C3 firewall grommet

[Jeff W.]

Does anyone know where I can get this grommet for my 1972? I have looked through the suppliers and have not seen it or know what it is called, why it is there, etc. I am including a picture of Patrick Hulst's 72 and it is the one right behind the hood latch and nothing comes through there. I was dinged for not having it when I had mine judged.
Patrick, hope you do not mind me using your pic.
Thanks
Jeff

[Terry M.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

That is an opening to access the passenger side hood latch should the cable across the back of the hood fail. One takes off the vent grille and uses a right angle tool (which we all have on hand, right?) to push on the hood latch to open the hood.

[Jeff W.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

Thanks Terry, do you know where I can get the grommet?
Jeff

[Terry M.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

If I knew I would have been happy to tell you.

[Kevin G.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

Jeff,
You might try your local junk yard, however I think any good auto body/paint supplier should sell them.

Regards,
Kevin

[Harry S.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

Jeff, I can't tell from the photo but it appears to be the same size as the large floor plug in a C2. Have one of you C2 friends lend you a plug to test.

Harry

[Bill C.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

Terry ----

Terry McManmon (3966)That is an opening to access the passenger side hood latch should the cable across the back of the hood fail. One takes off the vent grille and uses a right angle tool (which we all have on hand, right?) to push on the hood latch to open the hood.

I must have looked at the gromet/hole for two years and never figured why it was there

Good info to know!

Now - it be nice if they would have put one of those on the driver side so when the hood release caable fails we could get our hoods open...

[Terry M.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

Unfortunately Bill the way to the driver's side is through the side grille. If you can get the car up high enough and have a long enough rod (screwdriver) to reach the latch from the bottom you can remove the splash shield behind the driver's side front wheel as an alternate method, but the side grille allows more access to the latch.

The real problem with all these screws is that they just don't want to come out after 30+ years in place.

[Chuck S.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

I was confused at first because you were asking about a grommet (WHAT??!!...ANOTHER NON-OBTAINABLE PART??!! ) Harry is correct, the item you're asking about is a body plug. You can see the inside bottom of the plug in Patrick's photo. I looked again this morning, and to my knowledge, the firewall body plugs are not illustrated in the AIM as for as I know.

A grommet is a circular washer, typically made of rubber, that fits into an opening and insulates wiring, vaccum tubes, cables etc. from the relatively sharp edges of the opening. In the case of old Corvettes, grommets also effectively seal the firewall opening, having several separate holes for the wiring, harnesses, and cables. Body plugs are typically formed from plastic and seal round openings in the body like those in the bottom of the floor pans.

Check vendors for body plug kits...they are sold in a set of mixed sizes for replacement during restoration. The set may not include a plug specifically intended for that firewall opening, but one of the sizes may fit as Harry indicated. But, be advised...once you have one in the opening, a really good judge will be looking to see if its a genuine "Cap Plug" (I think that's the name of the original supplier.)

Edit: P.S. If you were actually talking about the GROMMET just inboard of the body plug, and we have all gone down the wrong path here, that three hole grommet for the vacuum and washer tubes is almost certainly available from Doc Rebuild.

[Chuck S.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

Unfortunately Bill the way to the driver's side is through the side grille. If you can get the car up high enough and have a long enough rod (screwdriver) to reach the latch from the bottom you can remove the splash shield behind the driver's side front wheel.

The real problem with all these screws is that they just don't want to come out after 30+ years in place.

You see, Terry, that is just one of the advantages of a resto...the screws have all been removed and reinstalled since the car was new. (Well, that's TWO reasons to do a resto! )

You should take all your screws out and lubricate them every once in a while. HaHaHa...

[Terry M.]

Re: C3 firewall grommet

Chuck your screw comment just begs for one of my WA remarks, but I would get a time out for anything I can think of saying -- so I won't.