Firewall rust-What's the cause? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

1Low53Burb · 06-21-2008, 10:19 PM

We just bought a '67 SWB fleetside for my son, he's three, and it's completly rust free. It's a California truck with the original Protecto plate and black Cali plates, 327/four speed truck. My question is, I've been seeing a few trucks for sale saying that they have firwall rust. What is the cause? I found a lot of leaves in the lower airvent and was wondering if there might be rust somewhere from the leaves and such there?????

I'll post pictures later.

Longhorn Man · 06-21-2008, 10:22 PM

leaves in the vent, crap building up in the wiring chanel. 2 main reasons

jeffspower · 06-21-2008, 10:27 PM

Mine has it bad. Water gets trapped in a lapped seam/ panel joint & rust eats away at it. There is a seam on both sides of the cab, my pic is of the passenger side with the glovebox removed.

Sport/Truck · 06-21-2008, 10:31 PM

Leaking brake reservoir will cause some rust too.
s/t

LONGHAIR · 06-22-2008, 09:07 AM

The main cause of rust..........water and oxygen combined with steel or iron

Longhorn Man · 06-22-2008, 09:17 AM

LOL!!! I was sooooooo tempted to give a one word answer;
water

Huck · 06-22-2008, 12:47 PM

The firewall like the roof is double layered with no built in rust protection. typical firewall areas to look at are above the heater fan on the outside-&-similar on the drivers side. Above the glove box as shown above. (cause--leaves, dirt, mice nests under the cowl and into the side vent pockets)
You also need to look carefully above the visors for winshield frame rust where moisture gets trapped if the truck is left out all the time. Other most common area is where the rear bed floor does a wrap down onto the rear bed support--especially in the corners. There are pockets that sand gets trapped into and holds mositure. Even my california "rust free" truck showed rust there after 3 years into Kentucky!!

Longhorn Man · 06-22-2008, 02:26 PM

My longhorn is starting to rot out over the windshield.

Signs of firewall rust has been noticed too.
Sad days indeed.

bad6772 · 06-22-2008, 02:45 PM

who cares about that thing.........GET THAT BURB DONE>>>>Come on.....and pick up your dam phone when I call.......come on..

Longhorn Man · 06-22-2008, 02:53 PM

you called?
Acording to my phone, you ain't called in 3 or 4 days.

caminokid · 06-22-2008, 03:14 PM

How did I know your were going to use that icon Andy?

old Chevy guy · 06-22-2008, 03:32 PM

All my trucks are rusting over the windshield too, they make a patch panel for that now ,looks good in the pictures ,as soon as I have some extra cash IM gonna try one out and see how it looks up close!

Bob D · 06-22-2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old Chevy guy

All my trucks are rusting over the windshield too, they make a patch panel for that now ,looks good in the pictures ,as soon as I have some extra cash IM gonna try one out and see how it looks up close!

The one I got was good quality and fit well. It is a little tricky shoe-horning it in at the corners above the pillars.

Bob

old Chevy guy · 06-22-2008, 10:33 PM

Looks like a nice job.Hey your not to far from me in R.I.! Is Windham where the airport is or is that North Windham? Where did you buy that panel? Sorry all dont mean to hijack the thread.

Bob D · 06-22-2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old Chevy guy

Looks like a nice job.Hey your not to far from me in R.I.! Is Windham where the airport is or is that North Windham? Where did you buy that panel? Sorry all dont mean to hijack the thread.

I think I got the panel from GMC Pauls. The Airport is in North Windham, I am in Windham Center a few miles away.

Bob

Longhorn Man · 06-22-2008, 10:54 PM

I just don't understand why they made the patch panel for the only year truck that had that raised pad. 67 - 70 didn't have it, then in 72 they didn't have it.
Seems kinda stupid to me.

old Chevy guy · 06-22-2008, 11:09 PM

Yea I wondered that too.In fact I have been thinking of late that my 72 is not really a 72 at all,it has that bump under the mirror and dosent have that extra screw hole on the doors I learned about recently.The PO told me it was 72 and the Registry let me register it that way,hmmmm. Is there a position in the vin that indicates the year? Mabey somebody switched the vin #?

Longhorn Man · 06-22-2008, 11:29 PM

click here to decode your VIN http://67-72chevytrucks.com/Chevyear.html
if it starts with CCE orCCS or CKE or CKE... then it's a 72. If it doesn't have that first C, then it's a 71, which it sounds liek thats what you have.
I'm assuming rhode island is a no title state

old Chevy guy · 06-22-2008, 11:49 PM

Yea no title over 10 years, thanks for the info I was gonna run out and check but I think Ill wait till tommorrow.Usually the reg knows if the year is wrong ,the computer spits it out.

06-21-2008, 10:19 PM	#1
1Low53Burb Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: North Little Rock, AR Posts: 87	Firewall rust-What's the cause? We just bought a '67 SWB fleetside for my son, he's three, and it's completly rust free. It's a California truck with the original Protecto plate and black Cali plates, 327/four speed truck. My question is, I've been seeing a few trucks for sale saying that they have firwall rust. What is the cause? I found a lot of leaves in the lower airvent and was wondering if there might be rust somewhere from the leaves and such there????? I'll post pictures later.

