Fire wall smoothing

[NWD02]

I ordered the Gen II evap kit and billet controls from Vintage Air. I'm going to run the lines through the passenger side fender then in the cab. Haven't figured all the details out yet on the route for the lines. With the Gen II kit the coil lines go toward the kit panel. The sure fit kits has then going through the firewall, Vintage Air told me they could change it but to add $150 to the kit. I kindly responded with a "No thanks." The Gen II kit also uses servo motors, not the old school cables which I was told it works a lot better.

http://www.vintageair.com/08/catalog...g%2016%20f.pdf

Top billet controls:
http://www.vintageair.com/08/catalog...g%2027%20f.pdf

total so far:
evap and billet controls plus shipping total $699.... 94 chevy truck compressor new from oreilly's $150....

parts still needed:
lines, dryer, condenssor, billet vent from jegs.... i think this is it

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by tommypic

I would like to see some pics of the wire routing . I have mine shaved but not the fuse box connector , like some I have seen . I will get some pics up so yall can give me some ideas on what else to take off

Just run the wires on the inside of the cab... easy peezy....

[lyrikz]

How do you grind smooth the area between the firwall and the channel....




What do you use in there???

[ChevLoRay]

If you smooth the firewall to the extent that some have, an aftermarket unit is going to be necessary for heat and ac. Bringing the passenger side out so the contour matches the drivers side shows me that the blower motor squirrel cage fan isn't going to be used any more. With the cutouts still being there for the heater core and the ac evaporator, kinda makes me wonder what their plans are.

The latest edition of Custom Classic Trucks magazine has an article on stretching/shrinking metal, with Dakato Wentz actually creating the metal that he needed to get rid of the trough that we all know and love to hate. The article is actually oriented towards learning to use the stretching and shrinking tools. You can get the tools at Harbor Freight as well as Eastwood. I believe the tools are the same at both locations.....and made in China. But, I've seen them used and they will get the job done.

Covering that trough is about as far as I can go in smoothing my firewall, but I think I wanna go for it.

[bad6772]

Originally Posted by cstm68

what are you guys using for a heater?

I am using a Yale electric fork truck heater......Works pretty good for my needs..........

[ColoradoK5]

I just got a heater only from Vintage Air. i have to figure out wher/how i am going to mount but my friend had one in his hot rod worked a little 2 good

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by lyrikz

How do you grind smooth the area between the firwall and the channel... What do you use in there???

[danman987123]

i like this talk....lol....i just got in my panels from infanti rides to fill in the holes. one of them is a little to big though the odd shaped one that is on the left of the firewall if your looking from under the hood. so i will prolly have to cut that part out of the firewall and make it fit myself. all of the other fillers i got from him seem to fit nice. it also looks like a coulple of trucks on here have the same paint as on my truck or atleast very similar. My truck is sonic blue. thanks again guys for all the input.

[billdo]

did you guys weld it solid on the side of the strip closes to the cab that must be hard to clean the weld cause its a 90 degree what did you guys doooooo.

[68 short step]

what i used was a cuttoff wheel....to get the 'rough' shape, then hit it with a 2" 80grit in a high speed.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 68 short step

what i used was a cuttoff wheel....to get the 'rough' shape, then hit it with a 2" 80grit in a high speed.

That's how I did mine as well. A cut-off wheel for the basic shape & a small 3M rol-loc disc to smooth it out as much as possible. One quick swipe of filler(after epoxy sealing) & it's a smooth/rounded 90° transition.

[VA72C10]

Great info here!

[billdo]

cool i think i may just tig it idk yet it will tak longer to weld but clean up will be easier

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by billdo

cool i think i may just tig it idk yet it will tak longer to weld but clean up will be easier

Definitely easier to 'clean up'.

[8mpg]

great thread...Im going to cut the lip off the channel..sounds way easier.

[big_al_71]

The one thing that I did not that now I am regretting was not having that lip on the firewall smoothed also. I am happy about how it all turned out the way I ran the wires, the a/c hoses but man oh man the more I look at some of the firewalls with the top lip gone the more I am kicking my self for not paying attention. I am glad that I was able to have the curve on the passenger side match the drivers side. I guess my next truck will also have that lip removed...
great information being shared.