Ridiculously simply, infinitely better. Intriguing? Simple modification.

Sorry for the teaser. I wanted as many people as possible to click and read since this simple mod makes life so much easier and costs next to nothing. A picture is worth a thousand words:
One on each side, cut from simple aluminum bar stock. One hole drilled through the fiberglass where it won't be seen. No more spring loaded thing on the firewall that sucks. No more expensive ribbed thing (also drilled in fiberglass) down the center spine. These hooks hold the cover up on 2 sides. No brainer, just make sure to create a lip so that it holds it properly.

Nice. I have the center spine thing, but I did something (don't know what) about ten years ago, and for whatever reason now my louvers don't open far for the cover to reach the notch.

I'm guessing the screw isn't too tight, and the hooks just fold away when you don't need them so that you can actually close the louvers. I'll give this a shot the next weekend it's actually warm(ish) out.

-- Joe

I cut a piece of a thick metal coat-hangar, bent it into an S shape, and drilled one small hole at the bottom center rib of the upper louvre. The S piece hooks through the hole, and into the part on the lower engine cover that the upper cover latches to. It holds the lower cover the same way as DMCs upper louvre reinforcement bracket.

I like having the weight of the cover supported in two places and not just in the middle. Less bending. It also has some latitude for a set of louvers that are mounted a bit too much forward or aft.

I didn't photograph the second mod; louver hinge backing plates. This one was a no brainer too as the holes in the fiberglass that the hinge plate/bolts fit through were getting kind of elongated. The washers on the nut side were slowly losing their battle. I replaced them with a simple aluminum plate. I still have all of the adjustment capability but am protecting the fiberglass.