A rusty E-body question

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Tue Jan 24, 06 1:20 pm

I sand blasted the firewall on the Challenger at the weekend, and as I expected it needs a bit of work. At either end is a factory hole around 8" across. I know the one on the passengers side is an air intake for the heater box, but I can't remember what the one on the drivers side is for. It needs repairing, and if its not important I'll just get shot of it.
What is this hole for?

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Tue Jan 24, 06 1:33 pm

That is a new one on me.

I will take some detail photos of the bulkhead on my 1970 for you tonight.

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Tue Jan 24, 06 1:44 pm

thats factory
its for lettin fresh air in to that black plastic box jobbie by drivers feet with the pull cable to it you dont have to keep it but it does serve a purpose

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Tue Jan 24, 06 1:46 pm

sure can go rough e bodies in that bulkhead area
i have the whole front shootin match mint nik for sale not cheap cheap

Post by **MattH** » Tue Jan 24, 06 1:57 pm

Agreed , it is the fresh air intake , there is one each side, one goes through into the heater, the other straight into the car, you need to make sure the upstand around thee dge is complete and sound or all the rain water running through the heater plenum runs straight into the footwells and rots the floors. Ive done all this job on my Chally, much easier to bite the bullet and cut a big lump off the top so you can get right in there, then weld it back on afterwards. It is mostly covered by front fenders anyway.

Post by **MattH** » Tue Jan 24, 06 1:59 pm

By the way the roof hole is not more rust hidden under the vinyl it is a power sunroof!
Possibly dealer fit, rather than factory ( no fender tag so can't be sure)

Post by **MattH** » Tue Jan 24, 06 2:02 pm

Dan, I just rea;lised youve gone bolder than I and cut the WHOLE of the top of the bulkhead off, I just cut either end off. Well done for getting stuck right in. It will be worth it in the end.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Tue Jan 24, 06 2:08 pm

AH! Didn't realise the top of the bulkhead was cut off. I thought it looked odd.

I will have to have a close inspection of my car to see if I can see it. Mine came with air con so I don't have a fresh air flap.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Tue Jan 24, 06 3:06 pm

I have to say, I take my hat off to guys taking cars on that need that level of work. Not only do you need skills, you need the ability to visualise how you go about doing the work and what the end result needs to be.

Good luck with the project

I couldnt do it

latil · Post by **latil** » Tue Jan 24, 06 3:16 pm

Clivey,come and see mine sometime.

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Tue Jan 24, 06 3:25 pm

yours should still have that body pressing dave and the fresh air pot hanging down off it, and matt is right it has a tower sticking up around 2" high to stop water running in easy to make and then seam seal around it to be sure, then make sure you have noce water drain aways from each corner off that lower bulkhead

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Tue Jan 24, 06 3:36 pm

I will check that out Duncan. I could do with a bit of air in the summer.

MrNorm · Post by **MrNorm** » Tue Jan 24, 06 6:27 pm

everthing Dunc said.

Here's mine....

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Tue Jan 24, 06 7:01 pm

Cannonball wrote:yours should still have that body pressing dave and the fresh air pot hanging down off it,

NOPE!

I thought it was funny that it didn't ring any bells with me.

MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE THIS.

I reached in as far as i could but couldn't feel it. Then I stuck my little digital camera in there and took some photos. Nothing there except loose rust and old cobwebs.

Then I took a shot looking up under the dash to where the "fresh air pot" would be. Just plain steel.

Maybe this is something that was added to the cars later in production? My car was built October '69.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Tue Jan 24, 06 7:29 pm

Thanks for all the help, nice to see i'm not the first to tackle this. Was a bit worried about cutting off the top of the bulkhead, but now its off I'm glad I did. Makes repairs a lot easier.
I think i'm going to plate this hole over then. If Dave doesn't need it, then neither do I, I haven't got a fresh air pot anyway.