Now I see! I thought the 32 was a lot bigger than the A but obviously didn’t need much surgery to tuck in there. **It is not a sin to cut up old parts, in my mind, especially when the guy doing the cutting is thoughtful to his craft and understands design and proportion. You asked, so I shared my opinion, but these are your parts, your car, your labor, and your vision. I will keep watching with interest. Great work and a cool car.
I love your approach to bringing back these old cars. It makes engineering sense and economic sense. I'm getting ready to " restore" a '40 Pontiac special six( series 25) that I purchased from the original owner in 1974. So I know about putting projects " on hold". It has been garaged virtually every day of its life. Has 85,000 original miles. Merry Christmas and Happy 2020. Keep up the great work!
It's great to see how someone with a vision can make it become reality. The firewall just oozes "cool." I was especially struck by the geometric pattern of the stiffener channels rolled into it from the factory. It's like a work of art!
It is looking good, that firewall looks like it belongs in there, doesn't matter what other people say, if you like it then go for it. Love your channel, keep up the good work, have a Merry Christmas and happy New Year.
As always I love seeing the nitty-gritty details of building/rebuilding a car. I could never cut as accurate as you, maybe that is your superpower. Loved it when Andrew had a suggestion that was essentially the same idea as what you were proposing. Clearly, Andrew is listening and learning from you, but more importantly, he is now APPLYING the knowledge he has gained. As a retired educator, I cannot stress enough how important, (and fun to see when it happens) it is for students to learn by doing. Keep up the good work boys.
Found your channel by accident. But glad I did. I find myself looking forward to each next episode no matter what you guys are working on. Think it’s great that the younger boys are getting into the Rod building as well . Looking forward to more of that. Totally nothing wrong with making mistakes here and there that is how new skills are learned and prevent others from being made. Great Vids! Thanks!
Looking good, glad that you said you stop and think on it a while, my "friends" criticise that I am slow. Most everything I do is my first time, so I step back and study from all angles before I F something up. P.S. my "friends" have nothing. Central California watching
I love how u left in the creative process its helps us DIY guys out with thought process and how u left the fact in that rengineering had you redoing some stuff because we are not engineers and if I could get it right in one try my 50 buick project would be done but it's not its about half way
Hey Matt,.... There's tons of end of the year stuff going on, so I thought I'd just send a quick thank you for the great vids, (Tues, Fri & Sun). Great projects, great advice, ....just standing ,staring and looking, is such an important part of any build. Keep up the good work. Cheers Chris U.K.
There’s no doubt about it, the 32 Firewall is the nicest looking of all the early Ford firewalls. I am thinking about taking a pattern from mine, and fabbing up a new one to suit my 30 A Cowl.
I am anxiously awaiting the fitting of the engine and trans. I am impressed at the thought and care you are putting into the fitting of the '32 firewall. Much better than using a BFH to get her done.
Looks real good. As far as ruining a 32 firewall you have to look at where it came from and realize if you hadn't salvaged it it would have been crushed and headed to China to end up as a toaster oven in Walmart, therefor a little trimming to fit in a cool model A isn't that big a sin. If this was my project (bet you're getting tired of that comment) I would set the engine back in the car and just trim the kick-outs until the engine would set where I wanted it and box them back in to look as stock as possible. Keep it up, coming along real nicely.
Also just throwing out ideas. Where the bottom of the firewall kicks out could you possibly make a half deep cut along the backside where it kicks out allowing you the bend it back to where you need the clearance and then your new band would tie this all together as well as you could make a strip in your break and reinforce where you made the half cut and bend? This may not be a viable option but just throwing idea out there. Either way you do it it’s gonna look cool! Good luck with it look forward to seeing it come together.
Matt & co. Awesome!! I like it...the firewall swap, I also like the idea of making a change, coming back later, then if it still inspires you...nail it down!! I do exactly the same thing...Like I mentioned in a previous comment, I'm really thinking about doing a 30's rod...I've got this silly drag race bug ......so I need to deal with that for now, but I can start gathering parts, when I was a kid I had a chance to buy a 34-35 Ford with a 331 hemi, my dad wouldn't let me buy it..wouldn't mind building that...build on dudes!! I'
Matt. You defiantly have a vision of putting that 32 firewall in The Sweetheart Roadster. Follow your gut instinct. It hasn't failed you yet. I also think you can shorten up the lower kick outs and achieve the look you want. To you and the crew at IronTrap, Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year. Looking forward to the 2020 builds.
