Firewall insulator

M

mcgarrett

Well-known member
If my information is correct, the Model A did not come from the factory equipped with a firewall insulator of any kind. I see that some of the parts suppliers sell them. Is there any benefit from adding one? Who is using them in their cars and what are the pros & cons? Appreciate any withdrawals from the Ford Barn knowledge bank! :)
 
The benefit is less heat radiating into the passenger compartment from the hot engine compartment through the metal firewall. It also reduces a bit of engine noise.

To get full benefit, you need to carefully seal off all places where hot air can flow into the passenger compartment. There are a bunch.

I have one on both of my cars and I think it is worth it. It's a lot of work to retrofit, but it can be done. Easier to install when putting the car back together during restoration. You have to remove every wire, tube, pipe, ignition cable, etc. that passes through the firewall before installing the pad. Then reinstall everything.

On my green car, I sprayed it with the same green body paint that was used on the rest of the car. If I did not tell you it was there, you'd never notice it.

My pad came with a bunch of extra-long screws to replace the inside stock screws that mount things. That's a lot of what holds it in place.

I can't think of any "cons".
 
I appreciate your candid appraisal of them. Even though I have a '30 Roadster, with lots of air coming in from all directions, the heat radiating from the steel firewall still makes it a bit uncomfortable. I have insulated under the floor mat on top of the floorboard and the toe board with the reflective aluminized heat barrier available from Home Depot, but it's not enough. Here in Texas with triple-digit temps this time of year, it sure seemed like a good idea to me.
 
I used to live in Houston, I'm familiar with the heat problem.

Roadsters and phaetons have openings down low on the firewall on each side, where the toeboard mounts, that feed hot air up into the body, behind the kick panels. You really need to seal them up to keep that hot air out.

Plug every hole. Put a strong light in the engine compartment and then get under the gas tank and find all the places where the light is coming through.

Seal and insulate the metal plate over the clutch inspection plate. Same with the battery cover plate, insulate the underside of it.

Work to get the felt seals around the steering column and pedals as tight as you can. Add the rubber piece to the toeboard where the gas pedal shaft comes up through the hole.

The rubber gear shift boot and the e-brake boot that they sell are not "correct" for your car, but they help seal the hot air out. I put the bottom flange of the boots under the mat.

You can also look into a reflector that mounts on the top of your muffler, to reduce the radiant heat up into the body on the passenger side. I don't have one, but it seems like a good idea.
 
You mentioned some places I hadn't thought about checking or closing off, so I'll get to work on them - thanks for your suggestions! :)
 
I purchased a 1930 Cabriolet in 1917. In July 1918 I drove it to Bennington, Vt, in July, from the lower Hudson Valley (Newburgh). On the return trip it was a hot July day and my feet were burning to the point that I could not wait until we took a rest stop to get out of the cab's oven. Upon returning I needed a solution...Diamond Trim Shop in Middletown, NY, recommended Dynamax Extreme, their favorite insulator. I purchased the product and installed 2 layers on the floor and firewall; no more "hot feet" and riding on a hot day is very comfortable, plus engine noise is reduced. A Model A Club member and friend said that his wife complained about "Hot Feet" in summer riding.; he purchased the product, installed 2 layers, and the feet are now "cool as cucumbers" on hot days. You can also also install it on door parts and other surfaces to reduce road noise. Installation is easy... cut to size with scissors and place adhesive backed surfaces to panels; use a roller to press onto panels. The product is somewhat pricey but definitely worth the return as it's a onetime investment that lasts the life of the car and pays dividends in comfort! If you give it a try you will not be disappointed. Gary D.
 
I installed one of those insulators on the firewall. It's a bit of an annoying job if you have to do it on a finished car but not a huge problem.

I think that it not only reduces heat from the engine but also 'noise'. If i were to start on a new car, i would fit an insulator again...
 
gary & Tom,
Certainly appreciate your comments. I'm not sure I will go the route of installing the firewall insulator just yet, but I will probably step up and purchase the Dynamat product for now based on your recommendations.
 
I installed one of the firewall insulators in my pickup. Not really too much of a problem on a "finished" car, but I did have to cut a slit in the insulator rather than remove all the fuel lines. You do have to specify indented or flat firewall. The only con was the price of freight to get it to Alaska! For other areas, I used Dynamat and/or RoadKill insulation. Cuts down on road noise as well as insulating the cab. Also helps the A/C keep things cool.
 
I installed this one 15 years ago. It is an exact mold of the inside firewall and fits perfectly. It significantly reduces noise and heat in the car. I highly recommend it.
I installed it after my restoration and it was not too difficult.






View attachment QR2.pdf
 
Dick M,
Thanks for that link. I didn't know Quiet Ride made firewalls for Model A's. Is this a great forum, or what? :)
 
Mr. Mc Garret, As others have mentioned, the firewall installation is not that hard.
If agility or working on your back inside the cab is a problem have a young person do the work; doing the firewall will be a big plus...
 
Jim/GA mentions closong up holes and cracks in the floor and firewall. One place that is often overlooked is the cowl area at the toe board.
522014
 
I installed a firewall insulator on my roadster two years ago, and enjoyed an immediate significant reduction in heat and engine noise coming into the driver/passenger compartment.

I also installed additional insulation inside the cowl panels and sealed up the areas others have mentioned where the lower cowl is mounted to the frame. Carpet insulation under the carpet, along with 1/16” aluminum sheet metal attached to the underside of the floorboard over the muffler have helped to make riding in the roadster in warm weather much more pleasant.

Good luck,
Jim
 
Bottom Line Question: What are the specific sizes of the screws / bolts you used to connect the insulator to the firewall inside the car?

Or - What are the specific sizes of the bolts / screws that were originally used on a late 1930 - early 1931 flat firewall Roadster. There are four in question: the one that holds the coil bracket and its twin to the left; and the two below and to the left and right of the junction box, the passenger-side one for the speedometer cable inside the car. With these specs I can get longer ones without destroying the threads of the existing holes.

A complete “firewall bolts kit” is available, but these will be too short anyway.

The proper sizes are not listed in any of the Les books, nor the Judging Standards book.

While the engine is out I’m putting in the firewall insulator. I received it from Snyder’s with a bag of extra-long screws/bolts to hold it to the firewall, but none fit the existing threaded holes. I contacted the manufacturer who sent me a new set of screws/bolts, but these too do not match the existing threads going through the firewall. I even brought the existing screws to Ace Hardware but they do not fit the standard
 
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