I need to get a new heater core in before it gets too cold out. Yeah, I'll drive it as long as the roads are dry.

I'm thinking it would be best to pull the whole front clip.
I know it will come off in about an hour or so, no rusty bolts, etc.

Is there any other way that isn't a total PITA?

Thanks!

Don't do it. I did mine without that method and there is an alternative method that is in another post somewhere.
I chose to just pull the right fender with inner attached. Others prefer to sneak up through the bottom after pulling and propping the bottom of fender open to reach your arm in. Apparently that is what the service manual suggests.
I don't like putting unnecessary force on a panel. Fender off and on in less than four hours and not a nick.
Sorry, You can do it any way you want.

u mean heater fan or core..the radiator part
the latter pulls off from under the dash...
remove glove compartment box
remove heater box after disconecting cables and screws etc

Sorry, I looked at the words and did not read them. Move my info to the recycle bin.

................... Others prefer to sneak up through the bottom after pulling and propping the bottom of fender open to reach your arm in. ................


I did mine this way before the paint job. I would not do it if you have a good paint job.

I did mine this way before the paint job. I would not do it if you have a good paint job.


My front fenders are in primer so I'm not too worried about the paint. I think the biggest problem will be getting help lifting off the clip.

I saw a photo in an old Chiltons manual I have that showed unbolting the inner fender and wedging it with a block of wood but that still looks like you have really poor access. If I take the clip off I can easily fix an exhaust leak on the right manifold at the same time. Anybody want to talk me out of it? :confused:

Gary,
The connector broke in my blower motor after final assemby of my frame off. Took off the right fender and re-installed as stated above by myself without damaging anything. Even took the hood off alone but had help putting hood back on. Used to precision work in many aspects besides cars. Cars are a cake walk. Not being arrogant. Neccessity demands precision work.

Tom,
I'd like to talk you into just taking off the right fender as I stated in my FIRST post. Then you can do it yourself except for putting the hood back on. And you can fix your exhaust leak.

I tried pulling the inner fender out. It was a lot more work than just pulling the front clip off. It took me probably 4-6 hours to get the inner fender out (so many bolts and hard to reach plus rusty; not to mention the time trying to get it back on). Taking the front clip off when I did anyways was like 45 minutes tops.

Just take the clip off and make sure you leave the shims in the right spots and you should be fine getting it back on.

My statements are not being read correctly. Take the right fender off with the INNER STILL ATTACHED TO THE FENDER. You don't have to drain your cooling system either. This procedure is for a SOLO operation. I did it in 4 hours off and on.

My statements are not being read correctly. Take the right fender off with the INNER STILL ATTACHED TO THE FENDER. You don't have to drain your cooling system either. This procedure is for a SOLO operation. I did it in 4 hours off and on.

OK, I hear you Scott. First I'll try just the fender with the inner attached. You're right about the cooling system.
I don't have a new core yet and from what I've read here about their inaccurate sizes, I'll just take mine to the radiator shop for rebuild. This means the car will be down for longer but need to get that exhaust leak fixed anyway. Don't want to take too long though because it is prime driving season in New England soon. :hurray:

I still think the whole clip is easier to pull than the inner or outer fender. Plus you can get at everything a lot easier when the clip is off.


It is only like 6 bolts plus some fender support bolts to pull the whole clip. As long as you can get those bolts off your golden. Many of the bolts you have to get at to take off the outer/inner fender are pain to get to. All the bolts to take the clip off are easy to get at.

I still think the whole clip is easier to pull than the inner or outer fender. Plus you can get at everything a lot easier when the clip is off.


It is only like 6 bolts plus some fender support bolts to pull the whole clip. As long as you can get those bolts off your golden. Many of the bolts you have to get at to take off the outer/inner fender are pain to get to. All the bolts to take the clip off are easy to get at.

I agree it's not a huge job, but I'm not likely to have much help so I'll try the fender first. That way I can still start and drive the car back in the garage after the fender is off.:thumbsup:

Well, on second thought, not if the exhaust manifold is off. duh.

I think we are talking about the core radiator, not the fan????
So why pull the fender and fan out?

