Anyone tried to use the Ames Performance Engineering (Pontiac) "molded" firewall pad? It looks very close to original. I bought a firewall pad made by REM and am not going to install it due to poor quality. Surely I'm not going to be the first (guinea pig) to try the Pontiac pad?:laugh: Anyone?
Glen, Thank you for volunteering. I will be needing one as well and have been eyeing them for some time. The other ones suck. I have put one in friends 442 and real bad fit and looked like crap. I see Ames at show every year but they do not bring the stupid things so I have not been able to check them out. Ames usually does stuff right however. Let us know if you get one.
I have one coming in ,in about a weeks time,i'll let you know how it looks I'll do one better,i'll take pics and post them here
I'm ordering one today, a 70-72 non AC type. So that will make at least (2) of us who will be trying it.
You guys are swell!(I watch old movies) Nice to get some real world opinions instead of listening to catalog sing it's own praises.
Larker, I thought the point of this thread was that people did not like that pad(me included) and wanted the better one. I installed that one in a 442 and it did not fit well at all and I had to pull and tug to get it to fit. It does not look very original as it is vinyl not rubber and does no have the rolled edges. I would use my orignal taped bacj together before I would use that one again.
My bad,must have read over the "moulded" part. Sorry i wasn't any help,now i'm really interested in the moulded one mr big ordered.
Been on vacation in the Carolina's...When I got back the pad was here. I laid all (3) out on the floor, the new molded unit, my original, and the REM unit. All three are different, but the molded unit appears closer in appearance to the original. The Ames Performance Engineering piece will need a little trimming around the throttle cable, but I see no reason why it won't work. As soon as I can, I'll see how well it goes in.
Not yet...no mail on Saturday with the 4th...I'll look for it in the next day or two. Back to the original point....I ask for pics for the reason that the original pads have a specific texture/finish to them. Sort of similar to the wheelwell splash shields...a sort of rubber coating with lots of stuff (jute?) mixed in that seems to give it a certain look. I know the cheap pads are just closed cell smooth foam glued onto some insulation.
I'll take a few pictures...the look is better than the REM piece, but still not "as original". It's molded, rather than flat...that should help with the fit. The install will be the deciding factor.
Top is original, middle in REM, bottom is the APE unit. I shot more pictures of the APE unit with additionl detail if anyone wants to see them, just pm with an email and I'll share.
