rusted firewall - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

pkj · 10-04-2006, 12:08 PM

my firewall is rusted mostly around the wire track. what have you guys been doing when you run into this? i have no doner truck or access to any. i could cut some metal and overlay, but seems cheesy. i have already done the rockers and floors. ill start cab corner soon. the cab was worse then i thought but i want to save it.thanks,pkj

Aarons72s · 10-04-2006, 01:31 PM

Pics would help. I had some small holes in my orange and white from Indiana.
What I did was I wire wheeled them to clean them up some. Took a cut off wheel in a die grinder to clean them up a little better. Then I put some of that rust neutralizing primer on all the remaining rust and bare metal. Put making tape undr the holes and spread a thin layer of polyurethane construction adhesive( got it at lowes) let dry then i filled the seam with black ge max 5000 siliconized acrylic caulk ( got at lowes). That caulk is paintable. I recomend it for areas that you dont really see such as the firewall wire gutter area and all the seams and holes on the floor under the cab. Hope this helps. If you ahve any more questions please feal free to ask or pm me.
Aaron
Let dry a couple of days then put 2 coats of acid primer and 3 coats of urethane primer.

pkj · 10-04-2006, 03:38 PM

hey thanks, but mine will need more then that. good size holes and missing metal. i have not seen any patch panels for sale, so will listen to any ideas. thanks,pkj

Aarons72s · 10-04-2006, 03:50 PM

I doubt you will see patch panels until we start seeing new cabs ( dynocron are you listening). Like I said If you can get some pics we will probably be able to recomend something.
Aaron

indyracer · 10-04-2006, 04:23 PM

I have a similar problem with my firewall. (See picture with arrows) I am trying to figure out how I am going to attack this. The spots that the arrows are pointing to are holes and I am sure when I start grinding they will get worse. I have some closer pictures of the area but I am at work and the pics are at home. I will post them later today. Anyone with suggestions about fixing this area, it would be great to hear from you.

Aarons72s · 10-04-2006, 04:43 PM

Yes indyracer,I had some poking threw there a little bit.As bad as yours looks from here I would cut it out and weld in a patch. on mine I just did like I did for the gutter but mine was also not to bad. If you take your cowl off look inside in those spots and it will answet alot of questions on the rust. On the inside of the cowl I cleaned it up best I could and coverded with rustolem rusty metal primer. i then globbed on the caulk from the above post. I then put more primer on top and finally painted the whole inside of the cowl with 2 coats of tractor supply equipment enamel with hardner. I used cheap chip brushes and litterly slopped it on. The design of the inner cowl is a pi$$ poor design. About as large of a rust magnet as rockers, cad corners and cab supports. The reason is wheer about your rust is in the pic is a trough with a 1/4 to 3/8 peace of metal sticking up on both sides. It acts as a trough and holds mud, water, tree suff and our old favorite ROAD SALT! pLUS Plus there are several seam in the same area. If you start finding water on your foor mats like from a leak look there. They didnt use seam sealer on the joints on mine. Thanks flint! I had some rust holes in there. I just did the same thing as I said in the above post. Hope this gives you some more info.
Aaron

RSRXION · 10-04-2006, 05:07 PM

I've got a really good southern cab here that I can get the patch panels out of if you need them. It's a 68 non air cab and I wasn't planning on saving it anyway so I am certainly open to helping a brother out. Let me know if you're intersted and I'll shoot you a couple of pics. This truck also has a really nice dash section that has never been butchered for a radio. Anybody need it ? I'll let these parts go cheap enough you can afford them. Let me know, Dean

**jaros44sr** · 10-04-2006, 05:58 PM

How hard is it to get a dash out of the truck, haven't had mine that far apart, yet! Thanks Jim

Aarons72s · 10-04-2006, 06:38 PM

Real easy. With the windsheild out just undo the bolts that hold the das to the A pillars. Drill out about 20- 25 spot welds along the edge where it attaches to the windsheild channel and walla dash is out. Took me about 20 minutes to do with a 1/8" and 3/8" bit and a flat head screw driver. Took an a/c dash out of a rusted out 71. Put it back, never know when you might need one.
Aaron

**jaros44sr** · 10-04-2006, 08:01 PM

Thanks, I was thinking of putting AC dash in mine and fixing the butchered radio mount. Sounds simple enough

JRB · 10-04-2006, 11:09 PM

The problem your going to run into is inside of the vent plenum. If you look up at around your break pedal see if you can find any holes in the firewall. I got knee deep into my 69 and found a ton of sealant that was hiding the holes. I hope yours is not as far along as mine but I am with the other guys in that you should cut all that rust out and patch it with metal. In the long run it will be worth it. Good luck with your project.

