firewall toe heat shield color on 71

[Ralph A.]

I removed my heat shields from the firewall toe area as they are covered with rust. Mine look like they were bare metal. I have seen replacement ones in catalogs calling for gray phosphate in color or "painted black". For 71 these are metal, and I have A/C. What color to the eye is gray phosphate? If these were painted then I will clean mine up and paint.
Can you shed some light here.
Thanks
Ralph

[Patrick H.]

Re: firewall toe heat shield color on 71

Gray phosphate is, ah, gray. It's sort of a flat rough gray texture that can easily be mistaken for dirt or corrosion. Mine had some rust on them, but I used a little muriatic acid to clean them after a thorough degreasing. They came out quite well. Othwerwise you may have to have them replated.

Patrick

[Ralph A.]

Re: firewall toe heat shield color on 71

Mine are rusted and will take a wire brush, or bead blast to remove. Can these be purchased NOS or reconditioned?
Thanks
Ralph

[Joe L.]

Re: firewall toe heat shield color on 71

Ralph-----

I don't think that you'll find many NOS examples lying around, but the part numbers that you're looking for are GM #6263551, left side, and GM #6263554, right side (for A/C cars). Also, I don't know of anyone that sells reconditioned pieces; if you want reconditioned, then I'd just recommend reconditioning your own as Patrick describes. Reproductions are available, but I think that the reproductions are painted black. Some of the originals may have been, too, but all of the ones that I've seen are "gray phosphate".

[Ralph A.]

Re: firewall toe heat shield color on 71

Thanks for the info. I will try a search for used OS. I have no plating eq.
Ralph

[Patrick H.]

Re: firewall toe heat shield color on 71

Check out Steve Gregori at www.brakeboosters.com if you want them replated.

Patrick

[Ralph A.]

Thanks top all I found some in a junk yard

I found a pair in a salvage yard in FL. they look like new original.
Thanks to all that submitted helpful informaion.
RA