302 Coyote V-8 Engine - Coyote Power: A Different Way To Be Different

These copper backup plates from Eastwood are helpful when filling holes as the welding wire won’t stick to them. One is handheld, the other two have magnets to hold them in place.

A hammer and dolly were called on again to straighten the cut edge of the stock firewall. We then measured for the flange that would recess the centersection.

With all the holes plugged, the firewall section is ready to have the flange added.

To fabricate the firewall flange we used a length of 16-gauge sheetmetal 6 inches wide. We don’t have a sheetmetal brake, so we used the next best thing, our drill press table with a chunk of angle iron clamped to it and made the initial bends with a body hammer.

An adjustable gauge was used to determine the precise angle of the bends required.

Basically the plan was to use this strip of sheetmetal to recess the centersection of the firewall. A test-fit proved it fit close enough for welding in place.

The gauge was then used to fine-tune the bend in the flange.

An electric shear was used to trim the filler strip to its proper width, which turned out to be 3-3/4 inches.

We tacked the filler strip to the centersection of the firewall then tacked the recessed portion in place. A test-fit of the engine verified that there was plenty of room so all the pieces were welded together. We haven’t decided on a transmission yet, we’ll finish the toe and floorboards when whatever we use is in place.