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I notice that firewall shaving, the smoothing out and restyling of the firewall, is popular amongst Chevy C10 fans. They are also installing firewall mounted hood hinges with gas struts and tucking the wiring away to make the engine bay look neater. Thus, I wondered if there might be a parallel in the dent side world. Do we have any of this going on with our trucks?
It looks nice, but I don’t see any reason for doing that unless you are building a show truck. My build was expensive enough without all of that extra cost and hassle.
X2 IMO not nessary, just clean and paint accordingily. This is the approach that some FTE members take.
With a none a/c or emissions truck, having it clean under there is easy.
Now with a/c and emissions and making it 100% correct (like this FTE member did), can you even see the fire wall?
X2 IMO not nessary, just clean and paint accordingily. This is the approach that some FTE members take.
Like this example, I'll be filling that big hole left by removing the A/C plenum as most do when replacing the A/C with more modern aftermarket products. Indeed, Vintage Air even supplies the block-off plate which also provides the holes for optimized condenser mounting. Filling unnecessary holes also seems a good thing to do whether they are visible or not. Then there is plumbing and electrical wire management to consider unless restoration to stock is the dominant theme.
Just an FYI from my researching this: Apparently the shaved firewall is but one part of a number of alterations done to "slammed" vehicles. To wit:
Slammed "dentside" Ford trucks (1973-1979 F-series) typically feature highly customized and clean engine bays, often with modern engine swaps like the Ford Coyote V8 and significant wiring tucks for a minimalist look.
Common characteristics of these engine bays include:
Modern Engine Swaps: Builders frequently replace the original engines (like the 390 FE V8) with newer, more powerful, and reliable crate engines, such as the Coyote or LS V8s.
Shaved Firewall and Fenders: To achieve a smooth, show-quality look, many custom builds involve shaving the firewall and inner fenders, hiding wiring and components as much as possible.
Clean Wiring: A key aspect of a show-ready engine bay is a meticulous wiring job, often involving completely new harnesses and routing wires out of sight to create a clutter-free appearance.
Custom Finishes: Components are often painted or powder-coated to match the truck's body color or to provide a contrasting, polished look. This includes the engine block, inner fenders, and radiator support.
Aftermarket Suspension Components: When the truck is "slammed" or "bagged" (on air ride), the engine bay often showcases parts of the custom chassis or modified front suspension setup, such as Crown Victoria front suspension swaps or custom IFS/IRS systems.
You can find numerous visual examples and build ideas for these specific types of custom trucks on dedicated enthusiast sites and video channels, such as those linked on Facebook groups or YouTube channels like
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
