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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

Cowl removal progress thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter 306notchback
  • Start date Start date Aug 21, 2008
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306notchback

Member
Dec 24, 2007
62
0
7
Bells, Tx.
Aug 21, 2008
#1
  • Aug 21, 2008
  • #1
Well me and my buddy 68stang351(seen in pictures) are in the process of doing the body work on my 88 coupe! After my cowl hood flew up and destroyed my cowl I figured repairing the cowl would be the first step. I've never seen the actual removal of the cowl, so we decided to post a progress thread, figured it might be helpful! The first step is removing everything from the face of the cowl and drill the spot welds out.
Tools needed:
Drill, 3/16 drill bit
Air Chisel
Die Grinder
BEER




 

Mr. Rustypwnz

Advanced Member
Jun 1, 2005
1,761
63
69
indianapolis/ valdosta ga
Aug 21, 2008
#2
  • Aug 21, 2008
  • #2
dont you just love spot welds!!!
 

306notchback

Member
Dec 24, 2007
62
0
7
Bells, Tx.
Aug 21, 2008
#3
  • Aug 21, 2008
  • #3
slow95gt said:
dont you just love spot welds!!!
Click to expand...

Yeah I cant believe how many there are, but the beer helps!
 

Mr. Rustypwnz

Advanced Member
Jun 1, 2005
1,761
63
69
indianapolis/ valdosta ga
Aug 21, 2008
#4
  • Aug 21, 2008
  • #4
just make sure you have either a die grinder or a spot weld drill bit and youll be fine.. I used to to that all day everyday, so 2-3 weeks after its done youll get all the shavings off of ya and be a happy man lol
 

SPEEDYLIFSAVR

Founding Member
Sep 18, 2000
666
0
16
FL,89 LX 5.0
Aug 23, 2008
#5
  • Aug 23, 2008
  • #5
Subscribing.......I'm curious about doing this repair also . I quick fixed mine with a dent puller and some bondo . This seems like a better fix though .


off topic - what is that thing inside the fender just below the cowl?
 

306notchback

Member
Dec 24, 2007
62
0
7
Bells, Tx.
Aug 23, 2008
#6
  • Aug 23, 2008
  • #6
SPEEDYLIFSAVR said:
Subscribing.......I'm curious about doing this repair also . I quick fixed mine with a dent puller and some bondo . This seems like a better fix though .


off topic - what is that thing inside the fender just below the cowl?
Click to expand...

Thats the cruise control setup, its now gone! Yeah I thinks its the best and easiest way, were not going to acutally remove the whole cowl, what were doing is removing I guess half of it. Were removing all the spot welds from the windshield foward, then were going to cut it from left to right just below the windshield, and then remove it instead of removing the windsheild and dash! Then im replacing it with one from a donor car.
Well keep posting as we go!
 

68stang351

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
850
9
39
Savoy TX
Aug 24, 2008
#7
  • Aug 24, 2008
  • #7
306notchback said:
one from a donor car.
Click to expand...

amnit:
 
B

bentley429

Banned
Nov 25, 2004
528
3
0
Connecticut
Aug 24, 2008
#8
  • Aug 24, 2008
  • #8
Looks like your in for a little bit of work thats for sure.
 

306notchback

Member
Dec 24, 2007
62
0
7
Bells, Tx.
Aug 27, 2008
#9
  • Aug 27, 2008
  • #9
Did some more work, here are some pics of cutting the cowl out! Hope to get the donor cowl this Friday!




[


 

68stang351

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
850
9
39
Savoy TX
Aug 27, 2008
#10
  • Aug 27, 2008
  • #10
One more thing worth noting is to watch out for that brace that holds the wiper pivot on the drivers side. It's easy to forget that its there if you're cutting the cowl out like we did. We could have accidentally cut through it.
 

306notchback

Member
Dec 24, 2007
62
0
7
Bells, Tx.
Aug 27, 2008
#11
  • Aug 27, 2008
  • #11
Also the vertical pieces still left from the cowl on both sides are coming out, the donor one wont be cut there, I will be drilling the spot welds out there, and removing the cowl as one piece!
 

FrankenStang

Now, give me a damn CT!
15 Year Member
Apr 16, 2005
4,461
70
129
Florence, Az
Aug 29, 2008
#12
  • Aug 29, 2008
  • #12
This thread is not about beer. C'mon guys....

Stay on topic.
 

306notchback

Member
Dec 24, 2007
62
0
7
Bells, Tx.
Aug 29, 2008
#13
  • Aug 29, 2008
  • #13
Today we cut the donor cowl out, but we were way more careful cutting it out as one piece! We did just a fast mach up and it turned out pretty good. All is left if welding it in and minor body panel alignment!







 

68stang351

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
850
9
39
Savoy TX
Aug 29, 2008
#14
  • Aug 29, 2008
  • #14
Not bad huh? Keep in mind we are not bodywork guys, we've done nothing close to this before. This is our first time at doing a major body project like this, and we are learning as we go. We just thought you would like to see what kind of stuff we got into. We are just average Joe's wanting to make a fox look nice.

I really can't believe how easy this was. We seriously only have like 10 hrs of work AT MOST into this so far.

All we have to do now is to weld it in for good, but it will be lined up like it is in the pics.

Then the rest of the bodywork will began. Notchback wants to paint this car Oxford White, and replacing his F'd up cowl was first on the bodywork list and we thought we would make a thread on the cowl replacement since as far as we could tell no one else has on Stangnet.
 

68stang351

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
850
9
39
Savoy TX
Aug 29, 2008
#15
  • Aug 29, 2008
  • #15
WTF? Is there no interest in this?
 

It's a 5_0 HO

New Member
Dec 20, 2006
42
0
0
Aug 29, 2008
#16
  • Aug 29, 2008
  • #16
That is a damn good job for FIRST TIMERS!!!! Major props! Well done guys!
 
J

Juggalo95

New Member
May 27, 2007
151
0
0
Aug 30, 2008
#17
  • Aug 30, 2008
  • #17
306notchback said:
Did some more work, here are some pics of cutting the cowl out! Hope to get the donor cowl this Friday!



Click to expand...

Just A Quick TIP for anyone doing any grinding near glass or windshield especially...COVER IT with a blanket or towel...grinder sparks will leave lil marks in your windshield...you wont notice untill your driving on a sunny day.

Also as mentioned early Spot Weld Drill bit is better than a regular drill bit.

Im not being a *******..just lending some of my know how.

Good job for being 1st timers
 

68stang351

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
850
9
39
Savoy TX
Aug 30, 2008
#18
  • Aug 30, 2008
  • #18
Juggalo95 said:
Just A Quick TIP for anyone doing any grinding near glass or windshield especially...COVER IT with a blanket or towel...grinder sparks will leave lil marks in your windshield...you wont notice untill your driving on a sunny day.

Also as mentioned early Spot Weld Drill bit is better than a regular drill bit.

Im not being a *******..just lending some of my know how.

Good job for being 1st timers
Click to expand...

Thanks. I kinda wish we knew that before, but thanks for the advice. I guess we should check his windsheild to make sure its okay.
 

68stang351

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
850
9
39
Savoy TX
Sep 20, 2008
#19
  • Sep 20, 2008
  • #19
We're about to start bodywork on the rest of the car.
 

68stang351

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
850
9
39
Savoy TX
Apr 3, 2009
#20
  • Apr 3, 2009
  • #20
Getting my buddies coupe (306notchback) close to paint, we've been sanding it down to bare metal and almost have it fully primered!
 
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