Hi all, I posted a beginning question on an existing thread with no reply (read all the related threads here, and watched all utubes available already) -none address this basic 1st step. so I found a picture from someone else's dash area (MINE is different it appears) to explain my basic question as I am totally inexperience with the dash area, and don't want to do unnessary work.

In the pictured dash below it appears that the lower part of the dash is a seperate piece that allows him tp remove it and gain access to the upper two bolts ( far left and center bolts of the 5 on the heater box cover) On mine, it appears that the entire dash plastic is all one piece requiring removal of tons of stuff to get the entire dash off.

Is that true, or am i wrong? It appears that different years and/or firebird vs camaro dashes are different in that way, thus on mine making a difficult job even more difficult

thank-you for any guidance and or picture of a ONE whole piece dash like I may have, so I can see the extent of what needs to come off. Tom

 

Interesting that I got zero replies, Well, I'll reply then

Respectfully JamesC
I just completed 85 camaro with A/C (may make a difference) heater core-although you can reach up and touch the middle wonder screw with your hand and maybe get it off with a perfect size extension and LONG rachet, getting the cover off is not the entire job

Getting the heater core plastic holder and core out (4 bolts) in this confined space and then getting back in may be possible, but for the average Joe, I suggest you forget that and go with the Haynes instructions in the 1 inch book with blue camaro on it, and pull back the dashboard. Although not perfect instructions, pretty good. I already had the dash pad and console out for other problems, also time consuming.

From doing this job, I recommend getting a copper/brass core that has the pipes soldered together in the correct place, vs the aluminum swivel sticks at autozone, etc. I found a 4 seasons one that turned out to be exactly the same as the one I took out, although not sure it was "original (likely not as the middle bolt on the cover was only partially in).

to get the core out and the pipes, I had to take out the 4 bolts on the plastic core frame and remove the 2 bolt metal bracket holding the core on the right side, then work the core out of the holder, then after a while get the pipes thru firewall, remove core then remove the holder. It appeared to me after a while pushing/pulling that without doing that you can't get the pipes out or the plastic holder and you'll likely break the plastic holder, unless you are a magician.

on install, i put the holder in 1st and pushed it to the left, worked core into the 2 prong metal core holder on the left of the plastic holder, manuvered the pipes in the holes (shine a light behind the holes from the engine bay to see where they need to go if your alone.) then center the core in the holder and put back the 2 bolt metal bracket holding the core on the right side.

This will make more sense when you do it. Note that this is only my opinion, I read all these posts, vidoes, books, etc, looking for the easy way, and this is what i had to do to get the job done
tom