1966 chevy truck engine swap to LS1

[1966chevy]

Originally Posted by ls60apache

love the look of the smooth cowl!! can you give us details on the process to get it this way? thanks!!

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I added AC to the truck, so I removed the fresh air intake on each kick panel. I sealed to opening w/indents to accept speakers. I also created custom kick panels with speakers mounts up where the fresh air vents use to be, check out the PICS.

So, I didn't need the cowl vent any more. I was going to do it myself, but it was much easier to have someone else do it! I took it to a body shop where they made a jig to hold in place so it would not move while working on it. While it was secure, they slowly cut out the vents without warping the panel. Then they replaced it with another peace of metal tacking it in place. Then they fiber-glasses the underside of the panel and completed the body work on the top of the cowl. The cost was $125 including a trade of another cowl. An extra one I had purchased in case I messed up this one. Good Luck and thanks for commenting!

[ls60apache]

Originally Posted by 1966chevy

.

I added AC to the truck, so I removed the fresh air intake on each kick panel. I sealed to opening w/indents to accept speakers. I also created custom kick panels with speakers mounts up where the fresh air vents use to be, check out the PICS.

So, I didn't need the cowl vent any more. I was going to do it myself, but it was much easier to have someone else do it! I took it to a body shop where they made a jig to hold in place so it would not move while working on it. While it was secure, they slowly cut out the vents without warping the panel. Then they replaced it with another peace of metal tacking it in place. Then they fiber-glasses the underside of the panel and completed the body work on the top of the cowl. The cost was $125 including a trade of another cowl. An extra one I had purchased in case I messed up this one. Good Luck and thanks for commenting!

thanks for responding back! is the cowl sealed to keep water out of the wiper linkage area,or did u redirect drainage around the speakers in the stock location!! thanks again

[1966chevy]

Originally Posted by ls60apache

thanks for responding back! is the cowl sealed to keep water out of the wiper linkage area,or did u redirect drainage around the speakers in the stock location!! thanks again

The cowl seal is meant to keep water out of the engine bay. It directs water to the outside areas. If you keep you cowl/vents, Water can still get to the speaker area to drain/drip out of the bottom but I sealed it off to the interior. Factory drainage holes are there. If they get clogged with leave thats the reason this area rusts out. I didn't like that leaves would get blown into my vehicle during the summer months because the vents were open to get fresh air. It would be the only way I could get them out as well.
I didn't need the cowl vent any longer because the only reason its there is to allow fresh air to get directed into the interiors air vents. I now don't get leaves blowing in. When I want fresh air I put the windows down, When I want AC windows are up and I get fresh AC blowing!! Convert to AC its well worth it!
Keep it clean......