air comes through an open cowl vent. Jeff

01-04-2011, 10:38 AM	#7
Indian113 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Monroe,Iowa Posts: 4,370	Re: Cowl vent discussion If you have AC is the Cowl Vent in the way?

01-04-2011, 10:47 AM	#8
youngrodder Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Scotts, Michigan Posts: 3,773	Re: Cowl vent discussion I kept mine on my 48. Manily because I like the looks of it when it's open. I also have A/C but since my project is not on the road yet I can not speak to its efectivness. I think mine will seal fine. If not it has a drain. I also converted mine over to power. It opens and closes by a flick of the switch. I did shave the side vent as I don't care for those. Marc __________________ …………...........__________ .................. ((__\|__\|\|___\____ ..;.;;.:;:;.,;..;((_(O))____ (_(O)) 1948 Chevy Truck - Finished SOLD!! 1953 Chevy Suburban "Family Truckster" Completed: Spring of 2021 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=605484 1994 4x4 Blazer - "Field Find" https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ferrerid=30857

01-04-2011, 01:48 PM	#9
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,635	Re: Cowl vent discussion I kept mine but the louvers in the hood may have sent more warm air than cool air right back in the vent. Chopped the way it is my cab has little or no air flow from the windows when I am going down the highway and I get almost all of the air movement from the cowl vents both top and side but since I plan to put in ac I haven't decided what to do with the top one. I do know from experience that if you decide to fill the hole that the cowl vent drain goes through the firewall through you need to run a drain hose down and out through somewhere. I had a real bad and wet experience from that little mistake when I didn't do it. Last edited by mr48chev; 01-04-2011 at 01:48 PM.

01-04-2011, 02:40 PM	#10
Houston54 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: location Posts: 527	Re: Cowl vent discussion I retained the cowl vent on my 54 and love it. It does not interfer with the Newport elect wiper motor or the vintage air system. Routing of the defrost ducts takes some care but it all works well together. A new vent gasket is highly recommended.

01-04-2011, 05:44 PM	#11
mylow53 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: thousand oaks, California Posts: 732	Re: Cowl vent discussion keep the vent it looks like a hood scoop to most people.... and yes the rubber seal is crap! even the one from steel ruber falls off... GT __________________ Greg 1953 chevy 1/2 ton 5 window, chevy 350 330 horse 700r tranz, lowering spindels mustang 2 frount. ford 9", airbags on 4 corners . purchased in 1983 for $325 while in high school http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=215079&page=5

01-05-2011, 03:05 AM	#14
BigJock Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Dundonald, Scotland Posts: 120	Re: Cowl vent discussion Where I live I couldn't justify the extra cost of A/C so I opted to keep my cowl vent and drivers side 'crotch cooler'. Plus I like the look.....



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