Can anyone give me an expert opinion on the best of the three choices for the rear seat divider? WCCC only offers the steel one which one would think the safest in a rear end collision (keeps fuel from entering passenger compartment). Moostangs Uterus has two others, one that is close to original(?) and one that is insulated but cost 3 times as much…
I have the steel one from wccc, it’s a nice piece, but the fit was a little disappointing as there is at least a 1"to 1 1/2" gap on each side where it meets the wheel tubs.
Mustang divider installation / review: http://www.classiccougargarage.net/showthread.php?tid=70
does this make it look bad from the trunk view?
It is noticeable, and I was still getting some gas odor inside. As a quick (but crude) temp fix. I used a little duct tape, I may get a new one cut. I also never painted mine, doing so may help hide the fitment issue
We never used to notice these things years back…the other day when I was laying on my back in the trunk marking the cutouts for the rear deck 6x9 speakers on the package tray I said, “This is no place for a nap, it smells like gas back here!”
Must be a young fella. Last week I was on my back in the trunk on the Eliminator thinking who the heck can I call to get me out of here
End result - visit to orthopaedic specialist on 26 April.
Should have called Leon. Ya just KNOW the Curbies would have shown up! To
- Take pictures
- Drink your beer
- Hussle any parts small enough to be carried off.
On a side note:
I’m thinking of making my own. I have some BIG Ol’ sheets of cardboard to make a template from. A friend from H.S. has his own heating/cooling business. Has said he’d get me the metal at his cost.
'SWAT I did. Made a big cardboard template and then transferred it to sheetmetal and cut that out. I screwed it in place, caulked the edges, and then painted it. Then I covered it with some leftover Dynamat I had laying around before putting the back seat back in.
51 years young…I had help getting out! It was a helluva lot easier getting in there than it was getting out!
I’ve always thought that the idea of a steel panel behind the rear seat to “prevent burning fuel from entering the passenger compartment in the event of a rear-end collision” was a band-aid at best. To be totally effective, all the holes in the package tray would need to be covered, and the roof pillars would have to be closed off as well. The seat panel would have to seal all the way around.
I think that there is a product called “Tank Armor”, which is a sheet of steel that fastens over the top of the fuel tank to the trunk floor sides.
This would probably be the most effective measure to deflect fuel down and under the car, rather than inside where the occupants are seated.
I am all for people doing what ever makes them happy when it comes to cars, but Scott nailed this one. The place to keep any gasoline is is UNDER the car. The shield needs to be above the tank, basically the floor that you don’t have right now.
As an old car stereo installer that spent many many hours in trunks, I can tell you that sealing the trunk on a Cougar is pretty close to impossible. The trunk is also open to the sides above the fenders, as well as through the rear deck… And if you did get it sealed the trunk won’t close easily. The trapped air inside the trunk will make he lid want to bounce back open. If you have speakers in the rear deck they will burn through to, so don’t forget about that.
This all started with speaker installation. I was marking the cutouts in the package tray for 6x9’s. OK, I pretty much grew up driving this car…actually learned how to drive in it back in 1976. I am just going to go with some kind of cardboard or insulated divider. If I go to meet my maker due to the fact that I didn’t have IED proof armor between me and the trunk of my '68…well…I will die pissed off because some jackass rear ended my beautiful car…I CERTAINLY won’t lose sleep over it! LOL!!!
True, because if you meet your maker, you’ll actually GAIN sleep over it…
I wondered if anyone would catch that! 