rusted cowls, how to fix??

[89lx2.3]

HI, i have a 66 and like many the cowls are nice and rusty. I am planning on fixing this when i do the rest of my sheetmetal work in the spring probably and am sourcing some parts now. The thing is i cant seem to find anything to replace the vent (coffee can sized part with flap connected to cable just below the steering column) for the drivers side. not only is the "hat" part of the cowl rusty but it leaked down through and rusted out this part too, i dont see how it would be possible to save.

Now, is this thing really necessary, i dont plan to be driving around in the rain when its done, and dont think i really need a vent (thats what windows are for) but i dont want to just weld the whole thing shut, or would that be better? Im planning on gettin the whole replacement panels from NPD and but they dont appear to sell this vent part (although it is in one of the pics in their catalog). anyone dealt with a similar problem or run across a replacement option?

thanks!

 

[SuperDave]

Ever consider a cowl cap or cover? Properly done, cowl repair is NOT easy or cheap. You start by removing the front fenders.......... Most of the Mustang mags have done illustrated articles on this repair.

 

[89lx2.3]

yeah i have read a couple reviews of the repairs (have like 6 years worth of mustang monthly), thats why i wanted to make sure it was done right the first time, but i cant seem to find this particular part. I need new floor pans and door skins and i need to repair a smashed up quarter and when I got to looking up in there real close the other night i saw how rusty this thing was (the pass side is not extremely bad, but the drivers side is a mess) i just dont know if i could put all this work into it and know that was still up in there.

I suppose it would be a valid option to just cover up the hole so no water gets in, since its not going to be a daily driver or anything, and will be garaged... but even if i did that i would still want to try and seal it a little with the plastic hat kits and get as much por-15 up in there as possible. but the particular part i was trying to describe is the part that is actually inside the car up under the dash, is there anyone that makes that part?

 

[SuperDave]

Not to my knowledge. A donor car maybe??

I've done several cars that turned out to be simply too far gone. I once fell in "love" with a '66 289, four-speed, Pony interior car that was much farther gone than I had originally thought. By the time I finished it, I HATED the car because I had invested so much time and money in it.

"Timeless Wisdom #1" was the result of this experience. Be advised.

 

[89lx2.3]

I will have to take another closer look up in there tomorrow and see if it is as bad as I remember (or worse). other than the bottom of the door skins (and the floor pans as a result of the leaking cowl) there is not too much rust on the car. i could tell by faded paint that someone had layed a board or something over the vents by the windshield to try and keep the water out and im now thinking that it just kept it from drying out faster than it would have had it not been there at all since it obviously didnt serve its intended purpose. Ill have to look around next time im at the junkyard or see if i could possibly fab up something instead.

 

[NorCal66]

I know the part you're talking about and I never found it in any of the suppliers' catalogs either. Right now I'm just driving around with it completely off. It gets coooooold on the left leg when you start pickin up speed
Good luck on finding it, if it is really bad and you can't use it, I'd take SD's advice and try and get one from a donor car or junkyard.

 

[Frankies65]

I had the same problems with my car. Check my website to see pics of the process. I bought a used vent can from a guy in CA and just tossed my old one. Might want to check with Jason Mountz as well:

http://www.vintage-ford-parts.com/mustangpage.htm

It was a pain in the a$$, but not really all that hard to accomplish. Splitting the cover was the worst part. If you can weld floor pans you can do this. Plus you can then add a coating in the cowl to make sure it doesn't rust up again.

Good Luck.

Frank

 

[SuperDave]

BTW: "Timeless Wisdom #8 is intended to be sarcastic rather than suggestive.

Just like building a house, you don't want to build one (a car) on a poor foundation.

 

[GaPonyFarm]

If you can get some measurements, better yet, get the old vent out, you can probably get a new piece fabricated at a reasonable cost... I've never found one for sale, and I've never seen one in a junkyard that was any good. Or you could remove it and live without the vent.

I've decided on my next 66 project, i'm going to close in the outer cowl vent openings and just keep the water out of the car forever. I saw a couple of cars like this at shows last year and they really looked good...nice & clean in front of the windshield.

 

[1973mach1]

Anyone know were I can buy these vent covers? I have a 73' Mustang. I have a 2in by 4in rust hole above my glove box, when I take the carboard glove box out I can see through the hood., I'll probally grind down the rust, and just cover the vent. I dont care too much how it looks since the 71-73 hoods cover the wipers and vents.

Jim