Alternate to Cowl Vents

[John C]

Hi Guys,

Cab rust.

From the roof down to the floor and cab corners it seems to me that most of the rust is due to the lousy design of the cowl vents, or more specifically, all of the leaves and other moisture holding stuff that gets in there.

I have an idea which may fix it, but it’s a lot of work, so someone stop me... please.

I have just finished the tear down and into the engine/transmission rebuild at the moment. The cab is next and is fairly average for an almost 40 year old.

I am thinking about cutting out all of the vents forward of the screen. Then I can get in there, clean out the vegetation, do all of the repairs including rebuilding the bit outboard of the kickpanel which was more like compost storage. Give it a good coat of POR15 and then weld in a solid bit of sheet metal closing it off for good.

Next is the tricky bit. In the front vertical face of the cab/cowl area, cut an opening and weld a 2 -3 inch diameter stub at each side. Make a conduit in the inside upper part of the fenderwells in that square bit, drawing air from behind the grille and popping out of the rear inner fenderwell with another round stub. Join the stubs on each side with flexible hose (that corrugated stuff). This air would feed the whole chamber supplying the kickpanel vents and shin burner without drawing in any moisture or collecting leaves.

Criticism welcome (encouraged).

John.

[71 LONG BED]

Sounds like a well thought out plan. I say go for it and take loads of pictures to show us all here.

[Wes]

An Englishman in Australia fixing an American Truck. Why make life easy?
When is your sentence up ???



Does sound like a plan take lots of picture I'm cleaning out the driver side now but my plan was going to end w/ Por15 coating w/ a dauber.

[Tim P.]

If you close off the area below whaere does the water go that comes in at the top by the wipers arms there is a n small area below behind the rubber fender splash protection where you can get a small access to it and pull out the debri and using the garden hose at the top vents area in cowl, it will take some time but can be done without butchering the body airbox areas.

[John C]

If you close off the area below whaere does the water go that comes in at the top by the wipers arms there is a n small area below behind the rubber fender splash protection where you can get a small access to it and pull out the debri and using the garden hose at the top vents area in cowl, it will take some time but can be done without butchering the body airbox areas.

Hi Tim,

Thanks, I hadn't thought of that one. I am away at the moment but I will have a closer look when I get back next week. Perhaps I can mount a seal around the wiper boss, if not maybe the lower part of the side airboxs can be modified with a cable operated flap opening the entire lower part and venting it with a tube to the bottom of the cab.

Thanks for the help.


Cheers,

John.

[Tim P.]

the opening at the bottom of the airbox is located right where the bolt goes thru for the lower door hinged actually the threaded part acts as a minor block for larger debri from draining out if you remove the bolt you can get to it easier with forcepts and or a shop vac with a small crevis tool attached and can suck most of the stuff out. Then flush with water at the top grid in cowl.