Small piece of metal on firewall - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**MidLifer** · 03-05-2018, 10:22 AM

Hey guys - haven't posted in this forum for a while as my 50 has been asleep for a few years while other things (including the LQ4 I dropped in my 71) got in the way. Getting back to it, have the body at a shop getting final work done to get ready for paint.

My guy has a question - the attached photo (borrowed from another build thread) shows a piece of sheet metal that screws into the firewall on each side. My suspicion is this is a mud guard that the General added in as an afterthought. My body guy wants to know if he can fab up new ones and weld them to the (new) firewall, or else just leave them out.

Your sage guidance will be most appreciated as always.

jweb · 03-05-2018, 10:54 AM

You can buy them here:
https://www.classicparts.com/1947-54...ctinfo/37-791/

I have driven without them for 10 years. I didn't know they existed until recently and since my truck is getting painted I will be adding them.

**MidLifer** · 03-05-2018, 10:58 AM

Thanks for the quick reply, but that wasn't really my question. My question is - are they necessary, considering that this truck will never see rain, much less dirt and mud?

whitedog76 · 03-05-2018, 11:21 AM

I don't really see the point in them myself. It may have more of a cosmetic thing a GM engineer came up with in the 40's. My best guess is that they keep you from seeing all the body seems when the hood is open.

Weld some sheet metal over it and paint it.

jweb · 03-05-2018, 11:29 AM

I don't think they're necessary, for the 10 years I drove around without them I never noticed any issues. I got stuck in a few rain storms and drove down a few muddy/gravel roads and never saw anything that looked like it came through the opening.

Since I have never seen these installed I filled in the screw holes but I had the parts painted. That way I can go with or without depending on the way they look.

mr48chev · 03-05-2018, 12:00 PM

I think they are more cosmetic than functional. That said it is probably less expensive to buy them than to have the body dude fab them

I take it that you are building a trailer queen that will ride to shows in and enclosed trailer if you figure it will never get driven in the rain or on wet or muddy streets. Or you will never drive it more than a hour away from the house. I've been caught in more than one gully washer rain storm while on the road to an event when there wasn't a cloud in the sky when I left the house and it was bright and sunny at the event. I've left the house here to go to Henry's Haulers Picnic on the other side of the pass and got caught in a snow storm on April 28 one year. Stuff happens if you actually drive them.

b-mac · 03-05-2018, 04:58 PM

To me, it's a small example of the engineering in 1949 vs. 2017.

"All looks good, but what about that little hole there?"

"Here..." (get's out tin-snips) "Fixed!"

NorCalGal · 03-05-2018, 11:20 PM

Seen a couple guys on here weld in a filler and smooth in with the firewall.

b-mac · 03-06-2018, 07:36 AM

Seems like that would make it impossible (or very difficult) to get the inner and outer fenders on.

MARTINSR · 03-06-2018, 10:59 AM

There is NOTHING that would be easier than that to fab out of sheetmetal. A small piece of sheetmetal from the hardware store, a pair of tin snips and in two and a half minutes you have it!

Brian

OrrieG · 03-06-2018, 04:02 PM

Is it the flap that let's you rod out all the stuff that comes in the cowl vent? Original has a screw on the bottom.

**MidLifer** · 03-07-2018, 09:53 AM

Thanks all. We'll probably leave them out based on what I've read here. I'm not going for concours points on this build.

03-05-2018, 10:22 AM	#1
MidLifer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: South NJ Posts: 1,257	Small piece of metal on firewall Hey guys - haven't posted in this forum for a while as my 50 has been asleep for a few years while other things (including the LQ4 I dropped in my 71) got in the way. Getting back to it, have the body at a shop getting final work done to get ready for paint. My guy has a question - the attached photo (borrowed from another build thread) shows a piece of sheet metal that screws into the firewall on each side. My suspicion is this is a mud guard that the General added in as an afterthought. My body guy wants to know if he can fab up new ones and weld them to the (new) firewall, or else just leave them out. Your sage guidance will be most appreciated as always. Attached Images

03-05-2018, 10:54 AM	#2
jweb Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,181	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall You can buy them here: https://www.classicparts.com/1947-54...ctinfo/37-791/ I have driven without them for 10 years. I didn't know they existed until recently and since my truck is getting painted I will be adding them. __________________ 1951 Truck, LS1/4L60 1964 Suburban, current project 2014 Silverado daily driver 1953 Westerner "canned ham" trailer, rebuilt 1974 Prowler trailer, rebuilt Last edited by jweb; 03-05-2018 at 11:01 AM.

