Firewall advice needed

[Ratnest]

My body man wants my cab in a week. In the meantime I'm going to fill some holes in the firewall that will not be used. Here's a photo of the factory firewall with way too many holes.
I will install a 350 motor with a TH350 trans (column shift) and an aftermarket under dash heater. I found factory panels that close the long and square heater holes and will drill the square panel to run my heater core tubes through. I plan to keep the steering column hole and brackets, as well as the carb linkage hole, master cylinder hole, and a couple more for electric and vacuum lines.
Is there a source for various sized round metal plugs that I can weld into the bigger holes? I can weld-up the small ones.

Any advice would be appreciated on how to do this right...thanks.

 

[Rich 5150 69]

Far as I know no, you might want to check with a welding shop or sheet metal fab shop, they might have misc pieces in junk bins from stamp outs.

 

[Lakeroadster]

Cut your own... that's what I do.

 

[Ratnest]

Cut your own... that's what I do.

I can do that with a hole saw. But, the problem is that I end up with a hole in the middle of the round disc. Trying to avoid that if I can. I'll hit up the local sheet metal shop tomorrow and see what they have.

 

[Lakeroadster]

I make a cardboard template then cut the patch panel using hand nibblers and\or a cut off tool.... not a hole saw.

 

[brkile]

Blair Rotobroach Kit

I purchased a Blair Rotobroach hole saw kit. Not only does it cut clean hole in stock up to .25 inch but it cuts nice round plugs. It only uses a center punch mark for centering so there is no hole in the center of the plug. I got mine on ebay. One of the best tools I ever bought. Bruce Kile

 

[Ratnest]

Thanks guys for your advice. Went to a big heat/air/elec company this morning and they gave me some knock-outs from elec panels and junction boxes. A couple cold Buds and my Miller-Matic 35 will get me back at it on the firewall.

 

[Ratnest]

I purchased a Blair Rotobroach hole saw kit. Not only does it cut clean hole in stock up to .25 inch but it cuts nice round plugs. It only uses a center punch mark for centering so there is no hole in the center of the plug. I got mine on ebay. One of the best tools I ever bought. Bruce Kile

Thanks for the info Bruce...I'll get one of those if I can afford it. Sounds like a neat tool to have.