Is this a stock firewall pad?, What else in the engine bay looks bad? Options

[Slick914]

As some of you know, I just bought this car a couple weeks ago. I'm seriously looking into doing a facelift on the car such as new paint, some interior, and detailing the engine bay. I pretty much know what needs to be done body and interior wise. Now I'm trying to determine what the engine bay will need. I'm not going for an original resto, and plan on keeping the carbs. I'm thinking it may just need a battery tray and painted. Some of the wiring looks ugly, so maybe that can be straightened up. Is that firewall pad stock or something that was added? Everything seems solid as far as rust goes. What looks bad to you guys?

[Dave_Darling]

That looks like a non-stock firewall pad. No slits in it, no round plastic washers holding it in. Oh, and most telling: It's still attached to the firewall!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif) The glue on the stockers often fails, which leads to the pad falling down and covering the air inlet to the fan. They also trap moisture up against the firewall, leading to the R-word.

Warm air is provided by the engine cooling fan. Some cooling air is diverted into the heat exchangers, and when you pull up on the red lever that air is allowed to come into the cabin. When the lever is up all the way, the heater blower should turn on, pushing more air into the exchangers and therefore into the cabin.

With no relay board, you won't have the blower relay so you won't have the heater blower working. (Not unless someone did even more rewiring than it sounds like they have!)

The relay board is a very convenient place to hook different wires together. It also gives you a place to hang the voltage regulator, and a couple of relays for things like the fuel pump and heater blower. Some people like the idea of getting rid of it, but I think it serves a useful purpose.

--DD