Paint and Body Cowl grill

Wayne Waldrep

Before I post a pic, do you have one of yours?
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
Apr 14, 2003
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Cuba, AL
Ok. This is going to happen. I have several non typical reasons for needing this. I continue to get loads of cedar tree needles in the cowl. They even drop down the air intake and come out of the vents! It wasn't long ago I took my entire dash out and apart and cleaned all the hvac plastic tubes along with everything else under there. Now they have crap in them....ugghhhh. I do not run wipers. I have all that stuff nicely stored. I've had this car completely apart before too when I did the color change. People who claim the cowl needs to be open to breathe air into the system apparently hasn't seen all the numerous other wide open air passages under there...lol.
So. Here are my thoughts. I had one of the dual gauge cowl concept grills long ago when I was concerned only with racing. I got one with no holes or grating...just the 2 gauge pods. Sold it like a dummy with every single autometer gauge I had. What was I thinking?! Dummy! Anyway, I will be keeping the factory looking grill that's on there. I'm thinking I'll get a piece of kydex (knife making coming in handy) and make a flat trimmed piece to fit under the grill. I need to decide if I should attach it to the plastic grill or the car. Or neither? I don't mind water getting under it so it doesn't have to literally seal. I just don't want leaves or debris to get thru. Kydex shouldn't be any different that the plastic trim on the car touching it so I don't see any way it will cause problems. I cannot spend hardly any money as usual so I have to make whatever this becomes. A piece of .060 kydex is less than $20 shipped.

Welcome any and all thoughts or pictures.
 
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I have several oak trees in my yard, after all I am a 'shade tree' mechanic and I like trees, so leaves are a problem, I'm going to attach some type of screen under my cowel cover just not sure what kind yet.
My opinion on closing off the opening is 'do it', if you use the ac on max it closes off the outside air anyway. The vent just moves hot air from outside so :shrug:
 
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The car would be fine with the cowel grill closed off. A bunch of people do the screen thing like Thief mentioned. It's pretty easy to do with metal screen. It'll form to the contours on the bottom of the grill. I haven't seen metal screen in the stores for years though. Most of it now is some other type of material. Not sure how that stuff will hold shape.
 
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Doubt it will cause any issues, I did the same pretty much with 60m plastic to keep junk out of the cowl on a project car that's parked out side. I just cut to fit and reattached the grill with the screws holding it in place, air blows the build up off it quick..

I would cut it to fit the openings, bond it to the under side of the grill with panel bond or epoxy. so its not between the sheet metal and the grill screws, color match it and no one would have a clue its there. No idea how thick the material is, may use edge trim on the sheet metal edges so it will seal enough to keep the pine needles out but not be air tight., the front corners of the cowl aren't sealed that well so doubt it would effect fresh air much.
 
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Good input guys. Thanks. The pinpoint cedar needles require me to do a solid piece. The slightest opening and the things are everywhere. Maybe i should bale them up and sell em!
 
The sides of the cowl void area are wide open.

However if you follow the path, those voids draw from the inner fenders behind the plastic fender liners. That pulls air from the engine bay. Hopefully you don’t have a big exhaust leak or are burning leaking engine oil.

Edit: it’s open here on both sides

E6A5DFD5-DED7-49ED-BE01-52C117932ECB.jpeg
 
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