spent the last two hours trying to weld up holes in the firewall... it's like trying to weld up the holes in window screens..... fill one ... make one... even with my welder at it lowest setting I was still blowing thru... and if you really wanna have fun... put a patch plug behind the wall and hold it in place with a magnet... I've got so much welding wire sticking through the firewall on the inside it looks like a porcupine exploded in there... more grinding... goody

my body man will fix all the other little blowthrus with some nice "lite" glass... I'm done..

BTW... how many holes do you think I need ??? one for the brake booster, one for the throttle cable... one (somewhere) for the a/c hoses and one (somewhere) for electrical... oops... and one for the park brake cable...

what else ???

later
John

 

Can't answer your question, but having just plugged about 100 random holes in my firewall (some factory, some not), I can sympathize. Once I peeled the crappy cardboard off my firewall, I could see daylight everywhere. Some of the factory holes appear to be punched with an air chisel, and are 1/2" diameter. After closing them up the cab is much quieter.

If you have a helper, a copper spoon behind the hole would help.

 

a helper would be nice.... tried the copper backing bar but almost impossible to hold in place with a magnet and then weld.... lots of walking around the door... lots... I didn't have a hundred.... but I probably blew in a hundred !!! I'd rather change diff fluid with bare hands and no rags ! but it's done now and behind me... one step closer to some paint puttin

j

 

Don't forget to leave a hole for the steering column.

 

This was my submission for a tech week contest on the Hamb site. I used a H/F magnet and and a piece of stainless with a bead rolled in it for stiffnes that holds the copper backer. It eliminates the need for the helper on the other side of the firewall.

 

Looks like a great idea but What is an H/F magnet?

 

Moo.... HF magnet.... Harbor Freight Retrieving Magnet

Drew.... purdy firewall... and a cool idea too...

j

 

Heavy/F@#*ing magnet,lol harbour freight actually

 

Sorry........Harbor Freight. I think it was rated at something like 50 lbs. and cost five dollars or less.

If interested you might check out the link

"Welding Tech"....When you don't have an extra hand. - THE H.A.M.B.

 

Ya gotta use the copper, works like a charm.

 

Very cleaver. I love home made tools. Wish I had one when I did mine!

 

I'll have to remember this when I get to my firewall!

 

I'm past the firewall stage ( with the same exploded porupine as jniolon) but the floor boards have quite a few holes that need filled and that tool is going to help. It's on the to do list for tomorrow. Good idea.

 

I know what your going through, just been there myself.

You can run the brake cable through the top left of the trans cover.

 

Thats looks like it would work nice Drew. I will be making one of those. A smaller version would also be handy for the occasional tight spot.