The driver side, side cowl (all 3 pieces) have been tacked into place (see photos). As many of you had warned, that "middle cowl" piece was a bear. Basically, I cut it into 3 pieces, got the bottom to fit OK, got the top to fit OK and then shaped the middle to meet the top and bottom. Work has started on the passenger side, side cowl. In this case (see photo) I am taking Carl52's advice and I am going to attempt to preserve the original "middle cowl piece". As the photo shows, I experimented with hacking up the inner cowl and the outer cowl so that I would not have to deal with fitting the area where the side cowl meets the top, front cowl (where the hood hinges attach, etc),to avoid affecting where the windlace channel is attached, and to avoid melting the lead at the top of the outer side cowl, etc. After some initial cutting of outer and inner cowl pieces to see what the challenges might be, I THINK I have decided to completely remove original outer cowl and inner cowl as I did on the driver side. The deciding factor was my welding skills. I am afraid that I would not get a clean weld and grind across all of the surgical cuts required to fit "hacked up" inner and outer cowls. So the plan on the passenger side is new inner cowl, new outer cowl and reuse the original middle cowl. If anyone has any advice for me on this approach, fire away. I am always open to a better way. While I have your attention, please see last photo. I am missing one of these 3/8-24 nuts. Now I know I can hack up your average, everyday 3/8-24 nut and weld it in place since I have the whole side cowl open, but I was wondering if there is a source for acquiring an original style nut, short of scouring boneyards for a donor (AD bones are hard to come by these days). Thanks
The square caged nut? I've made those many times by cutting up 1/2" rectangular stock. Drill & tap, looks original (and convenient).
1949 Chevrolet 3/4 Ton - Still Solid. Regular Driver OT Vehicles: 1925 Hudson Brougham Super Six 1950 Chevrolet Styline (Parts) 1952 Canuck Pontiac Sedan Delivery (Well Underway) 1973 F250 4x4 Highboy 1977 F250 4x4 Lowboy
While I have your attention, please see last photo. I am missing one of these 3/8-24 nuts. Now I know I can hack up your average, everyday 3/8-24 nut and weld it in place since I have the whole side cowl open, but I was wondering if there is a source for acquiring an original style nut, short of scouring boneyards for a donor (AD bones are hard to come by these days). Thanks
Pat, take a look at McMaster Carr. They have a selection of weld nuts that you could use, but I'd weld in a generic hex nut (since it can't be seen anyway.)
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
