Wilpak Rear Window Louvers- 72 Satellite-Anybody else getting a bad fit?

[72Satellitescoop]

Ordered a rear window lover from autoaccesoriesgarage.com. Item arrived about 7 days later and was packed well with no damage. They had a good sale price and I was looking to add these to my car. I know the stock are they way to go but very hard to find and high prices. Thought I could give these a shot and try to make something look good. Placed them flat on the back window and the fit is really bad. See the attached images of the gap along the sides toward the top curve and along the entire top. Almost as if it needs to be another 3/4 tall and 1 inch wider. But it does fit okay against the bottom and lower corners. Just a major reveal of the window glass between the chrome trim and the louver. Pretty crappy fitment. I was under the impression I might have had to trim some away to get it dialed in but that would be a good spot to be in. Read somewhere that others had to play around with these to fit right but can't seem to find those posts. Anybody deal with these louvers. Model #1026
https://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Body-Kits/Willpak-Rear-Window-Louvers/_Item/_590300007

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Wow, that's not too good. I'm going to be real here.
1. Overall, I think louvers look really good on those cars.
2. Stock ones cost like a million dollars or something. (were they factory? rare for sure)
3. For $300, if it were me, I think I would try to work with it as best I could...I mean it does look good "overall"
4. Maybe you can better center it & move it up a little bit so it is more centered on the rear window? It would give you a small gap at the bottom, but decrease the gap at the top. You may also get it to lay a little flatter by slightly sanding a little here & a little there on the part that hits the window.

Plan B..... return it, get a 2nd job & save up for a factory (or old school aftermarket) one.

 

[Bb70charger500]

Sorry no close up shot but that's exactly what I got when I built this car . To be honest yours looks a bit nicer ! I got a bead moulding from an upholstery shop attached it around the perimeter it added the extra bit I needed ! I also did the back window trim in black to help hide any issues ! You can't get orgs fix what you got maybe complain see if they can make another that has more plastic around the edges! Please keep me in the loop on this as I need to order a louver for my 1972 rallye I'm building.

 

[Bb70charger500]

• Available in Matte Black aluminum, Black textured ABS, or smooth Black ABS

They sell alum ones?

 

[Dibbons]

The original factory louvers and repro-factory louvers don't extend anywhere near the bottom of the window. What happens when you come up an inch or two?
foto: factory repro

 

[Bb70charger500]

The original factory louvers and repro-factory louvers don't extend anywhere near the bottom of the window. What happens when you come up an inch or two?
foto: factory repro

View attachment 588253

Oh wow those are really different ...

 

[72Satellitescoop]

The original factory louvers and repro-factory louvers don't extend anywhere near the bottom of the window. What happens when you come up an inch or two?
foto: factory repro

View attachment 588253

I agree those factory louvers are the way to go. Can't find them.
Where can you get the aluminum ones? I did not see those offered through Wilpak

 

[Dibbons]

I am not aware of any aluminum louvers for Mopars. Certain talented people who have molds made from actual factory louvers have fabricated them over the years. The only person I know that is working on them at the moment is "Dayclona", who can be found on another auto forum called "Moparts" (they are fiberglass). The original factory installed louvers were probably made from some kind of plastic.

 

[72Satellitescoop]

I tried to contact the manufacturer wilpak and got voice mail . Left message . Sent two emails as well with no reply. I tried to play around with them but you just cant compensate for the needed width in the upper corners. Really wanted these to work have not figured out a way to cover the glass up to the chrome trim? The plan was to pain the chrome black to give it more of the cladding look stock ones had. Any ideas? There's no way I can go with these louvers , if any of the rear glass is showing around the sides like this situation.

 

[Dibbons]

The factory louvers for the Dodge Chargers have slightly different side pieces (not sure if they are wider or narrower). That might explain the fit problem you are having, if we can assume that those aftermarket louvers you are trying to fit are manufactured closer to the Charger specifications. Just a thought.