smooth firewall

[1956chevtruck]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

1956chevtruck - What's your color? Very, very nice.

Hey Dan, It's the original 57 Chev colors, Indian Turquoise and Bombay Ivory. The day that the cab was outside, in the first picture, it was pouring rain and my buddy and I wet sanded with 600 grit and dish soap for 6 hours. You can see the rock guard on the bottom half of the firewall. I did rock guard all under the cab and inside of all of the fenders and then we sprayed body color over top.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hey, if it was raining hard enough you wouldn't have to use a hose! lol.

Seriously, it looks fantastic. I'm nowhere near final paint but I fantasize. I like red and orange and they look great - heck, that's why so many guys do. BUT, I also like turquoise because it is so era-correct and not a common.

What brand/type rock guard did you use? Rattle can stuff or did you shoot it with a Schutz type gun? Did you paint the cab yourself? Seems liek "6 hours" of color sanding would go through a LOT of paint. I ask if you painted it yourself because I'm wondering if there was a lot of debris, bugs, etc from an at-home spray job? Regardless, it looks truly great. Any detail photo on your radiator cover? I LOVE the color coordinating pinstriping on it. Congrats on a beautiful truck.

[1955 Eddie]

I like it all smoothed out. Here is a pic of my firewall with the 1 piece metal sheet like you mentioned.


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[Rude Dude]

Very nice me like!!

Originally Posted by 1955 Eddie

I like it all smoothed out. Here is a pic of my firewall with the 1 piece metal sheet like you mentioned.


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[ChuckDriver]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Dan, I'm more into function than looks with this truck. Not many people will ever see under the hood of my truck any way. I used self drilling screws and black cable mounting ties to hold that part of the harness up along the ridge. The green looped wire is for an under hood light that I will add eventually.

Looks nice Russell, really like the Tu-tone color combo!

[ChuckDriver]

Originally Posted by Rude Dude

I used elevator bolts to fill a lot of the big holes, I did this to give me studs on inside to run wire retainers and future A/C attachment points, what ever I don't use I can hack the stud screws off.

Elevator bolts! Did the same thing on mine!

[papastrk]

Wow!!!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Whew Eddie, that's beoootiful!

Did you cut out the original or just overlay it with one piece?

By the way, what the hell is an "elevator bolt" and why use that as opposed to any other kind of patch?

[Rude Dude]

Here you go Dan look at my build you can see them on the inside

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Rudy,
So basically the head is just a big flat washer? Are they pricy? Cause it seems like a fender washer would work as well....of course you'd have to use magnets to hold it initially and it would still have a (much smaller) hole in it. Only worth it I suppose if the price difference is a lot. Are these a Home Depot, Lowes item?

[Rude Dude]

I seen 1/4 20 threads by 1 1/2 long on egay for 100 for $25 dollars. Fender washer has a center hole you gotta weld up, plus you can hold stud from inside by your self.

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Hi Rudy,
So basically the head is just a big flat washer? Are they pricy? Cause it seems like a fender washer would work as well....of course you'd have to use magnets to hold it initially and it would still have a (much smaller) hole in it. Only worth it I suppose if the price difference is a lot. Are these a Home Depot, Lowes item?

[1955 Eddie]

Thanks Dan. I welded the seems from inside the cab and cut the lip off of the firewall. Then welded a 1 piece overlay on top of the original.
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[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Rude Dude

... plus you can hold stud from inside by your self.

Any reason you want to weld from the inside instead of from the outside? You're gonna cut off the stud, grind and fill the visible side anyway, right?

Eddie, Thanks for the info. That one piece made for a LOT of welding huh? It came out beautful so you must be a pretty damn good welder! Congrats.

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Looks nice Russell, really like the Tu-tone color combo!

Thanks, Chuck. The light blue color is 57 Chevy Larkspur Blue. Eventually the whole truck will be that color so I painted the firewall while I had the engine and wiring out.
I love your truck, BTW. That dash is perfect. You once said that you might not paint your truck for a long time and that was when I made the decision to skip the new paint for now and get it driving and enjoy it like it is for a while.

[Rude Dude]

Dan, I tack weld on the inside first than full weld on the outside next, just try it on a big hole much easier you'll see. Like i said before the studs give a place for inside ABS firewall cover to be bolted in instead of those pesky clips and you can hang wire clamps to hold wires and studs for A/C mounts.

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Any reason you want to weld from the inside instead of from the outside? You're gonna cut off the stud, grind and fill the visible side anyway, right?

Eddie, Thanks for the info. That one piece made for a LOT of welding huh? It came out beautful so you must be a pretty damn good welder! Congrats.

[SCHRUMGMC]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

1956chevtruck - What's your color? Very, very nice.

Same thing I was wondering

[47 Fasttoys]

I went the flat fire wall and floor approach, if you don't need the recess this will make it a bit easier when it comes to insulation and carpet. Mine is not done yet but you get the idea.



Rob

[Donaldo]

I am in the process of filling in the firewall holes on my '51.

I still have 4 bolts with nuts on the upper drivers side, 2 hold the windshield wiper bracket and 2 for the dash brace.
Would there be a problem with removing the nuts and washers, 1 at a time, and welding them in ? I don't see any reason to ever remove either piece.

thanks, Don

[Bernman72]

I just cut new pieces and welded in over old fire wall.

[FarmerSid]

Originally Posted by Donaldo

I am in the process of filling in the firewall holes on my '51.

I still have 4 bolts with nuts on the upper drivers side, 2 hold the windshield wiper bracket and 2 for the dash brace.
Would there be a problem with removing the nuts and washers, 1 at a time, and welding them in ? I don't see any reason to ever remove either piece.

thanks, Don

I'm in the same boat. I think I'm going to split each brace and reattach them with flat bar and bolts so they can be removed. The 4 bolts will be welded in from under the dash and smooth on the firewall.

[Donaldo]

Originally Posted by FarmerSid

I'm in the same boat. I think I'm going to split each brace and reattach them with flat bar and bolts so they can be removed. The 4 bolts will be welded in from under the dash and smooth on the firewall.

Hi, it seems the 4 bolts are threaded rivets, so what I decided to do, since the cab is stripped, I mig welded both braces from the backside, then took the nuts and washers off and welded from the engine side - they aren't going to move. Some grinding and filling and it should be smooth should be....

thanks

[fabguy]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Whew Eddie, that's beoootiful!
By the way, what the hell is an "elevator bolt" and why use that as opposed to any other kind of patch?

Dan I know an elevator guy who has a TON of those in 1/4-20 if you need some. hehehe

Originally Posted by 1955 Eddie

I like it all smoothed out. Here is a pic of my firewall with the 1 piece metal sheet like you mentioned.

This is one BEAUTIFUL firewall. congrats on the truck.

Originally Posted by Bernman72

I just cut new pieces and welded in over old fire wall.

this is the same way I did mine except I had drilled the hood hinge bolt holes 1st.

[L_Brown]

I was thinking about one of these.

Here is an article about it.
http://www.customclassictrucks.com/t...t/viewall.html

[_Ogre]

yes you can buy a panel, but why waste the money?
other than welding wire i have $zero dollars in this.
shaving the standing seam is also painless and cheap, cut it out and weld it closed.
save your money for those needed suspension upgrades and go low buck