I went into the hell hole today [w/out the engine in thar] and removed the rubber crappy pad on the firewall...no probelm rust! Just a little surface rust in on area but it can be cleaned and painted.

One thing about the design of the "hole" They have two "pockets" just forward of the engine mounts that collect a ton of dirt and the have no drainage. Anyone have a good location for drainage holes or is this OK to leave as is?

In respect to the pad. It's pretty worn out and ugly. Is it best to make one up out of the same foil faced material used under carpets as insulation or is there a really good pad on the market? Where can I get it?

Thanks you all!

Peter
74 2 Liter

anything you put there will trap moisture. some people have used a Dynamat-like product. but none of my cars have had mats there (i think they were used either in later cars, or /4's or both...) and i've never regretted the lack ...

You can take the pad out completely... rust proof the firewall and put something back in... or... If you just want sound deading, it will probably "look better" hiding on the cabin side of the firewall. I have done both. IMO looks nicer without the pad in the engine compartment.

As to the water collection points... if we are thinking of the same place, I know some cars came with drainage holes and little rubber drains with passages so small it basically would get clogged up and not allow any drainage. I made bigger holes and then rust proofed as well.


- Dave

In my hell hole, the water created its own drainage in that "pocket" <_<

I need to patch it up and figure something out.

Hmmm...no pad. It would be nice to color match the wall [as it is] to add some life to the compartment. I wonder if the oem pad was actually fire retardent?

perhaps only to the extent that you can't burn a wet sponge.
i doubt it had any retardant properties on its own...
certainly it was more flammable than the sheet steel firewall it covered ...

Of the roughly dozen of 914's me or my friends have had, the early ones without the pad have had ZERO firewall rust. The later cars with the pad ALL had rust, ranging from deeply pitted "surface" rust to all out hole into the cockpit, plus rusted floors (from water getting in thru the hole).

Fix your rust, and leave the pad out, it is a very bad thing as far as collecting water. If you never drive your car int he rain, park it in a garage, and hever wash it with water, then I think the pad is ok, but short of that, they are rust makers.


Back Pad + any water = RUST.

good luck

dave

Anyone ever try those silver reflective pads that they are selling on ebay? The adds say that all the 911's are going to them, so they finally made them for the 914. Give the dog a bone.

never heard of them, post a link if you get a chance.

BUT -- the firewall area of a 911 is exposed to none of the water intrusion effects a 914 is.
AFAIK - my 911 (a '71 - contemporaneous with the 914 ...) never had any kind of sound pad either - and i won't be adding one now. i can see that a reflective thing might keep some engine heat out of the cabin - but i don't even have seats for the rear-seat passengers i don't carry ...

914 firewall area is a double-panel affair and does a very good job of keeping heat where it belongs.

IMO - if you insist on some kind of sound-deadening material - the proper place is IN the cabin.

you will not regret removing the pad and cleaning things up.

kevin

Yep...I'm convinced. I will be going with the bare firewall. Back to scraping paint!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...4&category=6763
Here is a link to the guy who was selling them on eBay. He doesn't have any 914 pads posted right now, but he has in the past.

Here are some pics of my engine bay:

and one more...

thanks for that !

i still don't think i need any firewall pads but i really need inner door panels and i really like his RS-style stuff. real good chance there'll be a pair of those on the 911 pretty soon ...