HVAC Box Removed and Modified to Keep Heat

[New2chevy]

Thank you.

Here are some pics of the thing installed. Just finished it up today.

Inside looking through the glove box hole. Putting it back in was just about as bad as taking it out, even with half the box gone.
HVAC62.jpg

Turned out pretty nice.
HVAC63.jpg

HVAC64.jpg

definitely one of the best written up and descriptive threads on this. Goodjob!

[Mystery Bird]

The under hood pics look great, like it was factory.

[New2chevy]

The under hood pics look great, like it was factory.

Thank you.

The fun continues. I'm not in the clear yet.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is one screw on the firewall directly behind the engine that fastens the CENTER air vent box to the firewall. Don't forget to unscrew this if you attempt what I have done here. If you don't unscrew it, you will break the center air vent box, and it will suck. Use a little ratchet and a 10mm socket and reach down behind the engine and feel around and you will find the screw I am talking about. All the screws that hold the HVAC boxes in have a rubbery ring around them. You can scrape or break this stuff off with your fingernail, so you can then put the socket on the screw heads.

Hence, I just realized today, when I went to hook up the center vent piece to the main box that I had broken the center box in the rear, where a little tower comes out and mounts to the firewall. GRRRRRRR

I had no idea there was even a screw back there, and I did not realize I had broken anything until today because I left the center box in the car behind the dash. I remember wondering what the frick was holding the box in there even though it felt loose. Anyway, I ripped a hole right into the damn thing. I managed to repair it with some plastic weld.

Also, I had to take out the main box again, in order to hook the center box to it. It hooks onto the main box via two little pegs on the backside. I could not hook it into there when it was up against the firewall (I tried and tried and finally felt like punching my door window out), as there is not enough room to angle it in, and you cannot see how to fasten it, either.

I just went ahead and took the entire dash completely out of my car. Every plug on the harness is different, and it's a PITA to unhook the harness from inside the dash, especially on the passenger side and in the middle (HVAC stuff, SRS system, relays on the inside end of the dash, etc.). I've got like 30 little screws in a ziplock bag now, and I don't remember taking that many out he he he. Oh well.

Pics:

I was SO not happy when I saw this today




The center box in above pic fastens to this hole in the firewall, and the screw is directly behind the engine about half way down the firewall.



It hooks into the main box and won't fit in there when the box is tightened against the firewall.


Here's the little tower put back into place.



I used some plastic weld and went nuts with it. After 10 minutes, I could pick up the whole box just grasping the tower. I pulled on the tower firmly, and the rest of the box's plastic was pulling up with it, so that's a good sign.


Hopefully, no more problems. I just want to get the darn dash and interior back together. Wish me luck.

[New2chevy]

I couldn't bring myself to take pics of my interior. It looks like a tornado ran through the inside of my car, and I hate looking at it.

[Soxxpuppet]

Hahahaha I know the feeling. I just finally cleaned my interior out. How hard was the evap delete? I want to do it so bad but i dont know if i have the balls to delete my AC

[New2chevy]

Hahahaha I know the feeling. I just finally cleaned my interior out. How hard was the evap delete? I want to do it so bad but i dont know if i have the balls to delete my AC

Look at my first post here and post #23. The whole thing has been a PITA, from the start until now. It's especially a PITA if you want to keep the blower fan and heater function while still installing the AC delete plate, which is what I am doing.

Pay attention to how everything is put together and it will be a little easier.

[Spartan7]

Just for more info, here is that extra bolt he's referring to.
IMG_2172.jpg

I think a better method is to do what I did, and have a separate HVAC box to disassemble and modify at your leisure, then simply swap the old one out for the modified one. Sorry to hear you've had so many issues OP, I did my first one with the engine in too. It sucked to say the least. The second time around (different car) was easier since I knew where everything was.

[Soxxpuppet]

Look at my first post here and post #23. The whole thing has been a PITA, from the start until now. It's especially a PITA if you want to keep the blower fan and heater function while still installing the AC delete plate, which is what I am doing.

Pay attention to how everything is put together and it will be a little easier.

Ah man that sucks to hear. Hopefully you wont have to do it again

[New2chevy]

I agree 100%

The first time has been kinda a mess for me. Thanks for posting your pic too.

I got my box together finally. I also got my manual steering rack in and got those annoying hard heater lines out if there.

I don't look forward to putting the dash back in (the wiring harness part, specifically).

Hahahaha I know the feeling. I just finally cleaned my interior out. How hard was the evap delete? I want to do it so bad but i dont know if i have the balls to delete my AC

Just for more info, here is that extra bolt he's referring to.
IMG_2172.jpg

I think a better method is to do what I did, and have a separate HVAC box to disassemble and modify at your leisure, then simply swap the old one out for the modified one. Sorry to hear you've had so many issues OP, I did my first one with the engine in too. It sucked to say the least. The second time around (different car) was easier since I knew where everything was.

[Mystery Bird]

Did you ever figure how much weight this shaved off the car?