Shaved Cowl - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

sjarrett71 · 05-18-2009, 09:05 PM

I know if you don't put the screen in gunk will accumulate and cause rust. The factory obviously put the slots in them for a reason. What was that reason? What are the pros/cons to shaving a cowl and removing the slots?

Sammy · 05-18-2009, 09:18 PM

I have always wondered why too. Figured they thought it would suck more air through at one time. But that doesn't add up does it? Adding the fine mesh screen under the cowl would solve the trash problems. Drilling a hole or enlarging the hole for a drain would solve the rust issues.

KB71C10BBSUPER · 05-18-2009, 10:52 PM

When you use the vent (Heater Or AC) for fresh air in the cab, this is where it comes from.

**Hart_Rod** · 05-18-2009, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KB71C10BBSUPER

When you use the vent (Heater Or AC) for fresh air in the cab, this is where it comes from.

Yep, what he said.....

14U2NV · 05-19-2009, 12:24 PM

Isn't that where the air from the kick panel vents comes from also?

tcb-1 · 05-19-2009, 12:34 PM

^^yes.

westofb · 05-19-2009, 04:56 PM

Don't mean to steal this thread, but have a question that goes along these lines. I am planning on buying an after market hvac unit for my project. Do the a.m. hvac use the vent systems on these trucks. I have not ordered one yet still shopping for one, and as far as I can tell they don't. I am thinking if that is the case, I want to weld my cowl vents in (smooth it), and block off the inside vents (maybe use them to hide wiring/ hvac lines.

gator2511 · 05-19-2009, 07:44 PM

My Vintage Air system doesn't use the cowl air at all. I'm gonna get a hidden radio antenna and smooth over the cowl. Got my vent doors siliconed shut. I don't use them anyway, just blows hot air in. Vintage air will supply you with a plastic cover to replace the old blower in the cowl air area.

chuckmc8 · 05-19-2009, 08:29 PM

Well, When everything is working as designed, the vents are great. My OLD AIR unit does not use outside air, just recircs inside air. ( same as "max air"" setting on the controls) I kept my vents. The key is to remove the vents and clean out inside the cowl with a shop vac and make sure that the drains arent clogged. You also need the correct weatherstrip for the hood to cowl to make sure that hot engine air isnt coming out at the back of the hood and going into the cowl vents (and into the floor, theres the 'hot air' in the prior post)
The vents are great. days like today it isnt hot enuf for a/c and the floor vents and window vents are great. New cars & trucks just dont have the ventilation like out trucks did- In those if the a/c dosent work, you roast! At least in the classics, you can get a breeze thru the cab (unless you block off the vents)

Camper Power · 05-19-2009, 09:14 PM

those kick panel vents are great if your wearing shorts or cruisin down the highway.

gator2511 · 05-20-2009, 09:20 AM

The hot air I was talking about was just the outside air. When its 90 degrees and 85% humidity outside its hot air coming in the vents! I cleaned out my vents, painted the cowl area to prevent rust, glued down a fiberglass screen over the vent holes in the body under the cowl and put a screen on the back side of the cowl vents. My seal at the back edge of the hood is good but I agree if that was bad or missing you would get a lot of very hot air! My truck is parked under some trees all the time and they are a pain to keep out of the cowl.

ZombieWeinerDog · 05-20-2009, 09:34 AM

any pics?

gator2511 · 05-21-2009, 08:46 AM

If you are asking me about pics I'm afraid I didn't take any.

**Hart_Rod** · 05-21-2009, 09:48 AM

I had this done:
.

.

Ackattack · 05-21-2009, 10:00 AM

I got a fiberglass smoothed cowl. It looked great out of the box. I haven't gotten it painted yet. I'm using Old Air A/C system too, so I won't need the vents.

70c10 · 05-21-2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ackattack

I got a fiberglass smoothed cowl. It looked great out of the box. I haven't gotten it painted yet. I'm using Old Air A/C system too, so I won't need the vents.

Where did you get the cowl?

gator2511 · 05-21-2009, 06:40 PM

I'd like to know where you got the fiberglass cowl also.

1moretoy · 05-21-2009, 06:44 PM

i got mine from tony gonzalez it looks perfect pm me for his email adress

Ackattack · 05-21-2009, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1moretoy

i got mine from tony gonzalez it looks perfect pm me for his email adress

same guy here too

NPilot1975 · 05-22-2009, 10:19 AM

How much was the fiberglass cowl? Has anyone installed it yet to see how it fits?

Jeffs70 · 05-08-2011, 05:24 AM

some great info here... I was wondering about shaving the cowl if it would cause problems with using the vents.

05-18-2009, 09:05 PM	#1
sjarrett71 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rolla, MO Posts: 2,463	Shaved Cowl I know if you don't put the screen in gunk will accumulate and cause rust. The factory obviously put the slots in them for a reason. What was that reason? What are the pros/cons to shaving a cowl and removing the slots? __________________ -Scott-

05-18-2009, 09:18 PM	#2
Sammy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Bonne Terre, Mo Posts: 3,005	Re: Shaved Cowl I have always wondered why too. Figured they thought it would suck more air through at one time. But that doesn't add up does it? Adding the fine mesh screen under the cowl would solve the trash problems. Drilling a hole or enlarging the hole for a drain would solve the rust issues. __________________ '69 Chevy Long Fleet & '71 GMC Short Step & Project "ODD BALL" "You can wash a pig, soak it in most expensive perfume. In the end it is still just a pig." ODD BALL build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=478629"

05-18-2009, 10:52 PM	#3
KB71C10BBSUPER Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Valley Center, Ca. Posts: 37	Re: Shaved Cowl When you use the vent (Heater Or AC) for fresh air in the cab, this is where it comes from.

