attempt to smooth eng. bay

Travis77 · Jul 18, 2006

I would like to start cleaning up my engine bay on my 67. What is the most sensible way to clean up the inner panels/firewall. I can't totally smooth inner panels because the shock towers must remain. The top portion of the inner panels where the fenders sit onthe inside of the car are a little dented up. And while I'm improving the looks there, I would like to fill in any holes not being used etc.. Should I leave the large slanted factory stampings? Should I install new smooth firewall? Would you just add new metal over existing panels, or cut out old and install new? I definately want straight body lines when finished so I want to approach this in the right direction. Got advice guys on any of this?

1320stang · Jul 18, 2006

The slanted stampings add rigidity to the panel. Go to Home Depot or Lowes and they have pieces of aluminum and metal in like 12"x18" sizes. Take a piece in your hands and try twisting it. The metal has some give to it, the stampings are much more rigid. Another wat to look at it, reach over into the middle of the roof of your stang and push down with your thumb, see how much deflection there is? Now go to the middle of your front fender and push on the body line above the wheel well, harder to push, isn't it?

In my opinion, taking out any dents that aren't factory and filling any holes that aren't used looks really nice. The fox body cars are notorious for having tons of tiny holes the size of sheet metal screws all over the engine compartment, those cars with all those filled and smoothed and painted body color look awesome and very clean.

Travis77 · Jul 18, 2006

clean engine bays

Hey, I realize that the slats are for structural purposed. I am thinking of just cutting metal that will fit inside and weld it up flush. Not cut the oval portion out and install a new flush piece by butt welding it into place. Anyway, I am less bugged by the oval stampings.
I'm still debating on what to do about the upper piece of the inner fenders that the outers ride on. All the imperfection here is what's got me being anal.

Does anyone have pictures of any clean engine bays that have retained the shock towers?

See you are from Edmond. I am going to be there this weekend for my cousins wedding. Wish it was going to be a little cooler up there.

1320stang · Jul 18, 2006

Too bad I won't be in town, I'd have you come by afterwards and we'd go by some buddies houses to check out their rides.

Hey, it's gotta be cooler and less humidity than Houston!!! Actually, this weekend there's a chance of rain and the highs are only 95 & 96.

You could weld something in, but being it's sheetmetal, you'd likely warp the heck out of it. Now you could fab up some panels to go over the whole area, maybe out of SS or aluminum and rivet them in, but they'd have a tendancy to rattle I'd think.

Show a pic of the imperfections so we can see if it's not normal. You should be able to take a hammer and dolly to that flange with the fender off to straighten it up.

Travis77 · Jul 18, 2006

I will post some pics as soon as I get some crap out of the way.

Travis77 · Jul 21, 2006

Okay, to those that are in the mood to give free advise this morning.

I guess my options are to dolly it out straight, replace just the upper section some how, or to just replace both the front and rear inner panel. Which ever I choose, I want to insure the fenders have plenty of adjustability and gaps end up good.

http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?userid=130137&cdate=20060721&ctime=081505

http://www.dropshots.com/day.php?userid=130137&cdate=20060721&ctime=081744

mustangdave · Jul 21, 2006

How about those polished s.s. covers the venders sell?

mustangdave · Jul 21, 2006

Here is a link:
http://websearch.cs.com/gw/boomfram...est=1&remove_url=http://www.mustangsplus.com/

lauras70mach1 · Jul 21, 2006

I'm smoothing my engine bay:

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=638458

I describe some of what I did in this thread:

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=643922

Hope this helps.

Travis77 · Jul 21, 2006

Man you have been busy with that thing. It's looking great. On the firewall piece that you installed to achiece the smooth look, was that new panel butt welded in place? If not could you give a little more detail. Also, since you smoothed the firewall, are you going to smooth out the factory stamped sections?
Yesterday I finished smoothing my cowl panel. Still have a bunch of work left but it did give me some much needed confidence. Thanks for the pics..

lauras70mach1 · Jul 22, 2006

The firewall actually took two attempts - the first I tried to butt weld, but the piece I had to cut to fit had so many curves and angles it was nearly impossible to cut the piece of steel to fit well enough to butt weld. So, for the second attempt, I bent the trans tunnel into a flange and used a straight edge to make sure it was all flush. I had left an "edge" around most of the opening so I could grind the welds once the new piece was butt welded so I just used that edge as my flange the rest of the way around. Then I cut a new piece of steel using a posterboard template and drilled holes all around the perimeter. I put it in place using sheet metal screws then plug welded all the holes and also welded all the edges. If I get some time today I'll post some photos of it in progress.

Backtracking a little, when I cut out the heater box I just used the ends to form the new end of the opening, if that makes any sense. Basically I just shortened the whole deal. In hindsight, I wish I would have made it even shorter, but oh well.

As for the beads and stuff in the aprons, I'm going to leave those - I don't mind the look of them.

LUCAFU1 · Jul 22, 2006

hopefulley i can get mine looking as good as yours

View attachment 453776
View attachment 453777

attempt to smooth eng. bay

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My rearend needs a stud and two nuts.

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attempt to smooth eng. bay

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