Technical Firewall For A 31 Coupe

I'm going thru my 31 front to back.....right now I'm putting a stock suspension back in the front end and replacing the Mustang II that was there...In the process I've pulled the motor,tranny etc.Long story short, Id like to replace the firewall..its pretty brutal as the car was sporting a hood, and I'm taking it off.... .I'm running a 327 SBC, and was wondering if there is a firewall designed for that motor?..I'll be using tri power, so a small distributer is in store...any suggestions/advice would be appreciated...thanks

 

Several companies make recessed firewalls for Model A's, Bitchin makes several with different set backs or you can rework what you have. I would also get rid of the brake booster.

 

Brookville Roadster offers 5 different 30/31 firewalls to choose from. HRP

http://brookvilleroadster.com/store/firewalls/

 

Getting a stock one and flipping it might get you enough room, than all you would have to do is modify the bottom lip to clear the bell housing.

 

Cool....thanks...yep..the booster is history...just some residue from the mustang II...using a stock 61 chevy truck cylinder

 

THanks!!

 

In the old days, before kits and mail order we used a bucket off a wheel barrow. Look around at home supply, and hardware stores. There are many different designs, and sizes of buckets. If you spend some time, and cut it appropriately they make a cool recessed firewall. If you tack weld it at the top, you may be able to patch in and repair the pieces that were removed in the picture, and save what's left of the original. If none of that works for you, Direct Sheet Metal in El Cajon Calif. makes kits... Like he said, disappear the booster.

 

I got mine from Howells sheet metal. I would only order from their eBay site as phone calls go unanswered. Everything I ordered via eBay came right away, not so with phone orders. I think Macs and some other vendors get their sheetmetal from Howells. I was happy with the quality and fit of my 5 inch recessed firewall. Glad you're straightening out that A, A-arms on an A model just doesn't get it. Looks like a nice car otherwise.

 

Thanks...gonna box the front of the frame over the weekend, then get started with the assembly of the buggy spring axle....cant wait to clean this coupe up...everything on it was a mediocre attempt at a street rod....it will be fun watching it transform back into a hot rod!

 

Sounds like a good plan...

 

I saw 1 in the for sale section here and fordbarn.

 

Show us the "new deal" after the weekend work is done. Tim

 

heres a link to the thread where the suspension work is and how it all began http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...ock-model-a-coupe.956828/page-3#post-10798853

 

If your going with a bitchin, direct sheetmetal firewall or those brookville things you might as well put the mustang2 back in

 

So your saying what in there now is a keeper?

 

What is in there now? Original cutout? Picture is a whiteout with a cutout, can't really tell in resolution.
If it's original ford, find a scrap of original or metalshaper to reconstruct just the motor recess you need.
Nothings worse looking than a flat sheetmetal, or bitchin streetrod, imo.

A model A firewall defines the car, & you could spend all the money you want, but a streetrod cutout is about the equivalent of diamond plate aluminum...make it look like it belongs there. You've got the thing completely apart, so look at lots of HAMB pics & just do it right while you can.

 

Are you planning on repainting the car? If not I'll leave the firewall you have and weld in the missing original lower section. Bob

 

It's your car,do what you want!

Opinions will always reflect the posters ideas.HRP

 

wow...so many opinions...ok..well..ya..I'm repainting the car for sure....I'm not skilled enough to rebuild the existing firewall...but maybe get a stock one and modify only what is needed....I'd probably just leave it, except down by the body mounts looks like a dog chewed on it and its cut away far too much...I'm dumping the headers and going to ram manifolds, so that will help as well I would think

 

This is the firewall in my other 31..its just polished aluminum, but the cowl has to be cut to do this, and I might want to run a hood again on this one

 

I agree with Danny, make your own decisions, that's what hot rodding was back in the day.

 

This is one of those Brookville things,personally I can't see anything wrong with it.

this firewall retains the look and integrity of the original piece. HRP

 

And if I can fit everything back in I'll use a stock looking one...but I dont want to have to cut it up too much...would rather just get one recessed..

 

Put a flat firewall in my Tudor. Stock frame with a sbc and fenders. There is a link to it in my signature.

 

This is the brookville recess " thing" in question this is one done buy Titus , see the difference?

 

Even a flat setback can look good without trimming the cowl

 

The one in that powder blue coupe looks killer...cant see the other one so well as its shadowed...but that first one looks great!!

 

That firewall came out real nice!!..you got talent!!...would I have to brace my body to remove my firewall??..it still has a cowl on it....this might be a dumb question....

 

In this process myself, I agree with everyone in some way, originals looked good and can still look good modified, the fire wall like many things can make or break a car IMO, flat firewalls look cheap to me. At the end of the day its yours, do what you want and what makes you happy. I debated this for a long time, and it paid off. I came across a original 32 ford firewall and that's what I used, works great and with some looking on here it was a pretty easy process.

 

and the bracing part, id say if the cowls bolted down it should be find but it couldn't hurt bracing it.