The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop outer side cowl panels

Howdy, im going to be replacing the outer side cowl panels on my 57 gmc and had a qestion. American classic parts show that there are two panels on each side, an inner and an outer, but then most of the other parts sites only have the outer. I have the top center cowl panel off so i can see down the sides and there doesnt seem to be an inner panel. So I guess my question is am I going to need both?
pic of inner panel from american classic: http://www.americanclassic.com/images/ICP55IR.jpg
outer:http: http://www.americanclassic.com/images/OCP55R.jpg
Has anybody replaced these before and can give some insight?
Thanks

My inner's were only bad at the very bottom so I made my own patch piece (it was anything but a panel) The bottom of the inner is where the dirt gets trapped. If your fenders off you can see whats there and take an ice pick to it...Does it hold or No?
Study the folds/seams and look inside the kick vent as well.
A flashlight and a mirror help see around corners...

I'd call that inner a "partial", unless that 'inner' also has the inside wall where the vent hole is, and you need that inner area, I'd skip it, you can always get it later if you need more than the 'outer' - what exactly are you needing to repair? the main problems in that area are usually the very bottom where it drains the vent space and the weld-nut mound on top where the fender mounts .... there's also a 'deflecting' piece inside which keeps water from dribbling in the vent that gets rotten - that may [or not] be on the other side of one of those pieces

Bill

The bottoms of both have rusted through as well as that 'deflecting piece' on the inside. I also messed up the top of the weld nuts a little bit when cutting the brazed joint that connect it to the top center cowl panel. I figured if replaced the panel I could clear out the rust on the inside as well as the remaining rat nest that I couldnt get out with a piece of wire, and then put a fresh coat of paint over everything being that water drains down it.

I'd start with the outer piece, most everything else can be fabbed as needed when it's opened up, and yes, some paint [and high zinc weld-thru primer] would be very useful inside that area

Bill

So I plan on installing an A/C kit into the truck before its all said and done, with this being so could/should I eliminate the side vents in the kick panels? I thought about cutting in openings for speakers to put in their place and fabbing up a little box or something on the inside of the cowls to keep them dry and covered. I figured if I have easy access to the area I should do it all at once while im there.
I want to put a set of speakers in the cab somewhere and thought this would be the best route, any suggestions to this?
Or would it be better to just leave the side vents in, and then just make a fiberglass cover over the kick panel and mount speakers to it? Ive seen pics of people making these and they look alright, I just dont like the way some of them stick out so far off the kick panel.
any ideas?

cody