I'm a ford newb looking to pick up a project truck that's a few hours from me. The gentleman doesn't know much about cars and so I'm trying to get some answers before going to get it. I already got great help with questions on the carb, it's such a help to have good forums like this. I've been a Chevy guy my whole life but at the end of the day I love old trucks and have a soft spot for these old fords, I grew up driving them on the farm and they were great machines. The truck in question is a 1984 that's been parked for some years. It's got a great body which was my main concern, but I don't want to go in blind on the mechanics side. It's prob not a huge deal but it looks like there is a grommet missing and I was curious what usually goes here, and if it's missing something major or important. Anyway any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Brad.

 

If the truck had been a manual, that hole is where the mechanical clutch linkage passes from the pedal shaft, down through the firewall, to the cross shaft. There should be a rubber plug in it.

If the truck is a manual with a hydraulic clutch, then maybe some older cabs were being used up, that had been previously intended for mechanical clutches.

1984 was the second year of transition from mechanical to hydraulically operated clutches.

 

From what I've learned from Numberdummy, '84 was the first year for hydraulics for Windsor pattern engines.
Only the 460 & 6.9 got hydraulics for the '83 MY.

I can see how it would be difficult to find a rubber plug for a vehicle this old.

 

I wonder if you can dig out one of those floor plugs and see if it will fit the hole.

Truck Parts and Truck Accessories

 

I would like to know how you guys know where that hole is as I don't see anything to reflect that.
Then again I am on my not so smart phone.

What is that cable in the picture? Could it be for heater controls and could that hole be for heater core tubes?
Dave - - - -

 

Dave, I tried to use the MS-Windows Paint thing to show the hole.

The cable looks like the carburetor's; that setup actually looks aftermarket, the factory stuff in my experience usually has a ball & socket-type of connection and a different hold-down (stabilization) configuration.

 

In 1984, some trucks were equipped with computer control. The computer wiring harness passed through the firewall utilizing this shaped hole with a rubber plug with an opening in the center. Non-computer equipped trucks/engines has a solid rubber plug for the opening.

Without the rubber plug, air and fumes will enter the cab.

Doe this opening in the photo look like that to others?

 

Thanks for all of the replies guys, that helps a bunch.

 

I saw the hole but I could not make out where on the firewall it was.
Maybe on a pc it makes it clearer what / where it is?
Dave - - - -

 

Its easy to see it on the PC, you can see the universal throttle cable in the pic then right below that you can make out the Ford Oval valve cover indicating this is on the driverside right where the firewall starts to curve in.

 

I recognize it from doing an auto to manual conversion on my truck a few years ago.

With the mechanical clutch rod in place, there is an expanding 'bellows' type rubber part that fits in that hole to seal the draft & noise..........otherwise, a flat grommet with an auto trans.

 

The plug looks something like this: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q...5o0&ajaxhist=0