JRB

Jim_PA · 10-05-2006, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indyracer

I have a similar problem with my firewall. (See picture with arrows) I am trying to figure out how I am going to attack this. The spots that the arrows are pointing to are holes and I am sure when I start grinding they will get worse. I have some closer pictures of the area but I am at work and the pics are at home. I will post them later today. Anyone with suggestions about fixing this area, it would be great to hear from you.

My truck has rust in the same spots. I just make sure nobody touches those areas. If anyone starts prodding around, I start shouting.

But eventually, I plan on patching the areas.

mstone · 10-05-2006, 06:31 PM

My truck has that same issue. I haven't had time to see what's involved fixing it.

Aarons72s · 10-05-2006, 10:54 PM

mstone, That is the worst I have seen yet! Was yours a northern truck or close to the ocean? Or did it live under a tree somewhere?
Aaron

RSRXION · 10-05-2006, 11:19 PM

I took a few pics of the cab I spoke about. I've currently got someone interested in the whole cab but if he doesn't commit VERY soon I'll gladly cut out whatever panels you need. It's a 69 non-air cab but I would imagine it could become an air cab easy enough. It might be easier to replace your cab rather than repair it . Just a thought. Dean

10-04-2006, 12:08 PM	#1
pkj Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: waycross ga. Posts: 438	rusted firewall my firewall is rusted mostly around the wire track. what have you guys been doing when you run into this? i have no doner truck or access to any. i could cut some metal and overlay, but seems cheesy. i have already done the rockers and floors. ill start cab corner soon. the cab was worse then i thought but i want to save it.thanks,pkj

10-04-2006, 01:31 PM	#2
Aarons72s Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: oklahoma Posts: 10,669	Re: rusted firewall Pics would help. I had some small holes in my orange and white from Indiana. What I did was I wire wheeled them to clean them up some. Took a cut off wheel in a die grinder to clean them up a little better. Then I put some of that rust neutralizing primer on all the remaining rust and bare metal. Put making tape undr the holes and spread a thin layer of polyurethane construction adhesive( got it at lowes) let dry then i filled the seam with black ge max 5000 siliconized acrylic caulk ( got at lowes). That caulk is paintable. I recomend it for areas that you dont really see such as the firewall wire gutter area and all the seams and holes on the floor under the cab. Hope this helps. If you ahve any more questions please feal free to ask or pm me. Aaron Let dry a couple of days then put 2 coats of acid primer and 3 coats of urethane primer.

10-04-2006, 03:38 PM	#3
pkj Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: waycross ga. Posts: 438	Re: rusted firewall hey thanks, but mine will need more then that. good size holes and missing metal. i have not seen any patch panels for sale, so will listen to any ideas. thanks,pkj

10-04-2006, 03:50 PM	#4
Aarons72s Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: oklahoma Posts: 10,669	Re: rusted firewall I doubt you will see patch panels until we start seeing new cabs ( dynocron are you listening). Like I said If you can get some pics we will probably be able to recomend something. Aaron

10-04-2006, 04:23 PM	#5
indyracer Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Alexandria, IN Posts: 134	Re: rusted firewall I have a similar problem with my firewall. (See picture with arrows) I am trying to figure out how I am going to attack this. The spots that the arrows are pointing to are holes and I am sure when I start grinding they will get worse. I have some closer pictures of the area but I am at work and the pics are at home. I will post them later today. Anyone with suggestions about fixing this area, it would be great to hear from you. __________________ Cheers, Tony A day without sunshine is like, you know, night. 1970 Chevy CST10 (Green) 2005 Silverado Z71 2000 Pontiac Bonneville

