M38A1 - Gap between frame and bottom of firewall

[Ivoryring]

I'm not sure what the correct term for this bit is, so it's possible if I could figure that out, I'd have an easier time answering this for myself. My apologies if this is a commonly asked question.

Showing here a photo of the passenger side, tub on frame, where the bracket riveted to the brace at the bottom of the firewall bolts to the frame.



The gap between the right angle shaped brace and the frame looks even to me, but it seems like a huge gap. Is this gap correct? As you can see I need to extract the bolt from that hole in the frame, but that said it is centered on the hole in the bracket. The corresponding driver side bracket is completely gone and I'll need to find or fabricate one, so I can't reference that. If the gap is correct, should there be some kind of padding between them or just left wide open like that? If the gap isn't correct, is it possible that the rivited bracket has been enlongated?

Edit: Not sure how I managed a duplicate post on this - but I deleted the other one.

[4x4M38]

Your hat channel should extend forward under the toe board brace.
Maybe it was cut off in conjunction with whatever was tied to that chunk of bar welded to the frame under the toe board mount hole.

Iirc, my M38 has a spot weld through the toe board into the hat channel.

[4x4M38]

And yes, there should be a rubber cushion between the bottom of the missing hat channel and the frame.

[Ivoryring]

Thanks for the info. My hat channel situation is definitely "creative" (trying to be kind toward the PO).

[wesk]

You should review my M38A1 Frame photo album: http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... _album.php

Particularly my sub-album M38A1 Tub Mounting: http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... _album.php

[4x4M38]

Yup,
That last photo you posted Wes is the one I confirmed a similar setup as the M38.

Bubba strikes again....