I think we are talking about the core radiator, not the fan????
So why pull the fender and fan out?

Steps, If your saying that the cover in the engine compartment doesn't need to be removed to take the heater core radiator out and it can come out through the interior, I like that plan. Is that the case?
Thanks.

Steps, If your saying that the cover in the engine compartment doesn't need to be removed to take the heater core radiator out and it can come out through the interior, I like that plan. Is that the case?
Thanks.


Yes, that is exactly what he is saying.

The heater CORE lives inside the car, completely except for the tubes where the heater hose connects.

You do have to remove 5 of the nuts that hold the egnine side of the heater cover on, but it's the 5 you can reach.

It's somewhat of a hassle working the tubes out of the holes, but it can be done.

You'd be really PO'd after pulling the front clip and outer heater box... only to stare at the core thru a hole that is an inch per side smaller than it is...

I was assuming Tom wanted to change the motor as well. The heater core removal was stated in the beginning of posts. After all, why not since you are into it already. And it's in primer. And he's a one man band.

Yes, that is exactly what he is saying.

The heater CORE lives inside the car, completely except for the tubes where the heater hose connects.

You do have to remove 5 of the nuts that hold the egnine side of the heater cover on, but it's the 5 you can reach.

It's somewhat of a hassle working the tubes out of the holes, but it can be done.

You'd be really PO'd after pulling the front clip and outer heater box... only to stare at the core thru a hole that is an inch per side smaller than it is...

I was reasoning under the idea that both sides of the firewall had to be clear to remove the core. This sounds better. Can anybody tell me what page in the assy manual this fall on? I can't find it.

I'll change the carpet while I'm in there. Just for the record, not an engine swap.

I was referring to the blower motor Tom, not the engine. As long as you are into it you could get a heater box seal kit. No, I'm not talking about the box to firewall seal either. The seal kit for the flappers etc. INSIDE the box.
My apologies for the misunderstanding. I thought while you were into it for the CORE you were going to do the BLOWER MOTOR as well.

Can they test the core at the radiator shop? I need to check mine before I put the car together. I was thinking about maybe air testing it at 10 psi. opinions?

I was assuming Tom wanted to change the motor as well. The heater core removal was stated in the beginning of posts. After all, why not since you are into it already. And it's in primer. And he's a one man band.

Same here. And those 5 screws take all of about 1 minute to remove with the clip off :clonk: Good luck getting the outer top one (near the blower motor) off without pulling the inside outer fender or clip off.

Consider having your original heater core re-cored. It's a breeze getting it back in place compared to some horror stories of repop tubes not matching up to the holes just right. And listen to JimM, you don't need to pull the fender just to change the core.

The outer top one is #6, it's a bolt, and it doesn't have to come off.

The five that have to come off are the studs with sheetmetal nuts on em. They are attached to the inner heater box under the dash, stick thru the firewall and outer heater box, and the nuts hold the whole sandwich together.

2 on the top, 3 on the bottom. The outermost bottom one is the hardest to get to, it's about 1" outboard of the "groove" in the heater box. You can feel it easy, and there is room to get a wrench on it.

Also, I wouldn't mess with the flapper seals unless yours are really nasty. The repro seal kit sucks (so does the astro vent seal kit)

OK so we are under the dash
There are a few things that CAN be tricky
1/ the glove box inner...yes it does drop out, if u turn it the right way..and just slides out
Remmenber which way it slid out otherwise it will take ages to figure out what way it goes back
2/with the heater box out, and before removing the flaps, take note of which way they come out and how they lay in the box...get them around the wrong way, and u will have to pull the whole lot out again
3/When putting back in...make sure the heater pipes line up to go thru the holes...donot or at least be very carefull if u have to bend them slightly...it doesnt take much to crack the solder base, and end up leaking, then or in a few months time....mention this to the radiator guy
4/ there is a coupe mounting bolts that are hard to get at and hold on the engine side...you can slip a ring spanner between the cover and firewall....removing the mounting bolts is best a 2 person job

5/ take careful note where the flap cables are adjusted to

Thanks Jim and Steps- These last few posts have made it perfectly clear. Now I comprendo.