03-05-2018, 10:58 AM	#3
MidLifer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: South NJ Posts: 1,257	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall Thanks for the quick reply, but that wasn't really my question. My question is - are they necessary, considering that this truck will never see rain, much less dirt and mud?

03-05-2018, 11:21 AM	#4
whitedog76 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Peoria, IL Posts: 1,450	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall I don't really see the point in them myself. It may have more of a cosmetic thing a GM engineer came up with in the 40's. My best guess is that they keep you from seeing all the body seems when the hood is open. Weld some sheet metal over it and paint it.

03-05-2018, 11:29 AM	#5
jweb Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,181	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall I don't think they're necessary, for the 10 years I drove around without them I never noticed any issues. I got stuck in a few rain storms and drove down a few muddy/gravel roads and never saw anything that looked like it came through the opening. Since I have never seen these installed I filled in the screw holes but I had the parts painted. That way I can go with or without depending on the way they look. __________________ 1951 Truck, LS1/4L60 1964 Suburban, current project 2014 Silverado daily driver 1953 Westerner "canned ham" trailer, rebuilt 1974 Prowler trailer, rebuilt

03-05-2018, 12:00 PM	#6
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,282	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall I think they are more cosmetic than functional. That said it is probably less expensive to buy them than to have the body dude fab them I take it that you are building a trailer queen that will ride to shows in and enclosed trailer if you figure it will never get driven in the rain or on wet or muddy streets. Or you will never drive it more than a hour away from the house. I've been caught in more than one gully washer rain storm while on the road to an event when there wasn't a cloud in the sky when I left the house and it was bright and sunny at the event. I've left the house here to go to Henry's Haulers Picnic on the other side of the pass and got caught in a snow storm on April 28 one year. Stuff happens if you actually drive them. __________________ Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around.

03-05-2018, 04:58 PM	#7
b-mac Registered User Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Wichita Posts: 516	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall To me, it's a small example of the engineering in 1949 vs. 2017. "All looks good, but what about that little hole there?" "Here..." (get's out tin-snips) "Fixed!"

03-05-2018, 11:20 PM	#8
NorCalGal Registered User Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Yuba City, CA. Posts: 678	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall Seen a couple guys on here weld in a filler and smooth in with the firewall. __________________ Jan's 53

03-06-2018, 07:36 AM	#9
b-mac Registered User Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Wichita Posts: 516	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall Seems like that would make it impossible (or very difficult) to get the inner and outer fenders on.

03-06-2018, 10:59 AM	#10
MARTINSR Registered User Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 6,001	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall There is NOTHING that would be easier than that to fab out of sheetmetal. A small piece of sheetmetal from the hardware store, a pair of tin snips and in two and a half minutes you have it! Brian __________________ 1948 Chevy pickup Chopped, Sectioned, 1953 Corvette 235 powered. Once was even 401 Buick mid engined with the carburetor right between the seats! Bought with paper route money in 1973 when I was 15. "Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

03-06-2018, 04:02 PM	#11
OrrieG Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 8,800	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall Is it the flap that let's you rod out all the stuff that comes in the cowl vent? Original has a screw on the bottom. __________________ 1959 Chevy Short Fleetside w/ 74 4WD drive train (current project) OrrieG Build Thread 1964 Chevelle Malibu w/ 355-350TH (daily driver) Helpful AD and TF Manual Site Old Car Manual Project

03-07-2018, 09:53 AM	#12
MidLifer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: South NJ Posts: 1,257	Re: Small piece of metal on firewall Thanks all. We'll probably leave them out based on what I've read here. I'm not going for concours points on this build.



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