[doerf]

Car is on rotisserie and its getting close to start the process back together

What are the methods for cleaning up under the cowl vent and painting the vent

I have some ideas how I want to do it but I'd like to hear from others

1 how do you clean up and paint under the vent
2 how to paint the vent itself without getting ugly looking overspray under the vent

I know some have filled it in, I am not looking for that path

thanks for any good tips

and just cause we all love pictures, new tunnel and 4 speed hump

 

[laser-red-nova]

Common problem. One idea is too eliminate the cowl vent

 

[doerf]

didn't I just say I don't want to do that

 

[burty]

 

[Rusty63]

just sprayed in tight with the gun, then backed off for coating the grill portion to not run/drip, and it came out pretty well. just make sure it is clean from any paint chunks, etc.

-Rusty

 

[doerf]

thanks rusty
problem is both the vent and underneath had many coats of crappy paint all coming off in various patches and colors
the top of the vent has been stripped, but underneath looks like ****

 

[SouthBay2s]

Sometimes you can get lucky and blow a lot of the paint off with one of those thin tube air blower nozzles run off an air compressor. Another option is targeted media blasting with a mini hand held unit.

 

[Twinshadows]

doerf . . . .

while you have your car on the rotisserie . . . . . you may also want to ;

rotate your car "inverted" and blow - shop - air . . down (or - up, in this case) . . inside those side
pockets . . (inside those "guts" , where the door piller / tunnel is) .
Then , would blowing 'shop-air' over that (inside) cowl area . . . . . could loosen up some junk there .

Just thinking . . . .

Then , when painting - - - don't turn your car over (letting any "junk" fall out) .
Tilting upward some - - - would be ok , just not 'flipping over" , again just thinking .

later , jim

 

[laser-red-nova]

Sorry I didn't see that in your post. Still a common problem

 

[doerf]

no problem

I think I have a solution
I'll post again if I get it figured out

 

[kimmer71]

I had to do some rust repairs under there so I peeled the cowl cover off. Lots of spot welds. The dash had to come off before that. If I had to do it without taking all that metal off, I might try blasting the stuff you can reach with sand. I’d think you could strip a lot of the old paint under there through the 4 large holes in the cowl cover with a 2” disc. As far as priming/painting the top cowl cover, I think I will try masking from underneath in a way I can get the masking out, through the blower and/or wiper motor holes.

Jim is right about the inner “kidney” area (where the kick vents are) collecting dirt. I use a shop vac regularly to keep those areas clean.


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[doerf]

Kimmer you must be thinking of a different model
there are no holes in the cowl cover or firewall that lead to the vent area without taking alot of metal out

 

[Rusty63]

thanks rusty
problem is both the vent and underneath had many coats of crappy paint all coming off in various patches and colors
the top of the vent has been stripped, but underneath looks like ****

also forgot: for the back of the grills, i did strip them to a smooth layer using kind of a shoe shining method with sandpaper. doesn't matter for the bottom since you will never see it, but certainly stripped the sides to bare metal. i am also starting to remember a sandpaper on a stick, just to get to one level layer.

good luck!

-Rusty

 

[kimmer71]

Kimmer you must be thinking of a different model
there are no holes in the cowl cover or firewall that lead to the vent area without taking alot of metal out

Yes. I was referring to a 3rd gen. Sorry, missed the “1st gen” in the title.


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[acd65post]

On my 65 I welded an 80 grit flap disk to a length of 3/8 threaded rod and then used my cordless drill to reach in through an acess hole
By removing the plastic plug on the cowl "tank" side. Worked pretty good but not perfect .

 

[63SSIISFV2DFW]

I've seen it done where panels where cut out and rewelded in. Cut out the entire vent area, bodywork, paint the inner area. Weld the outer back on with masking already applied to back side. yes, the underside of the weld will be bare so probably not good for a daily in inclement weather but I assume it will be relegated to occasional use after the resto.

I was going to do this and then decided to weld mine closed as I no longer will be using the vents.

 

[ranedig]

I was wondering how to tackle this myself. I'll be following along.

 

[doerf]

here is my solution, not finished but far enough along to know it will fit and work well
there are places I can't get at to clean real well so my plans is
spray in some rust encapsulator
under cowl vent will paint black
1/2" strips cut to make a lap joint at each end, will prime with weld thru primer
spot weld along fire wall and window frame
prime patch at vent before weld in
slide in cardboard in sections when time to paint vent to block area under

I know some thought I was a jerk early on, but there are some of us that are making it up as we go along
I had a solution in mind but stopped before cutting my car to get some ideas and suggestions in case I missed something

a side note, even with this section removed it took some elbow grease to get the old paint out
I honestly don't see how I could have cleaned it up without this

now bonus points to whomever has the eagle eye

 

[Dougs63]

So is that a VIN or part# in there? Can not cut or duplcate your photo. Centered on the drivers side of the right wiper hole.

Can not see anything in mine to dirty or dusty in there car has only been washed once in 12 years, and only because it got rained on one time while driving for 20 mins. in the rain. I am going to have to break out the electric presure washer this summer I guess.

 

[doerf]

I don't know what you are seeing but I don't think there are any numbers in there

didn't realize that one photo was out of focus a bit