Bob:
Actually, what Eric is referring to is a fix for the problem instead of a
patch. The original problem is that the cowl becomes seperated from the
factory brace on the inside of the car, and can be reattached and reinforced
from the inside where it is not noticeable from the engine compartment. This
continues to use the upper portion of the firewall as a support, instead of
just the flat portion. With a metal brace added for racing, we watched the
cowl flex and seperate at the tunnel welds, while rewelding the original
brace gave the same positive feel, and never recracked. It became a mute
point when the whole area was cut out to install a set of dual master
cylinders.
Dan & Susan
<< Subj: Re: Firewall support
Date: 99-09-17 10:03:58 EDT
From: rwmannco@interport.net (Bob Mann)
Sender: owner-datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Reply-to: rwmannco@interport.net (Bob Mann)
To: wittiner@ee.pdx.edu (Eric R. Wittinger)
CC: stevenh@execpc.com (Steve Harvey), datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
(datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net)
Whoa. Perhaps this discussion has lost its focus, but the original
issue was stopping the car. Brake performance.
The underlying issue isn't the crack, it's the lack of brake feel and
response due to cowl flex, which degrades as the metal fatigues and
ultimately fails.
Welding the cowl does very little to solve the underlying problem, which
is that under heavy application, the cowl simply flexes too much.
- Bob Mann
"Eric R. Wittinger" wrote:
>
> I have a question, why go with a support rather then welding up the crack
> inthe fire wall, with reenfocing the old weldsor the metal onth inside of
> the car at the same time??(no one sees this area much, unless there is
> work to be done under the dash. The supports I have sceen just don't look
> that
> appealing to me, and for ~$30 you should be able to get it welded??? You
> have to take out the Master break cylinder anyways??? The same work, the
> same money(possible, free if you can weld) but origonal looking end
> result. If it took 30 years for the crack to appear then it should at
> least last for half that time again. Just some thoughts...
>
> Thanks,
> Eric
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