firewall question

[Charles M.]

I need a section of the firewall for my 64 convertible. I have a hole right beside the dimmer switch the size of your hand. Any ideas?

Chuck

[Charles M.]

Re: firewall question

Actually the hole is above the dimmer switch. Picture attached.

Chuck

[Charles M.]

Re: firewall question

Why can't I edit my posts?

[Wayne M.]

Ahah ! (a C60 car) firewall clips are giveaway *NM*

[Charles M.]

Re: Ahah ! (a C60 car) firewall clips are giveaway

Yes it is, driver side battery and all.

[Jack H.]

Re: firewall question

Why not do a repair by hand laying in the missing glass yourself and tinting it to match vs. trying to cut and patch from a piece you cut from a donor car?

[Charles M.]

Re: firewall question

Jack
To keep it looking decent and to recreate the proper shape and countours my first thought (besides making a mold from another car) it to lay in a patch cut from another firewall, glue it in from the inside, the carpet covers the resin, the firewall side looks almost normal. I'm still in the "ideas" stage.

[Terry F.]

Re: firewall question

You are on the right track. I would either find a donnor piece and fuse it in. That should not be too hard to do. You have pictures so you just need to find a huld to get it from. You other idea is sound also and I have don it before also. This is how I do it.... find a car or fire wall you can make a mold of. Then, clean the area real well. Then, cover is with cellophane wrap. Then, Take some random stranded fiberglass and saturate it with resin. Wear some vinyl gloves and work it into a nasty fall of fiberglass and resin. Add as much resin as you want. Sometimes, I use original formual adheisive because it has the short strand of fiberglass and powder in it and it works as well. Then, I slap it on the area I want to mold (should have the cellophane on it already) and cover it with cellophane. I smash it around a bit to cover the area I want. Then, I cover it with a block of foam rubber and place a flat piece of wood over it and then support the wood with something. I leave it in place untill it dries. Sometimes, I cut up a couple pieces of sponge to sort of match the contour of the piece I am molding. When I smash the foam against the panel, I get a nice even impression when dry.

When you have the mold I trim it to fit the area I am working. I clean up the area and bevel the edges with 40-80 grit. Actually, I bevel the front and back edges for max hold power. Must be bone dry clean. Wash the area with lacqure thinner before you grind. Don't get too worried about fragmented loose strands. Clean them and leave them. They give you more to bite too. Blow everything off with clean oil-free air. I usually mask the area and then glass it in with any combination of things. I like to use original formula that has been catalized and then smash it into some random stranded mat. I then place it over the wound and cover it with cellophane and then cover with the mold. You need to get creative when it comes to attaching the mold. If it is someplace that is not seen, very small screws will work. If it is a body panel, avoid screws at all cost. Screw holes are not that big as long as you repair them correctly. Yada yada yada. If you need more ideas, let me know. Terry