[st3gamefarm]

Almost all of the hot-rod model As and '32s that I see have had the firewall recessed.
All I can see that does, is to reduce legroom. (and make more work) which in a coupe there is none (legroom) to spare from the start.

I too am guilty, of doing it to the first one that I built. (everybody else did it) But then I came to my senses, and measured the length of a SB chevy, and an A engine.
I found the A to actually be longer than the Chevy. (measured from bellhousing, to far edge of fan blade) So there's plenty of room, when using a short pump on th' chevy.
The worst that I've ever really hadda do is to modify th' bottom center for a transmission tunnel. An' when runnin' a manual tranny, there's not much needed to be done then.

[matts37chev]

just trying to get the weight back as far as you can, i assume

[dinger]

Moving this to basics.

[MARTINSR]

You are right, however the distributor does require a little recess no matter how you look at it as I remember.

I see a lot of cars and trucks that the firewall absolutely doesn't need to be recessed by any stretch of the imagination (like an AD Chevy) yet they sell a *****in firewall and people are buying them.

Brian

[shine]

do this stuff long enough and you will figure it out. under hood room for a 4 cyl does not work for a v8 . you have to have air movement to cool. that include across and down behind an engine.

[Irelands child]

Model A - I can assure you that with accessorys(PS/PB/AC/alternator), crank snout with balancer and 1,2 or more grooves, some water pumps, a fan, distributor access on some, bell housings when you move the engine higher for ground clearance you will need to modify the firewall. Of course you can move the radiator forward a few inches and use a purpose built hood and gain clearance. Yep, the old timers used to build A-V8's with flatheads, but they too - were tight and had other 'workarounds'. One thing that makes the A a lot more difficult then the '32 is the fact that the '28-'31's has a firewall that bulges out from the cowl ~ 1" at the top and ~3" down near the frame vs the '32 with a slightly recessed firewall. My '31 ended up being somewhat excessive, but little real problems with clearances on much of anything, tho it is tight.

[Centerline]

A lot depends on what engine you're using. SBCs create less problems than real engines do so there's not as much work involved when using one. (I know you SBC guys are foaming at the mouth about now. Don't get upset, it was just a joke!)

If you choose a BBC, Nailhead or in my case Hemi things might require a bit more "adjustment" for everything to fit right. In my case I moved the front crossmember on my deuce forward about an inch and a half to create a little more room which worked out fine. However, the firewall on my glass body was recessed two inches and totally flat. I wanted something a bit more "realistic" than just a flat firewall that screams fiberglass so I spent a week modifying things. Now unless you're a "Deuce" aficionado you'll probably not be able to tell the difference. This took that two inch recess and basically wiped it out. Where I had a couple inches clearance before, I only have a half inch now. However, since I moved the front crossmember forward everything still fits and I even had to use a small fan spacer to get the fan position close enough to the radiator.

Moving the crossmember forward works on an open hooded highboy but would be a real pain in the a.s.s. if you plan on running a hood. So in that case recessing the firewall would be your only real solution to fitting something that large between the frame rails. Don't mind all the dust in the pictures, a little bodywork creates a lot of dust that just settles everywhere.









Centerline
HotRodsAndHemis.com

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, WOW, What a ride!" - Jack Benny

[st3gamefarm]

Here's a couple of pics of what I'm talkin' about.

The first is a '33 pickup, with an LT1.
Every thing is bolted right where Henry put it when first built. (cab and radiator)
The next is the A that is a little farther along now, but you can see in the pics that there is no need for the firewall mod. Even though it's sittin' on a '32 frame the origional A hood fits nicely.
Also Inna day or two I'll have pics of a '32 coupe that also has no firewall mod.

[NEW INTERIORS]

There is no reason at all to jam one in there.. Cutting the fire wall is the right way to do it.. And if your setting the motor back a little it will only help the car perform better.. I seen some done without doing the fire wall.. And I have to say.. The guy's I talked to said NEVER AGAIN !!!! Why jam your motor up if you don't have too.. Leg room, I will give up leg room any day for more motor..


People say all the time.. Why butcher that car all up !!! To make it better !!!!

[MARTINSR]

Randy, you know, I like to leave as much stuff stock or at least stock appearing. But your post is a mouthful. You make a lot of sense.

Brian

[shine]

there are no rules..........

[Irelands child]

Originally Posted by NEW INTERIORS

There is no reason at all to jam one in there.. Cutting the fire wall is the right way to do it.. And if your setting the motor back a little it will only help the car perform better.. I seen some done without doing the fire wall.. And I have to say.. The guy's I talked to said NEVER AGAIN !!!! Why jam your motor up if you don't have too.. Leg room, I will give up leg room any day for more motor..


People say all the time.. Why butcher that car all up !!! To make it better !!!!

Believe me, if I was going to build another roadster or even a coupe, I would have cut the incorrectly installed motor mounts loose and moved the engine forward as much as possible - but I do like the look with the set back. My knees attached to my 6'4" personal 200# chassis aren't in favor though. It cost me a really nice set of Glide Engineering seats in favor of some upholstered bombers to get reasonably well seated in the car.

One of each seat:



Dave W

[NEW INTERIORS]

Mr. Dave..
You can Always do what I did on my home made roadster.. Just cut it in half, And make it longer..LOL

I'm 6' 238.. I know how you feel..

[NEW INTERIORS]

Originally Posted by shine

there are no rules..........

No rules here shine.. I will cut up a car in a second.. I guess I have 1 rule, And only 1 rule.. Safety first..

[st3gamefarm]

Originally Posted by NEW INTERIORS

There is no reason at all to jam one in there.. Cutting the fire wall is the right way to do it.. And if your setting the motor back a little it will only help the car perform better.. I seen some done without doing the fire wall.. And I have to say.. The guy's I talked to said NEVER AGAIN !!!! Why jam your motor up if you don't have too.. Leg room, I will give up leg room any day for more motor..


People say all the time.. Why butcher that car all up !!! To make it better !!!!

I've carved up plenty of cars and pickups. But only for asthetics.
Tuckin' th' engine under th' firewall just makes it harder to perform maintenance. IMHO
just look at those pics, there's nuttin' "crammed in" it all fits nicely, and the weight is well behind the front axle. And we actually raised the rear of the engine in the "A" to have it sit level with the frame, instead of rear down, as it would normally sit. Hadda mill th' intake for the carbs to sit level, but no real trouble there.
Oh well, To each their own. I just no longer see a need to do it. And was wondering what the advantages were, if any.