Years of Cowl Vents??

Power · 04-30-2001, 02:45 AM

Does anyone happen to know when they started putting those cowl vents at the base of the windshield. Or was it an option of some kind. Thanks for the help.

------------------
1966 Baby blue Coupe, 289, Manual 3-speed, Edelbrock 650, Flowmaster 3-chambers, and minor upgrades. Interior work includes custom paneling, custom dash dress-up(I refuse to cut anything out of the original), Rewiring most of the electronics, Porsche 911 seats installed soon, and Stroker kit when I get to Texas. November of 2001 I will go back to Dallas.

Gearhead999 · 04-30-2001, 09:00 PM

Are you talking about the vent at the base of the windshield??? If so that has been there since the Mustang came out. It originally supplied air for a left/right floor vent. Then when A/C became built in, 1968, it also supplied the outside air to the evaporator case.

It has two drains, left and right, that are under the fenders. They clog very easy with leaves and debri. Then "RUST" comes and never sleeps, till it has eaten a hole into the passenger compartment under the dash and leaks like a screen door in a submarine. Then the now wet floor "rusts" under the carpeting.

"Rust never sleeps"

Power · 04-30-2001, 11:22 PM

Those are the ones....My '66 doesn't have them. Thats why I was asking. I'm pretty sure my buddies '65 has them, so I was asking if it was an option. I am very positive mine doesn't have them so is it possible that someone filled them in? It doesn't really look like it but who knows...

Thanks for any help with this...

66fastback · 05-03-2001, 12:19 PM

someone has filled in your cowl vents, they are as much a part of every Mustang as the steering wheel. I'd bet money that they had a leaky cowl and thought it was a lot easier to just cover it up instead of replace the cowl.

------------------
66 GT Fastback,fuel injected 5.0, 5-speed, cable clutch, JBA's and duals, 3.40 gears and handling mods...just call me "Doc"

Gearhead999 · 05-05-2001, 05:10 AM

I agree with 66fastback. All Mustangs have the cowl vent. I'm sure that it was filled in to repair a leak there, cheaply.

zach0 · 05-09-2001, 07:43 PM

Where exactly would the vent be because I have a 66' coupe and I cant find them either

------------------
66 Mustang Black W/ Black
289 Hi-Po 65'heads, MSD
Lunati High lift Cam
750CFM Carb

Power · 05-09-2001, 09:28 PM

Check out the grill type things located at the base of the windshieldhere.

Most of the posts in response to my question were answered with someone filled them in. I'm not calling BS here, but if someone filled these in they did some EXCELLENT body work. Considering the quality of the body work on a couple of other spots on the car I find this hard to believe. I have went over the whole strip at the base of the windshield knocking it and it is metal all the way across. Considering the paint on it PERFECTLY matches the rest of the car and hasn't been available for some time(the paint is Arcadian Blue, and I've been told it was discontinued by Ford in the mid to late 70's). There is also no weld marks or any other kind of mark giving away that the vents were filled in after the factory. Is everyone positive that it wasn't some weird option or maybe an error????

I have climbed under the dash and looked and there is no evidence of any rust rot under there at all. Seeing as the rest of the car has typical cancer spots I'm inclined to think if it was filled in it was done many many years ago or else might have been purchased without the vents. I know thats weird, but this car still has factory clearcoat over the arcadian blue paint(looks like it anyway).

Just my thoughts on this...

------------------
1966 Baby blue Coupe, 289, Manual 3-speed, Edelbrock 650, Flowmaster 3-chambers, and minor upgrades. Interior work includes custom paneling, custom dash dress-up(I refuse to cut anything out of the original), Rewiring most of the electronics, Porsche 911 seats installed soon, and Stroker kit when I get to Texas. November of 2001 I will go back to Dallas.

Gearhead999 · 05-09-2001, 10:07 PM

Power,

When the 64 1/2 came out it too had the vents. Yours might of been done many moons ago. Also, they never came with clearcoat.

Possiblity, since you have been all over car. That some one has removed the cowl completly and fabricated one complete and spot welded it back in.

Look in any "coffee table" book of Mustangs and you'll see that they all had them.

Power · 05-09-2001, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gearhead999:
Power,

When the 64 1/2 came out it too had the vents. Yours might of been done many moons ago. Also, they never came with clearcoat.

Possiblity, since you have been all over car. That some one has removed the cowl completly and fabricated one complete and spot welded it back in.

Look in any "coffee table" book of Mustangs and you'll see that they all had them.

I stand corrected on the clear coat. When I got home I looked at the possibility of a complete panel made to spotweld over them like you said. It is possible for that to be it. They did a good job though and there is no sinking of the metal or evidence of welding. It must have also been done a long time ago as it has the factory ford paint over it. At least it looks like it. Someone might have been able to find a mixing chart for that color and mix it and spray it. I will go with majority vote on this one and accept that they all came with the vents. I appreciate all the help with this topic.....mac

------------------
1966 Baby blue Coupe, 289, Manual 3-speed, Edelbrock 650, Flowmaster 3-chambers, and minor upgrades. Interior work includes custom paneling, custom dash dress-up(I refuse to cut anything out of the original), Rewiring most of the electronics, Porsche 911 seats installed soon, and Stroker kit when I get to Texas. November of 2001 I will go back to Dallas.

zach0 · 05-11-2001, 04:21 PM

What are the cowl vents for?

red · 05-11-2001, 05:13 PM

Fresh air inlet for heater and vents

66fastback · 05-12-2001, 09:05 AM

just curious Power....does your car still have the fresh air vent under the dash on the driver's side? I know it would serve no function now, but I was just wondering if it had been removed too.