I like the look of the firewall now besides it really don't matter what others say cause it's your rod and build it your way that is what counts cause if others choose the way you build you'll never be happy with it. Just keep banging it out I know it will look bitchin when you get it finished!!!!
I must say I like it. In "traditional" hot rodding everything you can dream up has been tried at least once. But I have never seen a 32 firewall grafted into a 30/31 Model A cowl. My only concern is support for a hood. That may be one of those details that need to be worked down the road. I am certain that if it can be done with factory "look" it will be you!
Awesome job on that firewall starting to look like something you gained at least 3 to 4 in of room!! And Merry Christmas to your family and you and all your buddies
BITCHIN FIREWALL Matt. :) Good idea on the flange, you need to take some of it off. I can't get over how very close the openings on both firewalls were. Nothing wrong with cutting that 32 firewall, at least you are using it for a build. Don't worry the HOT ROD Gods will let you slide on that one.. :) I like that when even Andrew threw in his 2 cents on what to do, shows us that he is really picking up things from what you guys are showing him. MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and the rest of your crew.. Can't wait to see what the New Year brings..
👍👍👍👍👍👍. I was planning to turn my wall around. Then I looked at it and said no. Plus it gave me too much room. Paid out the butt for a stamped ‘32 wall. Looks better though.
yeah for sure keep as much of the flange as you can. it would look wrong if you trimmed it all away; the eye would just know something's missing and the cowl would look too short. plus, ya gotta match the flange on the grill shell. neat idea matt. i love custom rods. say 'hi' to moon for me and merry christmas!
Hi mat, just an idea, to give you room for the heads what if the firewall was angled back a bit. Out at top but in at bottom? Not a lot but a tad. Could give you a nice aerodynamic look. Any way its coming along cool. Have a safe festive season and new year. Cheers
Looks great. I wouldn't cut that cowl lip off any more. I personally probably would have left the full lip on it, but I see where you were going and it still looks great. Slip the engine back in and see where you stand with it before you go further. Merry Christmas!
Looks great from here !! I think you got more than 2" since the Model A firewall actually stuck out into the engine compartment at least 2". With the "recess" you now have, seems like you got about 4" total backwards change "at the top" anyway.
Hey Matt great video keep them coming, guess you need to fit engine in to see how much room you have between the heads and where the firewall kicks out.
Matt, I think the lower part of the firewall protrusion ( passenger side ) may interfere with the heads. I would suggest to slice cut on each side of the protrusion from where it begins at the bend line. Fold the flaps inboard at both sides of the protrusion and bend down the cut hanging metal to contact the bent side flaps, weld it up. I would not cut off the side flaps ( weld instead ) since it may compromise the strength integrity of the firewall. Hope this is helpful. MERRY CHRISTMAS, J.P. FROM THE POCONOS!
Looks great Matt I like the 32 firewall. Someone fabricated a smooth firewall in my 47 Ford coupe and I’d give my left nut to have an original stamped one....lol each to their own. Merry Christmas from Nz.
Good shots of spot weld removal. I always have trouble with them. The fitment of the firewall was also helpful. Seeing the thought process helps a lot. I find the music annoying. The choice is ok, but it seems loud and I turn it down, but I see others really like it. Just sayin'. Thanks for the work you do for the channel. Merry Christmas and Woof to Moon!
The only opinion that matters is yours. Seems the kick out at the bottom is counter productive to the task of getting the motor in. I'm not there and don't see the vision as you do. Thanks for sharing
You could push the bottom of the firewall back until the kickout is nearly vertical, you would just need to widen the band that you're going to weld back on to meet the edge you left on the A's cowl at the bottom. I think that would give you a lot of room for the heads, and bell housing
Looks good, Matt. I assume that's the firewall you salvaged from the double "B" truck. Don't worry about altering it-you're putting it to good use. As good as you are, it'll look like factory when you're done.... You may be aware that the late '31 model A firewalls had an indentation on the right side where the fuel line and bowl came out-had something to do with the fact that Ford was trying to save money at the time as they wanted to use the same firewall for the '32 model "B's" with the flathead V8 that came out that year.
Looks bitch'n. SHOW ROD guys. That's where he's going. Old points system was to differentiate, & make pretty ... NOT DO WHATEVER THAT EVERYBODY ELSE DID. Continue ! Kick ass man. Thank you for sharing.
awesome job Matt! glad you're alternating between the 39 and sweetheart roadster, less suspense for each! I assume the 36 slantback and sport coupe have found new homes as I've seen nothing of them lately?