05-19-2009, 12:24 PM	#5
14U2NV Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Midlothian, Tx Posts: 156	Re: Shaved Cowl Isn't that where the air from the kick panel vents comes from also?

05-19-2009, 12:34 PM	#6
tcb-1 Nothing to see here..... Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 4,625	Re: Shaved Cowl ^^yes. __________________ Doug THANK YOU to our American Soldiers & Veterans - POW MIA "You will NEVER be forgotten". The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. Thomas Jefferson

05-19-2009, 04:56 PM	#7
westofb I really hate wet sanding! Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brookfield, MO Posts: 601	Re: Shaved Cowl Don't mean to steal this thread, but have a question that goes along these lines. I am planning on buying an after market hvac unit for my project. Do the a.m. hvac use the vent systems on these trucks. I have not ordered one yet still shopping for one, and as far as I can tell they don't. I am thinking if that is the case, I want to weld my cowl vents in (smooth it), and block off the inside vents (maybe use them to hide wiring/ hvac lines.

05-19-2009, 07:44 PM	#8
gator2511 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: tampa florida Posts: 776	Re: Shaved Cowl My Vintage Air system doesn't use the cowl air at all. I'm gonna get a hidden radio antenna and smooth over the cowl. Got my vent doors siliconed shut. I don't use them anyway, just blows hot air in. Vintage air will supply you with a plastic cover to replace the old blower in the cowl air area.

05-19-2009, 08:29 PM	#9
chuckmc8 It's alsways something..... Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Douglasville GA Posts: 1,171	Re: Shaved Cowl Well, When everything is working as designed, the vents are great. My OLD AIR unit does not use outside air, just recircs inside air. ( same as "max air"" setting on the controls) I kept my vents. The key is to remove the vents and clean out inside the cowl with a shop vac and make sure that the drains arent clogged. You also need the correct weatherstrip for the hood to cowl to make sure that hot engine air isnt coming out at the back of the hood and going into the cowl vents (and into the floor, theres the 'hot air' in the prior post) The vents are great. days like today it isnt hot enuf for a/c and the floor vents and window vents are great. New cars & trucks just dont have the ventilation like out trucks did- In those if the a/c dosent work, you roast! At least in the classics, you can get a breeze thru the cab (unless you block off the vents)

05-19-2009, 09:14 PM	#10
Camper Power Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Grande Prairie Alberta Posts: 261	Re: Shaved Cowl those kick panel vents are great if your wearing shorts or cruisin down the highway. __________________ eh 1970 Chevy C20 daily driver 1975 GMC Jimmy 4x4 project 1966 GMC C10 Dad's project

05-20-2009, 09:20 AM	#11
gator2511 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: tampa florida Posts: 776	Re: Shaved Cowl The hot air I was talking about was just the outside air. When its 90 degrees and 85% humidity outside its hot air coming in the vents! I cleaned out my vents, painted the cowl area to prevent rust, glued down a fiberglass screen over the vent holes in the body under the cowl and put a screen on the back side of the cowl vents. My seal at the back edge of the hood is good but I agree if that was bad or missing you would get a lot of very hot air! My truck is parked under some trees all the time and they are a pain to keep out of the cowl.

05-20-2009, 09:34 AM	#12
ZombieWeinerDog Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sparta, MI Posts: 446	Re: Shaved Cowl any pics? __________________ 1972 longbed- 454 1967 shortbed- 355

05-21-2009, 08:46 AM	#13
gator2511 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: tampa florida Posts: 776	Re: Shaved Cowl If you are asking me about pics I'm afraid I didn't take any.

05-21-2009, 09:48 AM	#14
Hart_Rod ************* Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 17,858	Re: Shaved Cowl I had this done: . . Attached Images __________________ Rob - https://www.instagram.com/hart_rod_c10 As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Man Sharpens Another. Proverbs 27:17 FOR SALE: DBW pedal bracket - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=651123 FOR SALE: Hood Brackets http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=679945 1987 Silverado SWB - 34.5K original miles http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=801834 1969 SuperBurb - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=200387 1968 Farm truck - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=358692 1968 SWB - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=551258 1948 Chevy - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=122164&page=3 Last edited by Hart_Rod; 05-21-2009 at 09:49 AM.

05-21-2009, 10:00 AM	#15
Ackattack Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Valley Center KS Posts: 3,524	Re: Shaved Cowl I got a fiberglass smoothed cowl. It looked great out of the box. I haven't gotten it painted yet. I'm using Old Air A/C system too, so I won't need the vents. __________________ Project Bruiser: 68 Pro-Touring C-10 5.3L / 4L60E Project Ironhide: 97 GMC Crew Cab 4x4 Cummins SOLD: '69 GMC 1/2T SWB TBI'd: Project No Buck Assembly Manual Index Sign up Thread!!! Factory Service Manual Index

05-21-2009, 06:40 PM	#17
gator2511 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: tampa florida Posts: 776	Re: Shaved Cowl I'd like to know where you got the fiberglass cowl also.



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05-21-2009, 06:44 PM	#18
1moretoy Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: san jose ca Posts: 467	Re: Shaved Cowl i got mine from tony gonzalez it looks perfect pm me for his email adress

05-22-2009, 10:19 AM	#20
NPilot1975 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Plymouth, MA Posts: 891	Re: Shaved Cowl How much was the fiberglass cowl? Has anyone installed it yet to see how it fits? __________________ 1972 Blazer body...need to get a thread started for the rest of the story

05-08-2011, 05:24 AM	#21
Jeffs70 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Valley Springs, Ca Posts: 857	Re: Shaved Cowl some great info here... I was wondering about shaving the cowl if it would cause problems with using the vents. __________________ My Build Thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=442487 My Picture Gallery http://67-72chevytrucks.com/gallery/...0&ppuser=36004

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