1932 Ford Firewall Insulator Pad
 

Who sells the nicest reproduction insulator pad? Any pictures?

Re: 1932 Ford Firewall Insulator Pad
 

Hi; All I've found is the fiberglass. Newc

Re: 1932 Ford Firewall Insulator Pad
 

all I've found is the fiberglass. Original was that heavy cardboard. Newc

Re: 1932 Ford Firewall Insulator Pad
 

I restored my '32 maybe 30 years ago and I vaguely recall that i bought the proper "chicken tracks" dash insulator from a guy named Mike McKennet in Oregon. It was a really nice product. Sorry I can't be more help.

Re: 1932 Ford Firewall Insulator Pad
 

For starters, hopefully you do not have an early '32 firewall as no one has ever reproduced an insulator for that firewall.

I've used multiples of both the Restorations and Reproductions fiberglass version (Mike McKennett, Portland, OR) with separate insulation and the plastic version with the insulation glued to the back sold by most vendors for later '32 firewalls and strongly favor Mike's product. While both have the chicken-track pattern, the surface finish on the plastic version is too shiny compared to an original and both the V8 and B versions have incorrect holes in them. Worse is that the placement of the holes for the perimeter attachments to the firewall don't line up with the holes in the firewall. It is though they used a shrunken original to locate their holes rather than an actual firewall. Lastly, the insulation is thicker than the original and it is tough to remove where there should be no insulation (the two semi-circular areas where the legs of the instrument panel attach to the firewall).

Of the two, I'm not sure that the plastic one is available without holes, but Mike's is and that's what I use exclusively these days. I make my holes using the firewall holes as a drilling fixture.

Re: 1932 Ford Firewall Insulator Pad
 

That's good stuff to know. I've never been partial to ABS for resto parts. In some environments, the fiberglass will last almost indefinitely as long as it is out of the sunlight. ABS will deteriorate quicker and never really looks quite right. If the part is made from several layers of what is generally referred to a fiberglass scrim cloth, (a very thin form with a lot more thread per inch count) it will be relatively light weight and tough as well. Painted to match the old cardboard, it would be hard to tell it is fiberglass. A lot of the helicopter fairings are made this way and they take a lot of abuse plus the weather factor is not too bad as long as the paint is good quality. Fiberglass is easier to repair as well.

Re: 1932 Ford Firewall Insulator Pad
 

Mike's insulators are matte black which is an excellent match to the color of the originals. He also makes fiberglass chicken track cowl trim panels which are correct for most '32-'34 closed body types and '32-'34 standard open cars. They come in brown, which is a good starting point for the standard open cars and some of the closed cars, but they can be painted readily to match one of the other original colors. The challenge is that some of them were two tone (a black wash over a brown base color).