Maybe I can get started today, since I took the day off from work!

Depending on how nice or not you want your car, there is a way to do it without pulling any fender wells, etc. If you are worried about rusty bolts holding on the front end stuff then I guess pulling the fender in not an option. There is only one fastener that you cannot access and that is the lower right one on the heater box. You can drill that stud out from the inside of the car and should be able to get the rest off. That is , however the low budget way to do it , and you will want to fill that hole with rtv or something similar. Oh, and you will have to drain the cooling system at least part way if you are pulling the heater. When restoring my Camaro I found that some hacker had cut a big hole in the inner fender well and re-attached it very crudely with screws. That one went in the scrap pile.

Depending on how nice or not you want your car, there is a way to do it without pulling any fender wells, etc. If you are worried about rusty bolts holding on the front end stuff then I guess pulling the fender in not an option. There is only one fastener that you cannot access and that is the lower right one on the heater box. You can drill that stud out from the inside of the car and should be able to get the rest off. That is , however the low budget way to do it , and you will want to fill that hole with rtv or something similar. Oh, and you will have to drain the cooling system at least part way if you are pulling the heater. When restoring my Camaro I found that some hacker had cut a big hole in the inner fender well and re-attached it very crudely with screws. That one went in the scrap pile.

Thanks, the project is underway now and so far I have the glove box, carpet and console out. I should mention this is a "heater core and new carpet" project.

I just stopped to find the camera so I can photograph the underside of the console gauge wiring (original) in case this helps anybody. I'll post that later. It looks like the core won't be much trouble from the inside. I've had the core bypassed since last fall (with fittings from home depot) so no worries about draining anything. So far I've discovered a small rust hole on the passenger side footwell, but no surprise, there.

That hacker hole could make sense if it looked OK. I'm thinking something like the clutch linkage cover plate on automatics. That's what TOYOTA would do.

If doing carpets pull the seats and pull the rear seat before the front seats
It is easier to unclip the rear bottom with your back against the front seat, rather having nothing to lean against

Tom,

I read this thread several time and am so confused, and I know how to do it.
Is your car A/C? I am guessing it is. MY RESPONSE IS ASSUMING IT IS. DON'T READ THIS IF YOUR CAR IS NOT FACTORY AIR. If it is, you WILL be removing the inner fender, inner fender and fender or clip, for sure. You should do a search on this topic and you will get a lot more info than you got here. I am not going to go into it, since others and me have on several other threads. If you remove the heat box and you have A/C, make sure you replace the PASSENGER Kick Panel. You will never be able to replace it again if you don't do it now. Also, understand that these kick panels leaked a lot water (even from just washing) and you must seal it up with LoTS and lots of Dumb Dumb puddy or 3M strip caulk. Remember you are trying to keep water from getting IN here. This is the last time that I am responding to this question. It has been asked and answered many time with less confusion. Hope this helps.
Also remember, like JIM said. The "seal kits" suck. You will find you use a FEW pieces of the seal kit, but that you restore you original pieces. Assume that as you are taking the heat box apart that you can buy no replacement part except the heater core. Do not order the heater core until you have measure the size of the ACTUAL rectangular BOX of the heater core. ALSO CONFIRM WITH THE PARTS HOUSE THE SIZE THEY ARE SHIPPING YOU FIRST. IF THEY DO NOT CHECK THE ACTUAL PART THEY ARE SENDING YOU FIRST, YOU WILL FOR SURE WASTE 10 DAYS ON THIS PROJECT. Pretend the 2 end caps are removed for your measure. SAVE you heater core because you may be using the END CAP with the 2 lines. It will take you a month to rebuild it because for some reason the parts houses do not have their act together on these items. The rubber gasket for the heat box to the firewall does NOT EXIST ANYWHERE. So take very good care of that item.

