Comparison Of Original Firewall Pad Against A Repro - Installation Tip
May 11th, 2016, 08:45 PM
#1
Comparison Of Original Firewall Pad Against A Repro - Installation Tip
After giving it my best, I wound up having to change the firewall pad on my 71 Non A/C Cutlass Supreme. After hearing all the poor fit horror stories associated with the repro pads, I ordered one from Fusick hoping for the best.
First off, the Fusick version looks great. It has the black rubber masticky backing, and the loose multi color fibers in the jute type material. The main difference is the OE is brownish in the jute, while the Fusick version is light gray/bluish. The jute seems slightly thinner, maybe a 1/4 inch, but it is imperceptible.
Since I was able to get my old one out more or less in one piece (minus the center section that goes around the column) I used the new installation pins to make a quasi jig. There is a couple of benefits - first you don't wind up removing any pieces you don't need to because you can mark through the holes on the old one on what you have to punch out from the new one, and you can check to see how the overall fit will be.
The good news is dimensionally almost everything is spot on except for two things:
1) The lower lip that kind of hugs the trans tunnel - the new one is a little longer in this area than it should be. I hope my pics I will try to post will show exactly what I mean because it tapers down to nothing on both sides of what I removed with the max width being about 1 inch. I don't know if this variance from the original would cause any installation problems, but I went ahead and cut this excess away with some big sharp scissors - surprised it it came out looking almost due cut.
2) The biggie, and the one that will cause installation problems, is the cut out for the accelerator pedal pivot. The pad has a single pre stamped area where to remove the material where the rectangular plastic piece bolts onto the firewall. There are no other choices. When I lined up my old pad on top of the new one, they do not match up - not close. The new one's punch out outline is the right size but it is about 3/4 of an inch too low. You would probably find this out after you have attached it to the firewall, and then it is even harder to fix. I simply marked where the cutout should be using the old pad as a template and cut it out along with all the other stuff I had to punch out BEFORE trying to install it. I installed it tonight, and the thing just fell into place.
Hope this helps!
First off, the Fusick version looks great. It has the black rubber masticky backing, and the loose multi color fibers in the jute type material. The main difference is the OE is brownish in the jute, while the Fusick version is light gray/bluish. The jute seems slightly thinner, maybe a 1/4 inch, but it is imperceptible.
Since I was able to get my old one out more or less in one piece (minus the center section that goes around the column) I used the new installation pins to make a quasi jig. There is a couple of benefits - first you don't wind up removing any pieces you don't need to because you can mark through the holes on the old one on what you have to punch out from the new one, and you can check to see how the overall fit will be.
The good news is dimensionally almost everything is spot on except for two things:
1) The lower lip that kind of hugs the trans tunnel - the new one is a little longer in this area than it should be. I hope my pics I will try to post will show exactly what I mean because it tapers down to nothing on both sides of what I removed with the max width being about 1 inch. I don't know if this variance from the original would cause any installation problems, but I went ahead and cut this excess away with some big sharp scissors - surprised it it came out looking almost due cut.
2) The biggie, and the one that will cause installation problems, is the cut out for the accelerator pedal pivot. The pad has a single pre stamped area where to remove the material where the rectangular plastic piece bolts onto the firewall. There are no other choices. When I lined up my old pad on top of the new one, they do not match up - not close. The new one's punch out outline is the right size but it is about 3/4 of an inch too low. You would probably find this out after you have attached it to the firewall, and then it is even harder to fix. I simply marked where the cutout should be using the old pad as a template and cut it out along with all the other stuff I had to punch out BEFORE trying to install it. I installed it tonight, and the thing just fell into place.
Hope this helps!
Last edited by costpenn; May 11th, 2016 at 09:27 PM.
May 12th, 2016, 05:43 PM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Central IN
Posts: 1,226
Thanks, costpenn for those pics. What was left of my old pad fell out in pieces and I tossed it...years ago.
X2
I'm finalizing mine with the same Fusick pad and there are many areas that either need trimming, re-cutting, or simply won't fit. You'll need some sharp bigazz scissors and a sharp knife.
Maybe it's 68-69 vs. 70-up thing, but several things are off on mine.
I had the same issues with the tunnel area and accel mount as well as the accel cable hole.
The hardest thing is that the whole pad seems to be not wide enough....or the left side holes are offset to the right.
The right side holes ('trees', heater, etc) all lined up fine, but the left side doesn't line up. I've stretched, beat, and yelled at it...all to no avail.
Seems like there needs to be another about 1" in width added to my pad down the center above the tunnel. The mounting hole directly above the steering column (in 1st pic - above the 'dashes') lines up about 1-2" to the right of the firewall hole & the fusebox/parking brake area was shifted way to the right as well. And, on the right side of the accel pedal mount there's a gap.
I fixed the fusebox piece alignment by accidentally partially tearing the bit above the pedal hanger gap which allowed it to shift left. I'll patch the little torn area with scrap from the heater box punchout.
I'm now toying with the idea of cutting it up the center and fixing the cut with scrap.
I'm finalizing mine with the same Fusick pad and there are many areas that either need trimming, re-cutting, or simply won't fit. You'll need some sharp bigazz scissors and a sharp knife.
Maybe it's 68-69 vs. 70-up thing, but several things are off on mine.
I had the same issues with the tunnel area and accel mount as well as the accel cable hole.
The hardest thing is that the whole pad seems to be not wide enough....or the left side holes are offset to the right.
