Cowl sheet

[Guest zazothex]

I'm just about finishing up my 48 connie's frontend rebuild (pics soon), and am turning my attention to the sheet metal forward of the firewall. Looks like the PO tried a few crappy fixes on the inner fenders, and cut way too much off without putting any back. Similarly, most of the firewall to frame braces are rotted out. I'm thinking about just removing all the sheet from the front end and trying to patch it back together the right way. I know this is standard on later models, as you can just take off the front clip. Not so here. Anyone done this, and if so have any pointers? I'll get some pictures up once I get teh camera working again.

[Guest zazothex]

This is just a hint at what I'm dealing with. This is the passenger's side. As you can see - no bottom. The closer one is a shot of the "new" tacked-in floor extending out from the cabin.

Anyone have some pics as to what it's supposed to resemble?

Edited December 15, 2011 by zazothex (see edit history)

[Tom_Overfield]

Here are a few photos of how I did my 41, looked pretty much the same as yours.

The outside piece is pretty much straight forward, it just curves down to meet the outside panel of the rocker. The inside part does the same, it just meets toward the outside edge of the rocker to frame outrigger. I have seen the bottom edge finished off by simply pinching the two parts together and welding, and I have seen them as I did my car, with a bottom piece cut and welded in. Hopefully the photos will help. The gold photo is of John Murphy's 40 and the area on the drivers side.

Tom

[Guest zazothex]

Wow. Thanks Tom. Knowing others have gone through this makes me less worried. Love John's frame. If I had all the time in the world, I'd color mine too. I''m planning on getting it as showroom as possible, so it'll just be covered with undercoating anyway.

Did you use 18 or 20ga for the patch panels on these areas?

[Tom_Overfield]

18 as I remember on everything