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Hotrodders.com Project of the Week
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Part 4: Sheet Metal Work II
1950bulletnose
Next came reconstruction of the new front floor pan, firewall, transmission/driveshaft hump, door posts and body braces.
There were more small holes to patch then I expected. You never can tell till you chemical bath a body. If you're going to put big bucks into your car you'd better do a bath. That way you're sure you've got all the rust, even the rust you can't see.
Here's the firewall and transmission/driveshaft hump completed. The firewall was recessed 4 1/2" behind the motor (IMPORTANT NOTE: electronic ignition, 5 1/2" recess), 24" wide tapering inward to 20" (20" measurement changes if using electronic ignition). Also, the crossmember for the stock two-piece driveshaft was altered and a driveshaft loop was added to give the new hump some added support.
The firewall will not be as noticeable as it is in these photos once the dash, center console and carpet are in.
The transmission hump measures at the firewall, 20" wide x 12" high x 32" long, and tapers aft to 5" high x 6" wide at the start of the driveshaft hump.
The driveshaft hump measures 5" high by 6" wide and is supported at the halfway by the driveshaft loop which was once the bearing center for the two-piece stock shafts.
The floor is now rust free and solid. Under floor braces were added, one running along the rocker panels at both door jambs (which, by the way, was a very weak area when the car was new), the others running a grid under the new metal floor to support the seats. The bottoms of the door posts were reconstructed, and new body braces and rockers were installed.
The trunk is improved. Skinny spare tire well removed. New rain gutter around the trunk opening. A fuel cell will go in the trunk.
The firewall is pleasing as well as functional. It allows for the engine to fit comfortably between the rails and gives easy access to the distributor. (NOTE: Oct.'02 - Once the engine is in, there's no height in the firewall to allow the distributor to be removed without removing engine from the frame. PROPOSAL: By welding a recessed can directly above the distributor flush to the underside of the firewall with a larger diameter then the distributor, the distributor can then be lifted straight up into the recessed can, then lowered behind the engine and tipped forward to clear the engine.) PROBLEM SOLVED.
Click here for Part 5: Sheet Metal Work III
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