Topic: Additional cut in firewall - 69 NJ Mach I

[Bill Jenkins]

When I dis-assembled my Mach 1 early  Metuchen 4-speed car I found a waning crescent moon shaped sliver of steel attached by a small piece at the top of the powerbrake booster opening and folded inside the firewall.

The pictures are not that good but you can see it on a couple. I carefully folded it back, that was from the factory so it stays that way.

Why would they manually punch out this item and it really looks like a funny shaped opening.  Were they trying to fit some leftover 68' parts?


Bill   

[SAcobra427]

Did your car come originally with manual or power brakes when it was new ?  The area that is cut out is whats different between mounting a non power brake master cyl or a power brake booster to the firewall. Maybe someone at some point added power brakes. I have seen a Ford template that is used to make the change from manual to power and that area in question is cut out in the prossess along with drilling additional mounting holes for the booster studs.

[Brian Conway]

Bill this is the cut out on my car.  Original disc brake car 9/19/68 Metuchen.  Brian

[sfltjed@302]

Interesting, I am doing a rotisserie restoration on my 1970 Boss 302 (12-1-69 build date on a Dearborn car).  I found the same crescent shaped cutout partially attached but it was in the clutch rod hole. Folded back to the interior of the car, barely attached. Of course I broke it off before snapping any photos but after closer examination, it was clear why my clutch rod boot would never stay in place....the hole was too big. Now that I see this post, I see see that it happened more than once and in different locations on the firewall.I would guess it was a mistake by the line worker. No idea what they were trying to accomplish with the double punching! JM