73 Mustang Cowl inspection for rust?

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red73mustang

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 21, 2013
Messages
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Location
New Jersey
My Car
1973 Mustang Convertable
So I've had my 73 convertable for over 20 years and have never gotten around to restoring it. Was wondering how do I determine if the cowl is rusted? I've heard that this can be a critical factor in determining if these cars are worth restoring.

Thanks, Chet

 
You can also pull the fenders off and look easily at the cowl panel thru the drain openings. The driver side is the most difficult to view from the top, so by pulling the fenders, you can see both inner and outer areas with a drop light.. That's what I do.. It takes a little time to unbolt everything, but you get a clean view of the cowl.

 
You can also pull the fenders off and look easily at the cowl panel thru the drain openings. The driver side is the most difficult to view from the top, so by pulling the fenders, you can see both inner and outer areas with a drop light.. That's what I do.. It takes a little time to unbolt everything, but you get a clean view of the cowl.
sit in the drivers or passenger seat and have someone wash your car. If your feet get wet its rotted....lollerz

 
I have a 72 Convertible and I am getting a water leak on the passenger side floor pan which I presume is from a leak in the cowl. Is there a band aide fix even if its temporary?

 
Yes. Remove the fresh air vent from the passenger side and you can see the bottom of the cowl. Take a tube of gutter sealant and spread it around the "hat" and seal any holes. Reinstall fresh air vent.

This is a crappy repair-I'm not really suggesting you do it for anything other than a very temporary fix.

Cowl integrity is a major component of the structural integrity of the body.

 
I have a 72 Convertible and I am getting a water leak on the passenger side floor pan which I presume is from a leak in the cowl. Is there a band aide fix even if its temporary?
Passenger side leak could also be a leaking heater core. Check the leak to see if the leak is antifreeze (if you are using anti-freeze in the radiator).

 
Another area of the cowl that is prone to rust is where the windshield overlaps the cowl. There is a deep void between the glass and cowl and trash gets trapped in there and gets wet in rain or hose washing. Take an air hose and blow out from under the lower windshield edge you will be shocked at what is in there. If you don't have the camera you can use a light inside the cowl to spot the holes. If you are going to do a restore you probably should replace the cowl rust never stops unless you have new metal that is sealed.

 
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