The early version of the Fiberfab Valkyrie was designed to use a 1965 Mustang fastback rear window in the over the engine bay, which makes for a dramatic presentation when your engine is nicely dressed and on display under the glass. One thing you quickly notice is that glass can get quite hot after a relatively short drive, especially if you have exhaust headers going up and over the rear frame cross-member. Mid engine race cars and recent supercars will sometimes employ a roof-scoop to help bring cool air into the engine area while the car is moving forward. When stopped in traffic, the roof-scoop can function like a chimney and help hot air vent out. This sounded like a great idea to me, as my Valkyrie engine compartment sure got how after a short drive in warm weather. Any kind of scoop or vents should help with this problem.
In 2022, while on a trip back east visiting with one of my best friends (see his 1974 Vega Panel Wagon story on the Garage Projects menu), he offered me a drag race style air scoop that he no longer needed. I though it had potential, so I stuffed it into a big cardboard box and checked as luggage on my flight back to Nevada. When I got back home, I fired up the CAD computer and came up with a plan for how I could use the newly acquired fiberglass scoop.
The whole project of building a fiberglass replacement for the rear window and then bonding a highly modified air scoop onto it took a fair amount of time and effort, but I think it turned out well. One unfortunate mishap occurred during the fiberglass molding process which resulted in a shattered Mustang glass window, and cuts on my wife’s leg, but I do have another window and my wife’s leg healed nicely. The Mustang glass window would not let go of the freshly cured fiberglass. Apparently, I should have applied much more wax to the glass before laying down the mat and resin. As I applied as much pulling force to the cured fiberglass panel as I could muster, suddenly there was a loud pop, and bits of the glass window went flying everywhere. Live and learn.
Next: A fresh coat of my favorite color: Gray Primer
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