throttle pedal

[Johnny]

I know it will be awhile before I get to installing my gas pedal, but I'm still getting all the info I can get. I don't think, but I may be wrong, that you can install the pedal assembly to a fiberglass firewall without some kind of reenforcing the firewall. Wrong, or right?

What are you all doing to reenforce the firewall?

Thanks

 

[donsrods]

I always glass in a firewall shaped piece of 3/4 inch plywood on the inside. IMO the stock firewall is too flimsy to mount anything or hold it's shape. It is so much stronger when you add the plywood.

Don

 

[EX JUNK]

Here is another solution. I used a piece of 1/8" aluminum to distribute the forces over a larger area. It works very effectively.

Jim

 

[benT]

I agree with Don--fiberglass alone is to flimsy unless it is reinforced. My upper firewall is reinforced with steel. The lower portion is actually plywood. I built it to the shape I wanted and then glassed it on the outside and coated it with resin on the inside..

 

[butch27]

I did what Don did also.

 

[Leon renaud]

Any suggestions on how to effectively re enforce a stock looking glass firewall in a 27 T?

 

[fordsbyjay]

I have a TP body and just bolted it to the firewall. It is strong enough. It was originally on the transmission hump and it was paper thin so it was flexing all over the place.

 

[Third DodgeBrother]

Maybe I'm paranoid....but I put a tube hoop under the cowl to support pedals, master cylinder, steering column and guages.

 

[Youngster]

Glassing a piece of plywood will give you not only the supore you want but to some degree help keep some engine heat from radiating thru the firewall. Sounds strange i know but that is a dead air zone where your feet are. The last few cars we used in insulation also. With 3/4" plywood you can also use T-nuts to attach parts and pieces to the firewall.

Leon ... i use 2 pieces' of plywood on a stock type '27 firewall. Has worked out very well.

Ron

 

[donsrods]

I did both the plywood and the cowl roll bar on my 23. I wanted to run the steering through the firewall and needed a strong mounting spot, plus I wanted a strong spot to mount the windshield. This is what I came up with:

Don

 

[Johnny]

That is AWESOME!!! Now, that's what I call reenforcement!

Man! I sure wish I could do stuff like that.

 

[donsrods]

Believe me Johnny, if I can do it, anybody can do it. I'm about as backyard as they come. You just have to take your time and not be afraid to cut up something you have done and start over. I only post pictures of my successes, you should see the scrap pile of mistakes I have sitting out of camera range. :lol::lol:


Don

 

[Mr. Fixit]

I did both the plywood and the cowl roll bar on my 23. I wanted to run the steering through the firewall and needed a strong mounting spot, plus I wanted a strong spot to mount the windshield. This is what I came up with:

Don

Don,

I really like this design, it looks great. Will the roll bar show from the outside, or will the body encapsulate it?

 

[eafree]

Don. Ireally like your design. Keep us posted.

Eric

 

[donsrods]

Don,

I really like this design, it looks great. Will the roll bar show from the outside, or will the body encapsulate it?

No, the body slips down over it, this thing sort of makes a skelaton (sp?) that supports everything like the steering and gas pedal. The body is just a skin over it and I could actually drive the car sans body as everything is held in place on this assembly. I put four holes in the firewall where button head bolts pass through into threaded bungs welded to the roll bar and the feet of the roll bar bolt down to threaded holes in the frame. So it is really rigid. It must be working, two years on the road and no stress cracks yet.:welxome:

Don

 

[Wild Mango]

Don that cowl bar is one great idea. I have glassed mine into the body and it braces back to the front roll cage hoop. I have a 3/4" marine ply firewall and now with the bar its nice and solid protection as well.
I have lost count of the ideas I got and used from this forum, I just hope the odd one I have tossed in is as useful!!