Manufacturer of dumb gaskets, CALL THEM. As a matter of fact, it would be nice if every time someone ordered this kit (or NOT ordering this kit) that they would call the manufacturer of it and ask them why it has to suck so much. The company is:
SOFF SEAL
104 May Drive
Harrison, OH 45030
513-367-0028
I have even told them that it would be better if they just sold a 3x4 sheet of this foam and let us cut our own pieces.
Isn't it amazing that they can not sell that either. You will see what I mean. But if everyone called them and told them how bad their "parts" are, you would think it would cause a change. Let's give it a try.

Paint Heat Box Also, there have been threads here that talk about how the original heat box was NOT painted. That is true, but the original process gave it a "painted" look that is LONG gone on your heat box. I have found that SEM makes a great product that brings its original look back. The product is called Flex Coat. On A/C box use ProMax SRP.

Thanks, Dale. But my car has no A/C. Took a couple days to go to the beach up in Maine, but I'll be back at it tomorrow. Hopefully, I can get the core out then.

OK, now I am convinced that I don't need to pull the front clip. I got diverted from removing the core and wound up gutting the interior and putting in new rear carpet.(and cleaning everything, and greasing rear window regulators, etc, etc)

Today I went to AutoZone to check on core availability. For my car (no A/C) they offer 2 cores:

#399086 - 9.5"x 6 5/16 x 2"
#399055 - 9.5"x 6 3/8 x 2.5"
Both are special order but they say they can have them in a couple days. Price $45.

Can anybody confirm which size is correct? I'd like to order before the next time I get to work on the car.
Thanks-

Classic Industries is running a 20% off sale, there would be no question you would get the right core then, price should be pretty close.

Got my core out. It was 2.5" wide. I ordered one from AutoZone based on the dimensions. Even though we double checked the part number dimensions and description, when it came in, it was wrong.:mad: It must be for an A/C car because the spigots were swapped and bent in the wrong direction. Heche in Mexico.

I took it back and the parts guy re-ordered a '68 model which looks close to correct in the photo on their system. I should know tomorrow, but if this is still incorrect, I don't know what to do. NO radiator repair shops in this area so that's not a good option. Can anyone confirm they've gotten the exactly correct part from any provider? Is there any difference between a 68 and 67 for a smallblock no A/C car?

Thanks

I got one that worked perfect fine from Classic Industries. They are running a 20% off sale currently as well.

I got one that worked perfect fine from Classic Industries. They are running a 20% off sale currently as well.

Thanks- If today's attempt doesn't work out, Classic will be my next move. This is really hard to believe. Something has to be wrong with Autozone's listings.

NO radiator repair shops in this area so that's not a good option.

u have to be joking !!!!
over hear even small towns have a radiator shop, and if a real small town, the local mechanic or plumber can do it...

u have to be joking !!!!
over hear even small towns have a radiator shop, and if a real small town, the local mechanic or plumber can do it...


I meant specifically in the town I work in. There is one in the next town over from where I live, but I'm never there during business hours.

Very few automotive machine shops also.

I got the new core from Autozone today and it appears to have the right dimensions and spigot placement so I think it's a 'go' now. Now to find the time to paint the heater box, and install it all again...:)

You may even have problems with the one form Classic. My car has A/C and that may make a difference but I bought one from Classic and the measurements were the same but the tubes were off so I sent it back and bought one from NPD and the thickness was wrong but the tubes fit. I called and all they said was that's what they show for a 67 with A/C I couldn't get them to check to see if they had any that measured 2.5" so I sent it back. I thought I would try Classic and just maybe I would get one with the tubes bent correct but wrong, I took it to my local radiator shop and they charged me 20 bucks and my head ach was over. The radiator shop told me I should of came there first because the company that makes them out of Mexico makes stops there every day :noway:

For some reason, the listing for '67s was wrong. Even though it showed the right dimensions, tube placement was incorrect. Looked to me like it would be the A/C part although we selected 'no a/c' in the computer system. The Autozone guy mentioned that when this happens, he usually looks at the parts listed up or down a year. We got the correct one by selecting 68 instead of 67. The manager did not seem surprised by the inaccuracy of the Autozone computer system. He said, "they tell us it's correct, but it ain't". I'll post the part number later so it'll help others get the right one on the first try.