Rear Firewall

[clive]

Currently panelling the chassis. Have made up a 'firewall' panel to separate the cockpit from the engine compartment, which will attach to the cockpit side of the frame. A second skin will be added to the rear side of the frame, enclosing sound/heat deadening material.

Photos of virtually all builds show the centre section of these panels to be removeable. Can someone tell me why this is so? I would have thought that on the odd occasion you needed to play with the belts/pulleys etc, jerking the motor would be easy enough.

Advice appreciate.

 

[J. Salmon]

For me, I have so much crap attached to the front of the motor that will have to be disconnected before I could pull the motor.

 

[Darrell]

It is not very hard to make a double panel that bolts onto the cabin side on the body and I would be very surprised if you could assemble all the gear around the front of the engine with the cover on.
Murphys law would dictate that one day you would be kicking yourself about that fifteen Minute job at the front of the engine now being an engine out job particularly if you are not near home. Thats my two bobs worth.

Darrell DRB 46
LS1 G50

 

[Eric]

Clive

I agree with Darrell. Much, much easier to unbolt a firewall panel than to remove the engine. If something can go wrong, it most certainly will, so minimze what you need to take apart in any given instance. As an example--completely different scenario--I once had a friend who ended up replacing a transmission due to a series of events that originated from replacing a 25 cent freeze plug in the engine block.

Just my opinion, but make your life easier by creating a removable firewall panel.

Eric

 

[Phil]

Clive:
As was mentioned most setups are pretty busy up front of the motor, and myself not being a contortionist do find it easier to access belts, water pipes, etc. Also most chassis have the nose of the water pump intruding slightly into the passenger area, and since that piece needs to be fabricated anyway its much easier to do a good sized panel to get at all the other stuff.
Cheers
Phil

 

[Jim Craik]

Clive,

I think you would be well served by taking the time to do the removable panel. I just recently had to change my thermostat, it was a fairly simple job and took about an hour. If I had to pull the motor I would still be working on it weeks later.

 

[clive]

Thank you all for your wisdom.

Metal will be cut!:thumbsup: