I recently removed my A/C and my Heater. I was looking for tips / pics on fabbing up one piece of steel to cover both holes in the firewall. What would I do about that 1/8" lip on the circular hole? grind it smooth? I just need tips on making a clean looking cover. I would like to fasten it without screws or rivets. Whats the best way to do this? I was going to go with the approach of doing two separate plates, but it won't look as good. I still need to remove my heater core though. Can I do this without removing the dash? Any help is appreciated. Also I would love to do this with the motor in the car.

 

I'd recommend that you're 100% sure you don't still want heat in the car before you do this. There are lots of people with non-ac heater boxes that achieved a nice clean look on the engine side if that's your goal. As for how to do it...you'll be looking to remove the interior diverter box to get the heater core out, and I've never tried doing that with the dash in place. It'd be very very difficult if not impossible to do without disconnecting the dash first. You don't have to rip the entire dash out of the car though. you just have to drop the steering column, remove the dash pad, remove the center console (and probably the radio pod too so you don't ruin it) and remove the bolts that hold the dash assembly to the body ( 6 or so along the cowl and 2 on the bottom corners). Pull the dash away from the firewall and you will have enough room to remove the diverter box without disconnecting wiring from the dash. There are 2 or 3 10mm bolts that hold the diverter box into the firewall on the passenger side and there is one bolt that screws into the diverter box from the engine side of the firewall (between the 2 large holes). Once the diverter box is out, you can either leave the rest of the vents in the dash assembly in place, or you can remove them too.

 

I wouldnt remove the heater core. Ide flush it with fresh water, cut the two connectors flush with the firewall and leave it in there. Its not worth tearing into the dash. Besides...if you remove it, and decide you want it again, you still have to pull it all apart. So if you want it after cutting it, just get a new one and put it in. Its cheap, you'll have a new core, and you are only digging into it once instead of twice. Ide fill the ends somehow to prevent moisture from rusting your panel...unless you are using alum.

The reason I said flush it first is so in the unlikely event that it leaks into the car, it will be fresh water and not antifreeze.

As for the plate...you will have to make the surface flush. So the lip has to go. Then, its up to you. Get some cardboard, and trim it until you are happy with the look and fit. Transfer that onto sheet metal. Doesnt have to be very thick. 1/8" is WAY plenty. Cut it, paint/polish it and put it on.

For a boltless install, there are adhesives out there that are as strong as weld. Do some searches on google or autobody repair forums for what products work best. In my opinion, a few stainless buttonhead bolts to hold it in place wont look bad, and if you ever have to get back in there...it'll be easy. Ide be willing to bet that good old RTV dabbed in a few places would hold it just fine though. Depends on what you want.

Just my suggestions tho...probably 50 different ways to do it.

J.

 

I gutted all my stuff then welded a panel on the inside and painted everything. I think it looks pretty good, but I'll get pics for ya.

 

What I did is cut the A/C side of the heater box off and made a tube that delivers it to the heater hole using a few visegrips an old fabricated table and some rivets. I have yet to install it but I think it will look good.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys.

That's a good idea. I might cut it flush and leave it. I guess it's not hurting anything. Also, can I use an old heater / ac box to trace onto a piece of cardboard for a template? After thinking about it, I may just use the stock location screws and screw the plate on.

I thought about welding, but I think I'm just going to screw it on. Do you have pics.

Also, I forgot since its been a while, but can I use the old heater / ac box to trace onto cardboard? I threw all my old stuff in the trash two years ago, so I'm thinking about going to the junkyard tomorrow and grabbing a new box to make the template off of.

 

i pulled all my stuff off (inside and out) then with a body hammer i made the firewall as flat and smooth as i could. then i just added a very minimal amount of body filler to give it the ultimate shaved look. it took some doing but the appearance is well worth it

 

You used more than body filler for the big hole right??

Look good by the way.

zacharyhorn: I dont see why you couldnt trace an A/C delete box for your template. It would be a good start. Then just taylor it so it fits how you want. If it were me...Ide want it bigger than the box. I would make it cover all the way down to the chassis rail and all the way over into the fender. Sort of make it fit in there, and not let the box dictate the size and shape. Then just use the stock bolt locations.

Might be somewhat of a pain to find nice bolts to go in those holes. They are like sheet metal screws. So finding some nice button heads or something might be tough. Check your local hardware joints out and see what you can find.

J.

 

Thanks for the idea. I think I'll use an old heater / ac box from a J/Y car and make it fit in the lower firewall by the fender. Nice car BTW.

 

ghettocruiser: yes i welded plated over all the holes from the inside. i used minimal body filler, i dont feel like having to re-do it because of filler cracking out.

i find the eaiest way to make templates is with posterboard. just put it were u need it and start trimming until you get the look you want. god luck!!

 

i grinded the lip off, and used 24 gauge sheet metal, pulled my heater core and ac ducts from behind the dash. i drilled about 15-20 holes for sheet metal screws and also used rtv on the backside when i screwed it on. on the inside of the firewall, behind the dash, i used bathroom caulk around the corners of where the holes were, just to be safe.

 

im in the same boat as u. just ripped off the blower motor/AC CR@P! and i was also looking for ideas. i was thinking of making it out of thin aluminum so i dont have to worry about bending it and it rusting. i wanted a clean look and more room around the engine. just how thin can we make the actual height of the vent that goes from the blower motor to the hole in the firewall to the heater core? can it be like an inch? or an 1.5"??? i would love to rip out the heat since that heater core is in the worst place ever and they always seem to leak. i just replaced mine tho with a new one bc the old one puked all over my new 300$ carpet >:O

i would love to do tylersb350... and just shave it all off and fill it in but i still want to be able to defrost the windows since it'll be a daily driver and the winters in nj are horrible.

anyone got any pics????? of other setups??