06-21-2008, 10:22 PM	#2
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? leaves in the vent, crap building up in the wiring chanel. 2 main reasons

06-21-2008, 10:27 PM	#3
jeffspower Well, Whoop-dee-do! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Easton, Mo. pop.- me & scarcely a few others Posts: 2,302	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? Mine has it bad. Water gets trapped in a lapped seam/ panel joint & rust eats away at it. There is a seam on both sides of the cab, my pic is of the passenger side with the glovebox removed. Attached Images __________________ '68 GMC shortbox 4x4 350/SM465/T221- bought it in '83 SOLD '72 K20 500 Cad/TH400/NP205 SOLD '92 Chevy 2500 6.5 mech TD 4L80E crusty daily driver '72 Monte Carlo... sweet low mile toy '11 Dodge Challenger IE 392 6spd... midlife car

06-21-2008, 10:31 PM	#4
Sport/Truck Sierra Grande Club Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Mexico USA Posts: 2,433	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? Leaking brake reservoir will cause some rust too. s/t __________________ 1971 GMC Sierra Grande, 1/2 ton short wide, original 4 bolt 010 020 block & heads. (matching #'s). 383 stroker, SMI q jet 750 cfm, Lunati Voodoo 60102 cam, Scorpion roller rockers, Spin Tech pro street mufflers with X pipe.

06-22-2008, 09:07 AM	#5
LONGHAIR just can't cover up my redneck Join Date: May 2004 Location: Columbus OH Posts: 11,414	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? The main cause of rust..........water and oxygen combined with steel or iron

06-22-2008, 09:17 AM	#6
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? LOL!!! I was sooooooo tempted to give a one word answer; water

06-22-2008, 12:47 PM	#7
Huck Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Shelbyville, KY Posts: 3,269	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? The firewall like the roof is double layered with no built in rust protection. typical firewall areas to look at are above the heater fan on the outside-&-similar on the drivers side. Above the glove box as shown above. (cause--leaves, dirt, mice nests under the cowl and into the side vent pockets) You also need to look carefully above the visors for winshield frame rust where moisture gets trapped if the truck is left out all the time. Other most common area is where the rear bed floor does a wrap down onto the rear bed support--especially in the corners. There are pockets that sand gets trapped into and holds mositure. Even my california "rust free" truck showed rust there after 3 years into Kentucky!!

06-22-2008, 02:26 PM	#8
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? My longhorn is starting to rot out over the windshield. Signs of firewall rust has been noticed too. Sad days indeed.

06-22-2008, 02:45 PM	#9
bad6772 Official Site Guitar Shredder Join Date: May 2006 Location: Oz Posts: 3,955	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? who cares about that thing.........GET THAT BURB DONE>>>>Come on.....and pick up your dam phone when I call.......come on..

06-22-2008, 02:53 PM	#10
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? you called? Acording to my phone, you ain't called in 3 or 4 days.

06-22-2008, 03:14 PM	#11
caminokid Chevy nut Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Springfield, Illinois Posts: 2,266	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? How did I know your were going to use that icon Andy? __________________ 84 Chevy Custom Deluxe 1/2 Ton Named Fade To Black II "Remember kids there is NO replacement for displacement!"

06-22-2008, 03:32 PM	#12
old Chevy guy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Foster Rhode Island Posts: 1,176	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? All my trucks are rusting over the windshield too, they make a patch panel for that now ,looks good in the pictures ,as soon as I have some extra cash IM gonna try one out and see how it looks up close!

06-22-2008, 10:33 PM	#14
old Chevy guy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Foster Rhode Island Posts: 1,176	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? Looks like a nice job.Hey your not to far from me in R.I.! Is Windham where the airport is or is that North Windham? Where did you buy that panel? Sorry all dont mean to hijack the thread.

06-22-2008, 10:54 PM	#16
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? I just don't understand why they made the patch panel for the only year truck that had that raised pad. 67 - 70 didn't have it, then in 72 they didn't have it. Seems kinda stupid to me.

06-22-2008, 11:09 PM	#17
old Chevy guy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Foster Rhode Island Posts: 1,176	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? Yea I wondered that too.In fact I have been thinking of late that my 72 is not really a 72 at all,it has that bump under the mirror and dosent have that extra screw hole on the doors I learned about recently.The PO told me it was 72 and the Registry let me register it that way,hmmmm. Is there a position in the vin that indicates the year? Mabey somebody switched the vin #?



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06-22-2008, 11:29 PM	#18
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? click here to decode your VIN http://67-72chevytrucks.com/Chevyear.html if it starts with CCE orCCS or CKE or CKE... then it's a 72. If it doesn't have that first C, then it's a 71, which it sounds liek thats what you have. I'm assuming rhode island is a no title state

06-22-2008, 11:49 PM	#19
old Chevy guy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Foster Rhode Island Posts: 1,176	Re: Firewall rust-What's the cause? Yea no title over 10 years, thanks for the info I was gonna run out and check but I think Ill wait till tommorrow.Usually the reg knows if the year is wrong ,the computer spits it out.

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