13. The driver side can now be set into place. It is easiest to clap the piece in a couple spots to hold it while checking the alignment. 14. You will probably have to give the firewall panel or the body some help to get both to fit tightly to one another. A lot of clamps help.
	15. Before welding begins, make sure the center join lines up. Start at the bottom and work up. 16. Quite a few C-clamps of various sizes and shapes will be needed. The two panels must be held together at each of the different contours to ensure that they fit together before starting to weld.
	17. Start by tack-welding the two panels at the center join. It's best to place the first tacks close to the clamp to ensure a tight fit on the overlapping pieces. 18. Tack the two pieces approximately every 3 inches to avoid warpage.
	19. After tacking the whole length, go back and run short welds at the top portion, then one on the lower area, alternating the welding areas to keep heat to a minimum. 20. Start the outside by plug-welding the drilled holes that were once spot-welds. It's best to place the clamps close to the holes being welded. Make as clean a weld as possible so there is very little cleanup grinding later.
	21. Now that the welds are finished down the side, start working across the top. You need to do clean plug-welds, if the project is to retain a totally stock look for a restoration. 22. To attach the lower portion of the new firewall pieces to the front of the floor section, drill holes in the new panels so that area can be plug-welded like the rest of the job. Space the holes out about every 3 to 4 inches.
	23. Grind the area around the holes to ensure good welds. 24. Weld them up just like all the others around the perimeter of the firewall. Here again, keep the plug-welds as clean as possible.
	25. The intended look for the finished firewall will determine how much grinding will be needed here. The engine compartment on the this truck will be finished off with body filler and a lot of sanding. 26. Firewall fender support brackets do not come with the firewall pieces and must be removed from the old wall and reinstalled on the new one.
	27. The panel is really looking good and is nearly ready for paint. It required tones of hard work to get this wall to look this great, but it helps to start out with a new hole-free unit. 28. This one is a sure winner. It's great to be able to remove a very badly abused piece of old sheetmetal and replace it with a new one that actually fits.

Previous   Next

Used with Permission by: Truckin Magazine