This is part ten of a series of posts on this highly custom 1938 Chevrolet Truck classic restoration, in post one we introduce you to the project and the custom features to be fabricated.  In post two of classic restoration, we look at the individual truck parts that make up the front end build.  In post three of classic restoration, we cover the chassis build and drip rail removal.  In post four of classic restoration, we show you the process of metal finishing the fenders. Post five of classic restoration takes us through the panel restoration of the original inner grille housing panel and a custom touch of deleting the cowl vent panel.  Post six of classic restoration takes care of the lower cowl metal and left hand front fender.  Post seven of classic restoration covers the toe board panel, door lock upgrades, and mainly the upgrades to the inner fender support panel; this panel has to be heavily modified to take the new location of the hood side panels. Post eight of classic restoration looks at how the custom hood was created to open by pulling forward instead of the original butterfly design.

This post will show the original firewall modifications, mainly by lowering the distributor depression, and then filling in the void above with an aluminum close out panel, that will be bonded to the original firewall.

The close out panel fabrication involves using the Baileigh bead roller to create raised areas to give a factory Chevrolet look.

The final set of photos show the cowl bead build process, to correct poor metal structure from the original one, to round out the metal work on the front of the Chevrolet cab.

Classic Restoration: Firewall panel fabrication

Original firewall face.

Since this build will have a modern 350 Chevrolet engine, we can lower the firewall depression.

Welded in and metal finished.

To make the firewall more interesting we made a close out panel. Here’s the beginning of making the template.

Tracing the template to the aluminum sheet.

Sheet metal perimeter cut out and offered up to the firewall.

Bead work in progress with our Baileigh equipment.

Close up of bead work.

Classic Restoration: Completed firewall panel

 

Classic Restoration: Cowl Metal Work

Previous cowl top was damaged and weak from the media blasters so we made a new section to graft in.

Profile/ side view from hood to style line.

Grafting in and TIG welding stage.

Onto the metal finishing stage.

Close up profile view of the finished product.

Finally, the overview of the completed cowl.

This is part ten of a series of posts on this highly custom 1938 Chevrolet Truck restoration, in post one we introduce you to the project and the custom features to be fabricated.  In post two, we look at the individual truck parts that make up the front end build.  In post three, we cover the chassis build and drip rail removal.  In post four, we show you the process of metal finishing the fenders. Post five takes us through the panel restoration of the original inner grille housing panel and a custom touch of deleting the cowl vent panel.  Post six takes care of the lower cowl metal and left hand front fender.  Post seven covers the toe board panel, door lock upgrades, and mainly the upgrades to the inner fender support panel; this panel has to be heavily modified to take the new location of the hood side panels.  Post eight looks at how the custom hood was created to open by pulling forward instead of the original butterfly design.