The three clips that holds all the center vent fins together, is this broken for most people? I noticed they were all missing in mine before selling it, but recovered part of one. I was thinking of drawing it up for 3D printing but I won't bother if no one really needs them.

 

John's Cars in Dallas makes or use to make a metal version. What I have done is to pull the entire vent from salvage cars just to have spare clips. However, if you can make them, go for it.

 

I've never seen one of these center vents with originally adjustable vanes in a complete state.
Some were more complete than others, but None were undamaged.
I've noticed the adjustment links are quite flimsy so I removed all the vanes from a wrecking yard example with fixed vanes and made a small box to hold my camera.


I haven't missed the air coming through this anyway, because most of it went to the back seat area where no one ever sits. As the center is blocked off, more cold are is forced through the side fascia vents.
(';')

 

Seems like a neat little fix. I do not like he fixed vents on my XJS, but the openings are already so small that I don't think blanking it off would be that helpful. Then again, I've blocked it with my hand on hot days before to increase the velocity from the smaller vents.

When I got the XJ6 it had black paper jammed into the vents to hold them straight.

Seems like a 3d printed bit would perhaps require some metal reinforcement, because fiddly clip-like features usually break off in my experience.

 

good mod Elinor, I agree blanking the center section forces the air to the side vents, which is why I keep the center vent closed.

So when something is made in a 3D printer it comes out flimsy or wobbly? I've never had anything 3D printed.

 

No, what I mean is very small sections that are made to be flexible, like something made to snap inside a socket or over a dowel, can sometimes be fragile because there isn't a lot of material holding that bit together. Sometimes it is helpful to "reinforce" these pieces by applying superglue that fuses the threads together a bit better.