Best FIREWALL & FLOOR kits available?

[PA-IndianRider]

As I have mentioned before in this forum I am still in the "collecting stage" of building/restoring our C10 (for drag racing & some street use). Seems like the MORE stuff I find/collect the more it "spawns" MORE ideas for our project.

After looking at a lot of trucks done similar to what we want ours to look like (both on the pages of this forum & at locals drag strips) we have decided to "stepup" our build and go MUCH further than to just "get this truck running & back on the road again....asap.

In addition to the long list of things we plan to do .... chop roof - FULL Roll Cage - 383 stroker kit for the 350 4 bolt - new transmission - pro street rear using a narrowed 9" F**D - one piece fiberglass frontend - '70's gasser stance with fenderwell exit headers...... we have decided to replace the firewall & floor to make the truck MORE race-like.

Anyone have any suggestions where to find the kind of firewall & floor kits I am looking for???

Got a new MillerMatic 180 (220vac) on the way..... which NO doubt will be seeing a LOT of fab work.

Thanks .... John

[bigjimzlll]

I used an S&W race cars firewall. I moved the engine back about 6" from the stock location. I didn't cut out the whole old firewall...maybe a mistake...and it was not an easy install.

[PA-IndianRider]

Originally Posted by bigjimzlll

I used an S&W race cars firewall. I moved the engine back about 6" from the stock location. I didn't cut out the whole old firewall...maybe a mistake...and it was not an easy install.

I know that "ALL" of this work is NOT going to be "easy".... but being retired at least gives me the time to do it more so that before. Plus this Summer I have to have surgery on my neck again which will keep me "homebound".

So "no hurry" ..... this project is definately going to be a "long one" and I want to make sure I collect the "right stuff" for what I need to get the job done "right" using as "user friendly" parts as I can find & afford.

Thanks.... John

[joeys66pickup]

make one out of aluminum or just plain sheet metal, like a certain "Piss" yellow hotrod.just dont race any '55 chev's cuz man they cant drive for ****

[Super73]

I was watching my Dave Morgan DVD again the other night (Used to build NHRA Chasis for a living for Alston). He really stresses not cutting the firewall. If you do, make sure to put like a double X in it. He stresses that there is a ton of strength in the firewall due to the "sheer" strength plus all the factory bends/stamping. Helps keep frame rotation / twist down. Just food for thought.

[PA-IndianRider]

Originally Posted by Super73

I was watching my Dave Morgan DVD....He stresses that there is a ton of strength in the firewall due to the "sheer" strength plus all the factory bends/stamping. Helps keep frame rotation / twist down. Just food for thought.

Thank you.... I have been doing a lot of thinking about bracing, etc.... my 1st project is going to be chopping the roof 5" and like replacing the firewall "bracing" is a MUST. I have a "donor roff" to help make the fill-in necessary on the roof less of a hassle,

I recently read an article on both firewall & floor replacement,,,, so you'd think I'd be able to find the articles again.... I must have put them in a SAFE PLACE 'cause I can NOT find either of the articles.... ha!!!

Looking forward to chopping the roof soon.... been planning on doing that since I got the truck from my nephew last Summer, THANKS AGAIN

[djracer]

Originally Posted by Super73

I was watching my Dave Morgan DVD again the other night (Used to build NHRA Chasis for a living for Alston). He really stresses not cutting the firewall. If you do, make sure to put like a double X in it. He stresses that there is a ton of strength in the firewall due to the "sheer" strength plus all the factory bends/stamping. Helps keep frame rotation / twist down. Just food for thought.

That's why my junk has the stock firewall with just a step notch to make room for the mid plate and allow the motor to be moved back just a little.

[PA-IndianRider]

Originally Posted by djracer

That's why my junk has the stock firewall with just a step notch to make room for the mid plate and allow the motor to be moved back just a little.

DJ... From the way it looks I thought your firewall was replaced because of the notch. What's up with using a "MID PLATE"??? OBVIOUSLY everyonel can see I am "new" to ALL of this hot rod C10 stuff.

With how this project CONTINUES to escalate from "mild" rebuild to "wild" ALL OUT I HAVE TO ADMIT that the "notched firewall" available with those firewall kits has got me thinking about settting the engine back a bit ..... : - ) Afterall I am already removing practically everything that has been done on this truck so far .....

With "proper" bracing and how the firewall kits are made nowadays I'm confident that a new firewall & aluminum floor is within my ability. Could get by without either but I would NEVER be satisfied ....afterall something I have yet to mention.... this is a PENNSYLVANIA truck.

[Super73]

A motor plate and midplate helps to keep motor rotation down bewteen the frame rails. Also helps to keep the block from flexing. The motor plate bolts to the front of the motor and the midplate goes between the motor and trans. They tie in to the frame via welded brakckets. You then bolt the mid/motor plate to those brackets.

May sound funny, but you could find the largest thickest whell barrow around. The rolled outer edge has a ton of strength to it. If you cut the firewall jus enough to fit the barrow in, you could massage the firewall to meet it and weld it up. You would retain a lot of the firewall and have a lot of strength sitll in it due to the factory bends and the rolled edge of the barrow. Then tie the barrow in to the cages cross dash bar.

[PA-IndianRider]

[/QUOTE]...... The rolled outer edge has a ton of strength to it. If you cut the firewall just enough to fit the barrow in, you could massage the firewall to meet it and weld it up. You would retain a lot of the firewall and have a lot of strength still in it due to the factory bends and the rolled edge of the barrow. Then tie the barrow in to the cages cross dash bar.[/QUOTE]

All & All why "gamble" is what I'm hearing here.

Needless to say I have a lot of work ahead of me but also a LOT of things to consider and sort out as I move from the "collecting stage" of this project to getting my hands dirty .... again !