10-04-2006, 04:43 PM	#6
Aarons72s Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: oklahoma Posts: 10,669	Re: rusted firewall Yes indyracer,I had some poking threw there a little bit.As bad as yours looks from here I would cut it out and weld in a patch. on mine I just did like I did for the gutter but mine was also not to bad. If you take your cowl off look inside in those spots and it will answet alot of questions on the rust. On the inside of the cowl I cleaned it up best I could and coverded with rustolem rusty metal primer. i then globbed on the caulk from the above post. I then put more primer on top and finally painted the whole inside of the cowl with 2 coats of tractor supply equipment enamel with hardner. I used cheap chip brushes and litterly slopped it on. The design of the inner cowl is a pi$$ poor design. About as large of a rust magnet as rockers, cad corners and cab supports. The reason is wheer about your rust is in the pic is a trough with a 1/4 to 3/8 peace of metal sticking up on both sides. It acts as a trough and holds mud, water, tree suff and our old favorite ROAD SALT! pLUS Plus there are several seam in the same area. If you start finding water on your foor mats like from a leak look there. They didnt use seam sealer on the joints on mine. Thanks flint! I had some rust holes in there. I just did the same thing as I said in the above post. Hope this gives you some more info. Aaron Last edited by Aarons72s; 10-04-2006 at 04:45 PM.

10-04-2006, 05:07 PM	#7
RSRXION Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 227	Re: rusted firewall I've got a really good southern cab here that I can get the patch panels out of if you need them. It's a 68 non air cab and I wasn't planning on saving it anyway so I am certainly open to helping a brother out. Let me know if you're intersted and I'll shoot you a couple of pics. This truck also has a really nice dash section that has never been butchered for a radio. Anybody need it ? I'll let these parts go cheap enough you can afford them. Let me know, Dean __________________ "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin

10-04-2006, 05:58 PM	#8
jaros44sr Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Philadelphia, Pa. 19454 Posts: 9,766	Re: rusted firewall How hard is it to get a dash out of the truck, haven't had mine that far apart, yet! Thanks Jim __________________ Semper Fi...Uncle Sam, you da man All parts offered to help are free, unless otherwise noted Dont try this stuff in my build thread, unless you have 55 years of mechanical OTJ training SAFETY FIRST AS usual, off topic They say your mind goes second, can't remember the first Jim

10-04-2006, 06:38 PM	#9
Aarons72s Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: oklahoma Posts: 10,669	Re: rusted firewall Real easy. With the windsheild out just undo the bolts that hold the das to the A pillars. Drill out about 20- 25 spot welds along the edge where it attaches to the windsheild channel and walla dash is out. Took me about 20 minutes to do with a 1/8" and 3/8" bit and a flat head screw driver. Took an a/c dash out of a rusted out 71. Put it back, never know when you might need one. Aaron

10-04-2006, 08:01 PM	#10
jaros44sr Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Philadelphia, Pa. 19454 Posts: 9,766	Re: rusted firewall Thanks, I was thinking of putting AC dash in mine and fixing the butchered radio mount. Sounds simple enough __________________ Semper Fi...Uncle Sam, you da man All parts offered to help are free, unless otherwise noted Dont try this stuff in my build thread, unless you have 55 years of mechanical OTJ training SAFETY FIRST AS usual, off topic They say your mind goes second, can't remember the first Jim

10-04-2006, 11:09 PM	#11
JRB Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Portland Oregon Posts: 287	Re: rusted firewall The problem your going to run into is inside of the vent plenum. If you look up at around your break pedal see if you can find any holes in the firewall. I got knee deep into my 69 and found a ton of sealant that was hiding the holes. I hope yours is not as far along as mine but I am with the other guys in that you should cut all that rust out and patch it with metal. In the long run it will be worth it. Good luck with your project. JRB

10-05-2006, 06:31 PM	#13
mstone Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cypres, Texas Posts: 3	Re: rusted firewall My truck has that same issue. I haven't had time to see what's involved fixing it. Attached Images

10-05-2006, 10:54 PM	#14
Aarons72s Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: oklahoma Posts: 10,669	Re: rusted firewall mstone, That is the worst I have seen yet! Was yours a northern truck or close to the ocean? Or did it live under a tree somewhere? Aaron

10-05-2006, 11:19 PM	#15
RSRXION Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 227	Re: rusted firewall I took a few pics of the cab I spoke about. I've currently got someone interested in the whole cab but if he doesn't commit VERY soon I'll gladly cut out whatever panels you need. It's a 69 non-air cab but I would imagine it could become an air cab easy enough. It might be easier to replace your cab rather than repair it . Just a thought. Dean Attached Images __________________ "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin



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