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Projects Reversing a '30 firewall on a budget

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by sloppy jalopies, Dec 4, 2018.

  1. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    Playing with a '30 coupester, saw and liked a reversed firewall here on the hamb…
    I did it 30 years ago but I narrowed a '30 to put in my '28 tudor…
    .
    I removed the '30 firewall...
    trimmed out the hot air and hot water heater holes...
    cut a piece of steel to fit, welded it in...
    I will bend the toe boards back and trim off the lower firewall for now, trim later...
    to extend the firewall's outer edges down to the frame I used the curved outer edges of a scrap '30 firewall...
    welded them in, not long enough, so I will make plates to mount the front of the cowl...
    still have some welding, grinding, sanding, redrilling and tapping waiting...
    but after some attention the old girl should turn the trick...
    .
    DSCN3531 - Copy.JPG DSCN3533 - Copy.JPG DSCN3534 - Copy.JPG DSCN3537.JPG DSCN3532.JPG
    .
    firewall is not flat, has a slight bow top to bottom... the steel flexed to fit no problem...
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2018
    chev34ute and spurgeonforge like this.
  2. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    Upon further review,
    The stock firewall gets wider as it gets further from the radiator...
    being reversed, the firewall get bigger as the cowl gets smaller... the 1/8" offset at the upper and rearward edges forces the tank upward... can get it close but too tight...
    I will remove that 1" offset all around... making about 1" less room... but still a big difference from stock...
     
    F&J likes this.
  3. kustombuilder
    Joined: Sep 18, 2002
    Posts: 7,750

    kustombuilder
    Member
    from Novi, MI

    Cool! I'm in the midst of reversing a firewall for a 30 Coupe, so I know what you're dealing with. I'm getting all kinds of tricky with it. I'll try to post it up once I'm done.
     
  4. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    why wait ? … you might give me some great ideas...
     

  5. And if you could use more room around the distributor and bell housing, look into the old wheelbarrow trick!
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2018
    Bam.inc likes this.
  6. chev34ute
    Joined: Nov 13, 2011
    Posts: 1,240

    chev34ute
    Member

    How much work is involved in removing the firewall, in regards to the rivets ? What king of bit did you use to drill through them and how long did it take ? I have a 30 Pickup cab that I want to remove the firewall from.
     
  7. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    I removed 2 screws at the top... 2 rivets at the base...
    about six spotwelds each side...
    I spray bomb the section of the cowl that the firewall welds to black...
    when dry I lightly sand that "channel" …
    the spotwelds will be low, stay black, now easy to see...
    I drilled them out with a 1/4" bit... then hammer and chiseled the remaining bits of spotweld…
    easier than I expected...
    going to cut off the 1" outer, offset flange from the firewall so it will fit better when reversed on Thursday…
    try and remember to zap some pix...
    .
    you can just see the 1/4" holes along the hood offset...
    .
    DSCN3507 - Copy.JPG
     
  8. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,627

    The37Kid
    Member

    I believe it is all spot welds that need to be cut with a spot weld cutting tool. Bob
     
  9. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    didn't have that... so I used a 1/4" drill then chiseled … easy !
     
  10. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    Removed the outer 1" flange this noon, the firewall fits much better now...
    [4] 1/4"-20 bolts hold it in for now...
    … the 1" outer strip... FREE if it helps mount a flat sheet firewall... [tank bolts would line up] DSCN3546.JPG

    . DSCN3556.JPG DSCN3555.JPG DSCN3553.JPG

    Didn't need rear distributer clearance...
    Just want to run a stock hood.
     
  11. It's been a number of years, but all i had to do if i remember right was drill out the spot welds, turn it around , weld it back in, cut the feet off, turn them around and weld them back on,
     
  12. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    … I can't afford to use a wheel barrow...
    this time of year the locals buy them to make little nativity style set ups on the front lawn...
    also my 10th streetrod, never ran an engine that had a rear distributer...
    because I never ran 337's, Y blocks or them orange thingies...
     
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  13. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    Funny how the inside of Maine firewalls are so much less pitted than the outside...
    DSCN3564.JPG first pass grind n' sand... spray bomb...
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2018
    kidcampbell71 and Bandit Billy like this.
  14. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    Thinking about welding a ford script centered 3.5" below the embossing in the firewall... opinions ? DSCN3539.JPG DSCN3563.JPG
     
    Bandit Billy likes this.
  15. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,286

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    weld it in backward! :D
     
    kidcampbell71 and Blues4U like this.
  16. DOCTOR SATAN
    Joined: Mar 21, 2014
    Posts: 710

    DOCTOR SATAN
    Member
    from okc

    Ford backwards....driver returns on foot
     
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  17. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,286

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    My earlier comment I couldn't help, I'll blame the Theraflu I'm taking but it is likely the Cap'n Morgan's and Fireball I added to it. By all means weld it in! It will look very cool and personalized.
     
  18. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

  19. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    Last edited: Dec 21, 2018
  20. NashRodMan
    Joined: Jul 8, 2004
    Posts: 1,989

    NashRodMan
    Member

    Many people don't like the look of a reversed firewall but I do. Nice work. Can you make a second one and send it my way?
     
    Bandit Billy likes this.
  21. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    I have firewalls....
     
  22. Vic Walter
    Joined: Jan 21, 2018
    Posts: 150

    Vic Walter
    Member

    the Ford script grafted into the firewall looks great !!
     
  23. kidcampbell71 and NashRodMan like this.
  24. NashRodMan
    Joined: Jul 8, 2004
    Posts: 1,989

    NashRodMan
    Member

    Nicolas Coe,
    Did you trim an inch off the flange all the way around like sloppy jalopy did?
     
  25. Okay.................I'll be the one who asks. Are y'all turning these things around for aesthetics?
    Sorry. I don't get out much!
    Mike
     
  26. NashRodMan
    Joined: Jul 8, 2004
    Posts: 1,989

    NashRodMan
    Member

    Black fifty,
    Its just another way to make room for a v8. Gives you like 4 inches of extra space. You don't have to notch the firewall to make room.
     
    Nicholas Coe and Black Fifty like this.
  27. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    wish I had done it to my coupe last winter when I had the chance...
    could have slid the body ahead about 3"... damn. DSCN3301.JPG DSCN3316.JPG
     
    Nicholas Coe and kidcampbell71 like this.
  28. Bam.inc
    Joined: Jun 25, 2012
    Posts: 660

    Bam.inc
    Member
    from KS

    If you slide the body forward 3", where is your rear wheel/tire radius going in the fenderwell?
    It already needs to go back a couple + inches.
    . . .
     
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2018
    Nicholas Coe likes this.
  29. Aahhhh......now I see it. Thanks Nash Rod Man.
     
    Nicholas Coe likes this.
  30. Bam.inc
    Joined: Jun 25, 2012
    Posts: 660

    Bam.inc
    Member
    from KS

    I learn a lot on the HAMB, & I contemplated the reverse firewall. Personally it looks totally backwards. With all respect, many of you have put in a lot of work to make it blend in reasonably well. But the Model A has an "outie"
    I cheated with 32 rails, then no problem fitting a Nailhead into a '30 with original "Outie"
    0891d068b278cd5237600ecd2871a0d6.jpeg 20181219_202234.jpeg peaches.jpeg

    . . .
     

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