The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Anyone ever try reproducing...

an original style firewall cover? I'm thinking I'd like to try to do this, but I'm not sure exactly what materials were used originally. Is the outer cover jute? I'm sure that a much better insulation could be devised, but I'd like to reproduce the stock appearance of the firewall, and it seems like using jute (or whatever that stuff is) is the only way to do it. So....has anyone tried it? If so, any pointers? I was thinking about making a plaster cast from one of the new ABS ones, and then trying to form the jute to that cast, and then figuring out how to insulate from there. Thanks!! I'm glad this resource exists. You all seem to really know your stuff.


Josh

Hookers55NAPCO , the orginial firewall color was the same as the exterior, what do you want to do here????

he wants to reproduce an original inside cover for the firewall, which is actually called a 'dash panel mat insulator'

yes Hook, it's jute backed, asphalt impregnated cardboard - be hard to form to a good fit, which is why they don't make the 'correct' repro, just fiberglass

Bill

asphalt impregnated??!!! JEEBUS! Hmmm...There has to be a way to repro something that at least simulates the look of the original. I'm going to work on this. I'll bet that with a little fiddling, one of the new abs ones could be "skinned" to look like the the right on stuff. Maybe a few layers of brown paper, that's been dyed to a much darker color, and then texturized slightly. I have to go analyze a piece of the original stuff. I bet it could be done. If I figure something out, I'll post a how-to. I'm sure I'm not the first person to sweat this detail. Heck, if I could find an NOS one, i probably wouldn't care. But what are the odds of ever finding one of those...NOT VERY GOOD! Thanks Bill!

Hook

Brother's sells an original-style repop firewall insulation pad. They say it is heavy jute padding laminated to a dense chip board, reproduced using the original patterns.

It was my understanding that the cardboard material was oil impregnated.

I have 2 of the originals - both in poor (average) shape. I didn't use either of them. The cover looks like asphalt impregnated roofing felt (tar paper) to me. Once the burning ban has been lifted here, I will tell you fast they burn!

I used the "bubble wrap on tin foil sandwich" material instead.

Gord:

Please don't burn them. Some poor guy like me could use one. When I began building my 53, mine had a few small holes, and I foolishly yanked a double handful off before I found they aren't reproduced in the same material. I bought one on-line that is some kind of vinyl with a mat backing but never mounted it because it just won't look right.

Yeah, Gord...don't burn'em. Take pics of what you've got. I'd gladly pay you for one if it's salvageable. I just spoke with the guys at Brothers trucks. They clarified for me what "chip board" is. I was hoping it was something similar to the original cardboard. People keep saying that the stuff is flimsy...well, it isn't flimsy if it's been working fine for 50 plus years! Anyway, turns out "chip board" is really "fiberglass chip board." Not sure what that looks like, but the guy said, it's "not as brittle as fiberglass, but not flimsy like the original cardboard." Well, I'm not sure what i'm going to do. I may order one to see what it looks like. My choices are pretty limited at this point.

Repros are also made in ABS plastic. decided to go that way once I found out repro cardboard was not available. I am happy with the looks and quality.

OK, I will pull them out in the daylight this weekend and post a couple of pictures. I tried cleaning them, but they don't clean well. Maybe black art paper could be glued on to dress them up?

Anyway, I would be happy to give them away.

Hey John (TEXAHOLIC2000). Please check your email address. I am getting undeliverable errors when I replied to the note you sent me. Thanks.