My experience installing Singular Motorsports hood vents
 

This is them.

Singular Motorsports Hood Louvers: NA Miata | Singular Motorsports


Install looked straight forward until you encounter all the under hood obstacles and 2 and 3 layers of support structure. These are supposed to mount from the bottom and I cant see a way that with average home tools and not totally destroying the hood you could get these to sit flush under the hood. All the lines you cut have to be so precise because they are exposed. Maybe a plasma cutter but a 4.5" angle grinder that was recommended in the instruction is not the way to go. Most of these cuts are not straight and angle grinders only like straight.

So after looking at our 1st few cuts we decided to mount them to outside of the hood giving us a 1/2 buffer on our cuts. Its a race car so function comes in before aesthetics. I dont think its looks bad. And I'm sure it will move some air! We will see at NASA Nationals at VIR in two weeks.

Regarding trimming the under-hood bracing, It can certainly be done, I do the whole job with a 4 1/2" angle grinder cutoff disc, but as we note in the installation instructions we don't recommend that approach to guys who aren't intimately familiar with that tool. Most guys use a dremel for the spots where the bracing gets close to the upper top layer of the hood, as that cuts at a slower pace so you're less likely to have a "woops" moment.

It should be noted that the NB is an easier install as those hood don't have the third center layer sandwiched in the hood, just a simple top and bottom layer.

Vents look good the way you did them though! Do post data if you get it from nationals.

P.S. your aerocatches are backwards ;)

-Ryan

Really? On the Aerocatch website it shows them mounted that way on the main page.

<p>They look good.</p><p>I've done this job (with a different vent) with a jigsaw and a dremel.</p>

I'm sure your right but the instructions dont say what way to face them. And on the website the pics have it every way.

AeroCatch 120 Series Plus Flush Installation Instructions

Another note. the template is excellent. Nice to see a company offer a real sticker not a sheet of paper you have to tape on. It really worked well to show the lines.

The instructions actually do say which way to install them. But it doesn't really matter.

There's really no harm in the latches having a different orientation. My first set of Aerocatches I installed this way, and then later learned they were *suppposed* to be the opposite direction, so now I just always notice it.

We like to paint the underside of the flip-up tabs neon orange so that from the driver's seat, if you hop in the car and forgot to latch them, you'll notice the bright color. Black is less visible. Credit goes to Moti at Blackbird Fabworx for that idea.

-Ryan

Yep! I need to do that on mine, I've been meaning to for a while. My GF just got some awesome pink/orange nail polish which will look awesome on the underside.

Having never used an angle grinder on anything before, I was able to cut my hood with a 4.5" angle grinder close enough to the template, and then fine tune the edges with a metal rasp. Before starting with the angle grinder I used a christmas tree step bit and drilled out all the corners. Then connected the dots with the angle grinder.

Could have been the beer.

That is a great idea. Mine are backwards, but i oriented them that way to compliment the orientation of the vents.