While I am doing my head gaskets, I figured that I might as well clean up the engine compartment some while I'm in there. I found a non-AC heater box on ebay going for $71, but I'm a cheap bastard so I took the pic from the webpage and tried to make mine look like it. I cut off the whole part that sticks out into the engine bay, and left about 5" of the box on the part that mates to the firewall. Then I cut some 22 guage sheetmetal to the needed shape for the new front and sides, and used some fiberglass resin to attach them. After that cured, I sprayed the whole thing with rubber undercoating and blotted it with a paper towel. That gave it a nice textured look, and also prevented me from having to finish sand it and paint



Let me know what you think

 

Also, the flash was hitting funny on the semi-dry undercoat, it looks alot better in person. The whole big flat part in the pic is what I did.

 

Kewl Might be doing something simaler soon while the engine is out of my car.

 

here's where mine is supposed to be.

 

i just took mine out and riveted some sheetmetal on the holes. how's that for a hackjob?!

 

You're a lucky SOB, I was gonna do that but I still plan on driving it on the nicer days this winter. Here in illinois I'll take all the heat I can get

 

I made mine when I did my motor swap, I just made a little tunnel from half the heater box to cover where the A/C used to be, I used Galvanized Aluminum.

 

I just bought one! Hey mw66nova, do you have any issues with dew in the morning getting into your car? I am in the middle of swapping mine out and i did not finish, so all week long i have had bad moisture inside in the mornings? I'm up in NJ so its prob. just the weather!

 

The heater box from an 80's S10 fits our cars as well.

 

dunno dude, i haven't driven my car on the street since Jan. i will let you know if about 1 week though. plan to do something about the heater box soon though.

 

That's good to know in case this one doesn't work out for some reason. The S-10 one would probably be alot easier to find than the non AC F-body box.

 

anyone got a picture of an S10 box so i know what i am looking for?

 

I think the the mod to yours looks great. Don't see any reason it shouldn't work.

The s10 box is way easier to find since more of those were made without ac than fbodies.

 

Not me I still got get off my lazy butt and find one. I saw one on ebay for $5 but it wasn't the same shape. I was told it has to be from a mid 80's version. Should be plenty of them in junk yards.

 

They don't really fit that great and are not the correct shape, but they will work. Stick with the f-body delete box.

 

Well that figures. thanks for the great news

 

S-10 delete boxes are easy to find. Thirdgen delete boxes are needles in haystacks. I am always combing junkyards for them. When I do find one, they usually fetch $70-80 on ebay.

 

I've got a sheet metal one, just haven't decided to part with my AC yet.

 

Mine was removed during my last motor swap, when one of the straps snapped and the motor swung... poor lil thing never stood a chance