JL Wrangler body in white shell shows fender lights + vents, hood latches + design, roll cage frame

[nowandthen]

Hey I don't think the jk or the jku is ugly at all the first 1 I saw was a 2007. Lifted and in that old rescue green. Man I was hooked loved it then love it now so far I am liking the jl too

I agree, I don't understand all the hate on the JK. The JL is not a replica of the TJ, some design queues but not a TJ. I loved the TJ hood, simple, raised detail. The JL has a very busy hood IMO. I'd like a simpler raised detail hood, ala TJ.

Jeep sent me a survey about 2 years ago asking what I liked and didn't like about the JK, not to go into alot of detail (maybe a new thread about this?), Highlights: I did mention I'd like the flat hood to be more like the TJ . I also said I hated the turn signals in the fenders (lost that one). Lastly the manual transmission sucked because it it too easy to hit reverse when shifting from 5th to 6th (I've been driving manuals for 40+ years so don't say I don't know how to drive a stick ) Reverse is now to the left (by 1st/2nd gear), better? I'll never know, foot issues means my next Jeep will be an automatic. I do like the sound of an 8-speed auto over the 5-speed.

I still contemplate buying an '18 JK while I can, I'm not feeling the side vent contour in the fenders of the JL, but I like a lot of the other improvements. Suppliers will take care of the turn signals in the flares, at least I hope there will be factory looking options to put turn signals in the grille, WHERE THEY BELONG! LOL. I've seen the posts with bolt on turn signals, really? I think (hope) the after market will offer factory-like turn signals that can be installed in the grille.

For me, tough decision between '18 JK and later JL and the clock is ticking.

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[The Great Grape Ape]

Look at the fender liner, like I said in the previous post it seems to have features like grooves/channels that lead to the vent location...

Possibly it helps air move through the engine bay to reduce air from daming-up in front of the radiator?

But that's the role of the hood vents, and the hood vents of the JL seem much bigger than the Rubicon vents, and more like mesh ones, so likely work better when moving slowly than the Rubi vents, but they would already let the hot air escape in the dead space behind the radiator and promote airflow. And as the spy photo seems to possibly be of a sport, the hood vents this time seem to be for all trim levels.
Also remember that the air flow under the engine bay is also doing that too, so as long as air can flow through or around the radiator freely then it will have somewhere to go once past the radiator.

 

[The Great Grape Ape]

Why would it be for stiffness, it's a liner, there's another full thicker piece to support it.

And the grooves are smooth, wide and deep, if it was for rigidity you'd expect them to be thinner and more of them across the whole surface like a ruffled chip.

Why wouldn't the grooves extend to the bottom where it needs the most rigidity?

Why would the grooves lead towards the vent location?

Anywhoo, it's fine if you don't think that's what they're for, and it could just be other features including attachment points for liners, or whatever, but to me those features seem to hint at a purpose for the side vents.

 

[The Great Grape Ape]

Your description seems backwards. The front top side is blocked by the front of of the fender, not much, but enough to create lower pressure there, so not as big an issue as the big scoop behind it that has border on both sides containing the air (and mud & rocks which is the point of the giant sail inmthe first place).

Having concave depressions that taper and end don't guide the air down, it would flow that way on a flat surface, but it would compress air at those points increasing the back-pressure, going from tappered to more open in the opposite direction gives the air a place of less resistance to flow, again using venturi pressure differential to direct the air. To create fences you would want convex ridges to avoid spillage not valleys that would at best create eddies and turbulence.

 

[attworth]

This picture shows the complicated fender structure which I think shows it's a wheel well vent. I'm with the Ape on this one.

 

[BillyHW]

It's to blow Teslas off of the road.

 

[Ian cj10]

I woundnt be at all suprised if its purely cosmetic

 

[BillyHW]

I woundnt be at all suprised if its purely cosmetic

I actually wouldn't be surprised if they are functional. The special edition JK hoods have functional air intakes. The hood scoops and headlight air intakes are functional on the Chargers and Challengers. None of these things are really necessary, but lately FCA seems to be avoiding the cosmetic fakery.

Have you seen how much crap is fake on the Hummer H2?

 

[four low]

The new design, to remove hot air from engine bay at any forward speed, would work with an electric water pump.
This would reduce Parasitic Drag from a belt-driven pump thats constantly spinning. It takes a surprising amount of horsepower to spin water pumps and power steering pumps.
We've seen the electro- hydraulic steering is going to be Standard ; would all this "ductwork" indicate an electric water pump?
Could be magnetic clutch, or standalone electric motor circulator

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