Thanks for the explanation. I should be able to confirm that somehow with the catalog. Maybe.

 

Yes, maybe being the key descriptor. This is one of the things I learned by visiting the JY a lot, combined with stuff I picked up here.

 

Ok its official I am crazy for trying to do this fire wall swap but I am in it now so forward I go!


I got all the spot welds drilled out and working from the motor side broke all the welds loose but the top was still solid?
Inside I start scrapping off the seam sealer at the top of the fire wall & cowl floor only to find out the fire wall & cowl floor are all one piece!
The spot welds across the top are for the upper cowl & wiper panel to firewall/cowl floor panel.


I am stepping back and going to punt (lookit over) and see if I can cut the cowl floor off the front fire wall panel and still have a flange to slip under the good cabs upper cowl/wiper panel to weld to.


Now where did I put the plasma cutter?
Dave ----


ps: I did see a vac can on the right fender of the AC truck nose but no ball for the AC stuff. Being some stuff was removed, motor & AC controls inside, I don't know if it ever had a HVAC ball.

 

I would agree that this is entering the realm of craziness - or severe dedication, however you want to term it... swapping the cab wholesale is lots easier IMO.

I wouldn't worry about the vacuum control stuff until the very end, you've got lots more to think about right now....

 

The punt worked! After cutting out the panel and on the floor cleaned up a little I could see the fire wall is just a panel by its self and not part of the cowl like I thought. Here is the panel before cleaning it up a little of sealer & the cowl floor lip.

The plan is to install it like I thought it would of just with a little (ok lot) more work. I will still drill out the spot welds like I did on the AC panel but will use the plasma cutter to trim the old fire wall at the top and clean up the spot weld bumps (the hard part) so I canslip the lip of the fire wall between the upper cowl and the lip from the old fire wall that will still be welded to the cowl floor.

Maybe once I have most of the non-AC fire wall removed I can drill the spot welds better and pull off the old fire wall lip so everything will fit nice. Will see when I get to that point, first I have all the spot welds on the good cab fire wall I have to drill out!

I put the AC fire wall over the non-AC one so you can see the difference between them.


From inside you can just make out at thebottom of the opening the non-AC is not square. I also noted the dash brace from fire wall to lower middle dash is in a different place and the braces are also different between them. You can also see from the inside picture there are cover(s) over the non-AC fresh air vents in the kick panels. I pulled them from the parts truck and so I would not lose them & screws I put them on loosely.
I may take them off and run the vents at least till I get the AC working but may leave off even then?
Dave ----

 

Dedication.........Yea why don't we call it that


Not really worried on the vac control stuff other than if I am missing something I can keep an eye open for it or come up with another way for it to work.
I think small hoses from switch to valves and a cable off the old non-AC heater box and I should be good to go.
But you are right that is for w a y down the road!
Dave ----

 

Reading this from the top I was really worried - and then I found that you'd gotten the panel off. Yippee! That is ........ DEDICATION!

On the vacuum stuff, I got really, REALLY involved in this and came to some conclusions, which are discussed here: Vacuum Reservoirs - Gary's Garagemahal. Chris, what I've found doesn't quite fit with your understanding, so I'd appreciate you reading it and commenting. Remember, what's out there can always be changed.

And, along the way I pulled the fender "aprons" I have and realized that I have three different versions, as discussed here: Fender Aprons - Gary's Garagemahal

 

Oh, I don't know... I was doing a lot of junkyard snooping before I got introduced to the parts catalog and ever thought to look at details such as year and engine. This was ~10 years ago when there were a lot more of these things in the yards. I just remember, in general, the plastic ***** were part of an add-on system (which also includes that vacuum distribution block on the firewall near the heater box) when factory A/C was installed but I have no idea to which years they pertained, it really doesn't matter, they all do the same thing.

As for the fruit juice can, that thing was engine controls and merely clipped onto a bracket screwed to the plastic wheel cover; some were the size of a Dole pineapple can and others were Hi-C fruit juice, I never paid attention to WHY the sizes might be different....

 

I don't think the "can" was used just for engine controls.
I was this because both of my truck being 81's 300 & sticks only the 1 with AC has the small "can".
If the rain stops and I get home early from work I will have to check the non-AC fender liner, also known as inner fender well, if it has holes or signs of a vac can or ball.
Dave ----

 

I would trust the parts book more than my memory, I was never looking at years or anything and my memory is just in a general sense... you very well probably have a good point, at least for the early years.

 

I do think we'll find that 80 - 3/82 used a small can for the HVAC and the accompanying fender apron has two holes that match the can. As of 3/82 apparently they went to the plastic ball, which has mounting points that are further apart, and another hole was punched in the fender apron.

Dave - I'll be curious to find out what yours has.

 

Got some more work done on the truck cab.
It went from this

Then this. You can just make out where the AC firewall over laps the non-AC firewall.

So I could do the match up for trimming

To end up with this. What looks like white paint is zinc weld thru primer.

It is trimmed, fitted and should be readyfor welding. I want to go back over it to make sure it is fitted right before I start welding but if all goes well I hope to weld it in tomorrow.
Dave ----

 

You are one glutton for punishment/detail person. Good job!

 

Thanks Gary

If you are going to do it do it all the way and do it right!

I built a 6’x6’x3’ high pool to do electrolysisrust removal of hoods & fenders for my AMC Javelin street car. Again do it right or don’t do it at all.

When I was done with the pool I use the 2x4's and built 2 benches that the backs folded flat to make a table top and when both were pushed together made a picnic table.
Dave ----

 

That's cool! How well did it work?