Bent Cowl

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Sep 24, 2007 | 05:09 AM

iiizman

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Joined: May 2007

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Bent Cowl

I guess I will call them the ribs on top of the cowl. Well it looks like someone stepped on mine. Any body have a trick for pulling them back out. Also is there a way to access the cowl and paint from the inside. Hows it come apart?

Any suggestions are appreciated

Sep 24, 2007 | 03:29 PM

airharley

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Joined: Nov 2001

Posts: 3,351

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From: Escondido, CA

If you look in your local tool shop they should have a tool the has a "J" shape that attached to a slide hammer. It should be just big enough to fit between the slots and lightly pull the dents out. As far as painting inside there, short of cutting the cowl out you can't really gain access to that area.

Sep 24, 2007 | 06:37 PM

daveengelson

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Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 6,305

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From: Boulder Creek, Ca

Believe only way is to cut the cowl then reweld afterwards. I was able to accomplish about as well as can be expected using the access panel on firewal. Used combination of wedges, blocks, pry bars, everything imaginable to straighten minor dents. Also, used long rat tail type steel bottle brush and worked it back and forth to clean cavity. Have a flex cable gadget where you press one end and jaws open on the other, then stuck sheet of the 'scotch brite' pad and worked it back and forth. Finally, thought about purchasing a 'porta power kit' but was not sure if the 'jaws' that come with kit would fit thru the access panel. They do have the 'mini' press that are available with the 4 ton kits, but thought it would be too expensive for just the one project. Anyhow, thought I would add few additional suggestions.

As far as painting cowl cavity, did as best as possible using access panel on firewall, also with kick panels removed I was able to get my arm and detail paint gun into the cavity. I also had small container of paint used a siphon gun with a long extention, did not come out that bad.

dave

Last edited by daveengelson; Sep 24, 2007 at 06:39 PM.

Sep 25, 2007 | 10:52 AM

magee

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Joined: Jul 2005

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Just to add confusion, how about filling the cowl? Maybe not practical for a daily driver and probably more time consuming that fixing the bends. I'm thinking of doing it to my 66 that's why I suggested it to you.

Sep 25, 2007 | 11:51 AM

Flyn66dtmn

Elder User

Joined: May 2005

Posts: 581

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From: Montana

FWIW- filling the cowel may not be a good idea as this is where the air come from for your vents and heater. Dutch

Sep 25, 2007 | 11:56 AM

Flyn66dtmn

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Joined: May 2005

Posts: 581

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From: Montana

My 2 cents- i built a U shaped bracket out of fairly heavy iron put a three foot lever on the top of it and then built another bracket that fit down between the ribs to pull them out. this only works if the ribs are dented. if it's bent in bad enough that the sides are pulled in this tool will not work and you have bigger problems as it will have to be spread. dutch