Firewall REMOVED!!!!!!

[Spdfrk]

Well we finally did it. We removed the firewall today in 3 hours and 30 minutes. ALOT OF WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Factory bonding was everywhere, SOLUTION??? HAMMER AND CHISSEL!!!

Here are some pics for you guys.

All out thanks to 69MYWAY, his info was really helpfull.

Enjoy the pics.

 

[Spdfrk]

This is the passenger door pillar, see the gap, took the better part of an hour just to get it that far AFTER we took off all the bolts and chisseled off the rivets.

 

[Spdfrk]

She's a commin!!!!

The top is loose but the bottom is still bonded on the drivers side.

 

[Spdfrk]

And she's OFF!!!!!

After some more cutting and pulling the bonding finally gave way.

 

[Spdfrk]

This is an example of "What you can't see CAN hurt you!!"

This is what the rust in the lower passenger side windshield looked like before we decided to remove the firewall.

 

[Spdfrk]

This is what was really under the firewall. See the difference!!!

 

[vigman]

Wow!

Great pix's, good info!

So where do you get a NEW pillar?


Vig!

 

[sscam69]

Yeah I second that question, where do you get another one of those. I will post a pic as to why I am asking.

Its going to be a busy day tommorow but I will take an hour or so to take some well needed/overdue pictures.

 

[Spdfrk]

The pillar isnt all that bad. It is still solid and the rust you can see is mostly just surface stuff. The window frame as you can see is really eaten through. We have a guy in Virginia I think that has a wrecker yard and is sending us a new window frame. He said he has lots of stuff like that so if we need any thing else we can ask him. He dosent have a web site as far as I know but he does have a number.

 

[69MyWay]

Finding all that extra rust really makes it worth having taking it this far apart. I swear to you, there must be thousands of Sharks out there right now, some for sale, some that have just been bought, and others that the owners think were "frame off restored", or being sold as a super all orginal car, that are just like yours.

 

[billybob]

Not sure if this helps,


But I was looking for some more parts myself the other night and came across these.

http://store.yahoo.com/zipproducts/body---related-windshield-frames---rocker-channels.html

Bill

 

[sscam69]

I was running the hot wire from the fan relay to my battery and this is what I found when i removed the kickpanel

This tells me what I have in store for the future!!

Thats why I am curious where I can find this parts. I figure I am going to have to replace that whole frame so if I am hoping I can buy it from an aftermarket company instead of having to search for it through junkyards.

 

[69MyWay]

Hey SS,

that is not that bad. That alone does not mean you have a substantial problem. Poor some water on the windshield and get inside and watch. If you see it coming through and dripping in there than you do have a problem. If not, just apply/spray a liberal amount of rust attacking chemicals in there, let it dry out, and spray some good POR 15, or other rust fighting paint in there.

From the factory that area is only painted in primer, so after some time it collects surface rust due and can look worse than it is. As long as you can't poke a screw driver through the metal, and you don't have a flood of water getting in from the base of and pillars of the windshield, you are fine.

 

[sscam69]

I hope so Chris

I really do, honestly I think thats the only thing I am really worried about when I start this body off resto.

I don't know where this car has been but I would figure around here in the southwest. On the title of the car the previous owner lived in new mexico. If this car has remained around here it might not be that bad because of the dry weather.

But I won't know the extent of the rust until I take this thing apart. I am really anxious to get started!!

Frank