Some previous owner of my car decided the transmission tunnel was not big enough for their shifter and butchered it. I cut up an old front valence for some sheet metal and patched it. I have never welded sheet metal on a car except in practice. Thanks to all the restoration shows I watch for technique. We won't discuss all the grinding to make it look good.
There is a trim ring on the bottom side of the shifter hole. Is that part reproduced? I have no way of making that unless I step up to 1/4" bar stock (might make it better, who knows?).
Looks great. Firebirds have neat shifter holes. You should see what the factory did for my shifter hole on my GTO. Looks like they cut the hole with an axe
Funny... This is what I have been doing since my engine has been at the builder for an eternity. I've been welding and grinding patches for weeks for all the holes cut in the trans tunnel. Some knucklehead moved the shifter to what seems like the back seat and I finally decided to move it since the trans and engine are out. Best is what he used to patch the original. Looks like 2 gang electrical box blanks. I hit it with a cleaning wheel to see how much rust was actually on it while I was cleaning up the other bottom spots. I made a joke to one of my Dad's friends that I am not officially a hot rodder because I have been cutting my car apart and welding it back together.
You patch job is looking good to me. Keep it up!
1957 Thunderbird 289 1967 Firebird Base 461 1968 C-20 327