Hi all,
My Henry J project was on the backburner for awhile, but recently I have been busy and have done a lot of work to it. I'll start posting some updates.
The biggest project was modifying the firewall and trans tunnel to make room for the Buick 215 and T5 5-speed. I cut out big holes to make space for the engine and trans a long time ago and drove it around a bit with those holes. I could see both valve covers from the drivers seat. It was loud, and hot, and breezy so I finally decided to fix that.
I cut out a big section of the firewall and the existing trans tunnel:
Then with the help of a lot of cardboard for making templates, I formed a new larger trans tunnel and firewall panels. The trans tunnel had to be taller and wider to clear the 5-speed, and I included a kickout box on the driver side of the trans tunnel to place a hand brake. The firewall had to be recessed back two inches to make space for the v8 engine. I also had to make a panel to mount the brake and clutch pedal assembly and the master cylinders.
I used 18 gauge cold rolled sheet steel and bought a bead roller so I could put some beads in the panels to add some rigidity.
After a lot of sanding and some body filler to fill in some dents, I painted the firewall and trans tunnel inside and out using an epoxy primer and single stage satin black urethane paint, followed with plenty of black urethane seam sealer to prevent any leaks or corrosion.
I'm using brake and clutch pedals hung from the firewall behind the dash, so I also closed up the open area where the floor mounted clutch and brake pedals were. You can also see the round tube pocket that the new Ididit steering column will fit into at the kick panel. I'll talk about steering in the next post.
And finally I decide to give Boom Mat a try. It's a multi-layer product that insulates from heat and noise. It's not very easy to work with since it has a layer of fairly thick aluminum foil, then a layer of synthetic matting, and a layer of adhesive. I could never figure out what th best tool for cutting it was, but I used scissors, a box cutter, and tin snips, each with varied success. I covered the trans tunnel and kickboard areas. It's pretty sticky stuff, but we'll see how it holds up.
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