The right side holes ('trees', heater, etc) all lined up fine, but the left side doesn't line up. I've stretched, beat, and yelled at it...all to no avail.
Seems like there needs to be another about 1" in width added to my pad down the center above the tunnel. The mounting hole directly above the steering column (in 1st pic - above the 'dashes') lines up about 1-2" to the right of the firewall hole & the fusebox/parking brake area was shifted way to the right as well. And, on the right side of the accel pedal mount there's a gap.
I fixed the fusebox piece alignment by accidentally partially tearing the bit above the pedal hanger gap which allowed it to shift left. I'll patch the little torn area with scrap from the heater box punchout.
I'm now toying with the idea of cutting it up the center and fixing the cut with scrap.
May 13th, 2016, 12:48 PM
#10
Thanks, costpenn for those pics. What was left of my old pad fell out in pieces and I tossed it...years ago.
X2
I'm finalizing mine with the same Fusick pad and there are many areas that either need trimming, re-cutting, or simply won't fit. You'll need some sharp bigazz scissors and a sharp knife.
Maybe it's 68-69 vs. 70-up thing, but several things are off on mine.
I had the same issues with the tunnel area and accel mount as well as the accel cable hole.
The hardest thing is that the whole pad seems to be not wide enough....or the left side holes are offset to the right.
The right side holes ('trees', heater, etc) all lined up fine, but the left side doesn't line up. I've stretched, beat, and yelled at it...all to no avail.
Seems like there needs to be another about 1" in width added to my pad down the center above the tunnel. The mounting hole directly above the steering column (in 1st pic - above the 'dashes') lines up about 1-2" to the right of the firewall hole & the fusebox/parking brake area was shifted way to the right as well. And, on the right side of the accel pedal mount there's a gap.
I fixed the fusebox piece alignment by accidentally partially tearing the bit above the pedal hanger gap which allowed it to shift left. I'll patch the little torn area with scrap from the heater box punchout.
I'm now toying with the idea of cutting it up the center and fixing the cut with scrap.
X2
I'm finalizing mine with the same Fusick pad and there are many areas that either need trimming, re-cutting, or simply won't fit. You'll need some sharp bigazz scissors and a sharp knife.
Maybe it's 68-69 vs. 70-up thing, but several things are off on mine.
I had the same issues with the tunnel area and accel mount as well as the accel cable hole.
The hardest thing is that the whole pad seems to be not wide enough....or the left side holes are offset to the right.
The right side holes ('trees', heater, etc) all lined up fine, but the left side doesn't line up. I've stretched, beat, and yelled at it...all to no avail.
Seems like there needs to be another about 1" in width added to my pad down the center above the tunnel. The mounting hole directly above the steering column (in 1st pic - above the 'dashes') lines up about 1-2" to the right of the firewall hole & the fusebox/parking brake area was shifted way to the right as well. And, on the right side of the accel pedal mount there's a gap.
I fixed the fusebox piece alignment by accidentally partially tearing the bit above the pedal hanger gap which allowed it to shift left. I'll patch the little torn area with scrap from the heater box punchout.
I'm now toying with the idea of cutting it up the center and fixing the cut with scrap.
Wow - that one is not even close! Did you happen to notice the brand? The one Fusick sells is made by REM auto or something like that - that is the brand name that appeared on the instructions.
One final tip. Consider reaming out the holes in the firewall with a slightly oversized drill bit. (no more than .010 over) As 70Post informed me, all the repo fasteners seem to be made of a harder material than the originals which is why it they are such a beating to install!
May 13th, 2016, 01:47 PM
#11
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Central IN
Posts: 1,226
Wow - that one is not even close! Did you happen to notice the brand? The one Fusick sells is made by REM auto or something like that - that is the brand name that appeared on the instructions.
One final tip. Consider reaming out the holes in the firewall with a slightly oversized drill bit. (no more than .010 over) As 70Post informed me, all the repo fasteners seem to be made of a harder material than the originals which is why it they are such a beating to install!
One final tip. Consider reaming out the holes in the firewall with a slightly oversized drill bit. (no more than .010 over) As 70Post informed me, all the repo fasteners seem to be made of a harder material than the originals which is why it they are such a beating to install!
My fasteners weren't that bad. They're slightly flexible. There's a hole down the center that goes about 2/3 the length. If you stick a rod (same dia as hole, but not sharp tip) in the hole, you can push the fastener thru because the rod stretches the plug lengthwise a little.
May 14th, 2016, 09:36 AM
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: milwaukee
Posts: 548
Once upon a time I cut the whole darn thing along the bottom and loosend everything and tucked in place. if it wasn't for the splitting at the bottom edge after all these years we all could re-use them. It was a driver quality car and you couldnt tell the whole thing wasn't replaced.
May 14th, 2016, 09:50 AM
#13
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Birmingham,Alabama
Posts: 4,713
Wow - that one is not even close! Did you happen to notice the brand? The one Fusick sells is made by REM auto or something like that - that is the brand name that appeared on the instructions.
One final tip. Consider reaming out the holes in the firewall with a slightly oversized drill bit. (no more than .010 over) As 70Post informed me, all the repo fasteners seem to be made of a harder material than the originals which is why it they are such a beating to install!
One final tip. Consider reaming out the holes in the firewall with a slightly oversized drill bit. (no more than .010 over) As 70Post informed me, all the repo fasteners seem to be made of a harder material than the originals which is why it they are such a beating to install!
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