I ended up using a firewall recess off a Jeep Wrangler offset to the Passenger side as that head sits farther back. I figure the real estate not taken will make a tidy place for the coil and voltage regulator as well as the fuel distribution block for the carbs.
Bill, get on Facebook and look up Jesse Harris. Jesse just posted some videos of him making a scoop and the techniques he used could work for you.
Couldn't figger how to draw this in its' proper orientation but, this is what I'm going to attempt to pull off. Have no idea how, yet. "Rockable", only Jesse Harris I could come up with was a musician.
Try this. Two different links. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=6468901353126592&id=100000203755351 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=6472091916140869&id=100000203755351
I did a thread once on hammer forming a blister, which was basically like what you want - except yours has one end open. It must have been 12 or so years ago. Edit: Found it, 2008!! https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/basic-blister-tech.252970/ And trimmed to go in a hood side
Decided to do a practice metal forming exercise before attempting the distributor pocket. Hammered out a portion of the rib to patch into the passenger side where the firewall was "hacked". Took several hours to make a form and beat a recess into the 16ga. Worked pretty well and was pattin myself on the back, for a good job when I realized I pounded the recess into the wrong side of the patch panel SHIT!!!! In my case if there's a 50/50 chance for a mistake, I'm battin 1000%! At least I can use the form again
Thanks for all the comments boys. Acknowledged,....not the first one to screw up and, the second one goes much better. In this case, heat and a BFH yielded a nicer piece in half the time and it was "right side up" to boot! Also a tip from and experienced friend, I only used 2 of the 3 locater pins to align the forming fixture so that the material on the one side of the panel could move into the trough that I was forming.
Looking good but I only use a good bench vise as a adjustable "dolly" when hammering out short ribs like this. A little more hammering and straightening but for two short ribs, I don't get too elaborate. You are doing a nice job on your build!
Went to the Long Beach Swap yesterday to see what I might discover that I couldn't live without. The idea struck that this bumper guard might be just the shape for hammering some shape into the distributor pocket I'm working on,....only 10 bucks! Shortly thereafter discovered a box full of Oak bedpost balls,...$1.00 each. Then I recalled I had several trailer hitch balls under my bench. Turns out the "balls" worked great and the bumper guard was $10.00 wasted. I've benefited from the encouragement of a very talented retired bodyman who has achieved spectacular results with a minimum inventory of costly tools. I also decided that as long as I was stepping into unknown territory, why not make the shape of the pocket a little more interesting than that shown in the drawing previously posted.
Wait he’s going to skin a cat with that?!? guess it’s more humane than the bumper guard or the wood bed posts lol
Post #433, I like the 'stooge' ground out of the bar. Lesson in 'hammer into or hammer over'... I do both, but the lesson in the metal over wood was sound. (Thought I invented that when 17 or 18... I also have trailer balls. LOL)
Well shit!!!! I was all primed to post pics of my success of installing the distributor pocket into the firewall I've been bangin on for a few days. I keep lookin and measurin the features that need to accommodate stuff like the bell housing and distributor. But, before I chopped a hole in my precious firewall I mocked up the flange for the pocket just for a visual. Plenty of width and depth but SHIT!!!! not enough height for wires to loop even with 90 degree boots. T'would be a total bummer to discover that at a later date. Soooo,....tomorrow's activity will be modifying the distributor pocket. In the meantime I'm gonna have a beer(s) and watch football. -
Going forward from the disappointment of needing to chop into the piece so tediously created, I "sucked it up" and got to work to make it right. No excuse for a less than good job just because of the labor invested. Think this wasn't painful This is the image I was hoping to post a coupla days ago. A challenge that needs to be addressed now is seating of the flange against the firewall along the 45 degree rib (on the right in this view). Looking close, half way down the new flange, you can see a chink in the rib. That suggests a point of impact, maybe from pulling an engine at an earlier time. The firewall is depressed in that area a good 1/4 inch, preventing the pocket flange from laying on the same plane as the rest of the firewall. Henry's 15ga steel takes some force to modify so I'm anticipating the need for another set of hands and a BFH to bring the surface into compliance.
Couldn't come up with more hands or a big enough hammer so I resorted to the basic machines of levers and screws,....and heat to pull the rib out to an acceptable plane.
You don't have to do crosswords or sudoku to keep your brain active when you have an old car Bill. Good job!
I was missing the last few updates. Looks really good Bill. In my opinion I like the second version of the distributor pocket design wise better though you did a nice job on both.
I was imagining I could bring this firewall into a restored bare metal thing of beauty where painting it would only cover the exquisite massaging I had achieved. Ha!, silly me! At this point the firewall looked more like my face after a visit to the dermatologist. So,....paint covered the ugly shit. I purposely left some of the original scars and spot weld dimples as I prefer to see some of the experience that this old girl has endured prior to my ownership.
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