------------------
66 GT Fastback,fuel injected 5.0, 5-speed, cable clutch, JBA's and duals, 3.40 gears and handling mods...just call me "Doc"

04-30-2001, 02:45 AM	#1
Power Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Oregon Posts: 420	Years of Cowl Vents?? Does anyone happen to know when they started putting those cowl vents at the base of the windshield. Or was it an option of some kind. Thanks for the help. ------------------ 1966 Baby blue Coupe, 289, Manual 3-speed, Edelbrock 650, Flowmaster 3-chambers, and minor upgrades. Interior work includes custom paneling, custom dash dress-up(I refuse to cut anything out of the original), Rewiring most of the electronics, Porsche 911 seats installed soon, and Stroker kit when I get to Texas. November of 2001 I will go back to Dallas.

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04-30-2001, 09:00 PM	#2
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	Are you talking about the vent at the base of the windshield??? If so that has been there since the Mustang came out. It originally supplied air for a left/right floor vent. Then when A/C became built in, 1968, it also supplied the outside air to the evaporator case. It has two drains, left and right, that are under the fenders. They clog very easy with leaves and debri. Then "RUST" comes and never sleeps, till it has eaten a hole into the passenger compartment under the dash and leaks like a screen door in a submarine. Then the now wet floor "rusts" under the carpeting. "Rust never sleeps"

04-30-2001, 11:22 PM	#3
Power Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Oregon Posts: 420	Those are the ones....My '66 doesn't have them. Thats why I was asking. I'm pretty sure my buddies '65 has them, so I was asking if it was an option. I am very positive mine doesn't have them so is it possible that someone filled them in? It doesn't really look like it but who knows... Thanks for any help with this...

05-03-2001, 12:19 PM	#4
66fastback Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 208	someone has filled in your cowl vents, they are as much a part of every Mustang as the steering wheel. I'd bet money that they had a leaky cowl and thought it was a lot easier to just cover it up instead of replace the cowl. ------------------ 66 GT Fastback,fuel injected 5.0, 5-speed, cable clutch, JBA's and duals, 3.40 gears and handling mods...just call me "Doc"

05-05-2001, 05:10 AM	#5
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	I agree with 66fastback. All Mustangs have the cowl vent. I'm sure that it was filled in to repair a leak there, cheaply.

05-09-2001, 07:43 PM	#6
zach0 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Hampton, Virginia Posts: 227	Where exactly would the vent be because I have a 66' coupe and I cant find them either ------------------ 66 Mustang Black W/ Black 289 Hi-Po 65'heads, MSD Lunati High lift Cam 750CFM Carb

05-09-2001, 09:28 PM	#7
Power Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Oregon Posts: 420	Check out the grill type things located at the base of the windshieldhere. Most of the posts in response to my question were answered with someone filled them in. I'm not calling BS here, but if someone filled these in they did some EXCELLENT body work. Considering the quality of the body work on a couple of other spots on the car I find this hard to believe. I have went over the whole strip at the base of the windshield knocking it and it is metal all the way across. Considering the paint on it PERFECTLY matches the rest of the car and hasn't been available for some time(the paint is Arcadian Blue, and I've been told it was discontinued by Ford in the mid to late 70's). There is also no weld marks or any other kind of mark giving away that the vents were filled in after the factory. Is everyone positive that it wasn't some weird option or maybe an error???? I have climbed under the dash and looked and there is no evidence of any rust rot under there at all. Seeing as the rest of the car has typical cancer spots I'm inclined to think if it was filled in it was done many many years ago or else might have been purchased without the vents. I know thats weird, but this car still has factory clearcoat over the arcadian blue paint(looks like it anyway). Just my thoughts on this... ------------------ 1966 Baby blue Coupe, 289, Manual 3-speed, Edelbrock 650, Flowmaster 3-chambers, and minor upgrades. Interior work includes custom paneling, custom dash dress-up(I refuse to cut anything out of the original), Rewiring most of the electronics, Porsche 911 seats installed soon, and Stroker kit when I get to Texas. November of 2001 I will go back to Dallas.

05-09-2001, 10:07 PM	#8
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	Power, When the 64 1/2 came out it too had the vents. Yours might of been done many moons ago. Also, they never came with clearcoat. Possiblity, since you have been all over car. That some one has removed the cowl completly and fabricated one complete and spot welded it back in. Look in any "coffee table" book of Mustangs and you'll see that they all had them.

05-11-2001, 04:21 PM	#10
zach0 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Hampton, Virginia Posts: 227	What are the cowl vents for?

05-11-2001, 05:13 PM	#11
red Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Millburn, NJ Posts: 310	Fresh air inlet for heater and vents

05-12-2001, 09:05 AM	#12
66fastback Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 208	just curious Power....does your car still have the fresh air vent under the dash on the driver's side? I know it would serve no function now, but I was just wondering if it had been removed too. ------------------ 66 GT Fastback,fuel injected 5.0, 5-speed, cable clutch, JBA's and duals, 3.40 gears and handling mods...just call me "Doc"