68 Chrysler HVAC box removal FRUSTRATED

[live4theking]

Well, the first post on this thread was 7/22, nearly two months ago. This job has been nothing short of one frustration after the other. I posted in a separate thread that I couldn't get the heater hose nipples off.
Copper corrosion - heater tubes stuck

Once I had it apart and could verify that the box I had blasted and painted up was identical I got it insulated. The I installed the evaporator core that I previously had tested.

I applied all of the foam bits to the new heater core, installed the "h" valve and installed the heater core. This caused me to discover that the core was not made correctly. Coolant connection that the heater tubes goes over was 3/8" of an inch too long. It stuck out of the box instead of being recessed inside. Some calls and emails with the supplier and they shared that all of them in their stock measured the same as the one they had sent me. Really! It's getting sent back tomorrow.

I found another supplier (actual manufacturer) and after many texts and emails with pictures of measurements I decided to give their core a try. It came today. The coolant connection was positioned much better. It was recessed about an 1/8" too far, but because of the way the heater tubes connect I think it will be fine. The bad, the holes in the mounting plate are not correct and the one side of it was a little too short. A drill and a piece of sheet metal fixed these problems. This is the company that Steve @saforwardlook has mentioned in the past. I'm so glad I could make this work. On top of that it was bad in the US.

Now I just need to come up with some foam gasketing to put on it since I used it on the first one and it did not come off in a reusable condition. I'll have to poke around at work tomorrow to see what I can find. If nothing else a stop to Home Depot.

In the end if I could taken the mounting plate from the one and the cores from the other I would've had a perfect unit.

Just maybe tomorrow night I'll get the box halves back together and I can start to mount the linkage for running the doors. Oh, how I hope the pictures I took are good enough to get it right !

 

[commando1]

I feel your pain. Seriously.

 

[saforwardlook]

Well, the first post on this thread was 7/22, nearly two months ago. This job has been nothing short of one frustration after the other. I posted in a separate thread that I couldn't get the heater hose nipples off.
Copper corrosion - heater tubes stuck

Once I had it apart and could verify that the box I had blasted and painted up was identical I got it insulated. The I installed the evaporator core that I previously had tested.

I applied all of the foam bits to the new heater core, installed the "h" valve and installed the heater core. This caused me to discover that the core was not made correctly. Coolant connection that the heater tubes goes over was 3/8" of an inch too long. It stuck out of the box instead of being recessed inside. Some calls and emails with the supplier and they shared that all of them in their stock measured the same as the one they had sent me. Really! It's getting sent back tomorrow.

I found another supplier (actual manufacturer) and after many texts and emails with pictures of measurements I decided to give their core a try. It came today. The coolant connection was positioned much better. It was recessed about an 1/8" too far, but because of the way the heater tubes connect I think it will be fine. The bad, the holes in the mounting plate are not correct and the one side of it was a little too short. A drill and a piece of sheet metal fixed these problems. This is the company that Steve @saforwardlook has mentioned in the past. I'm so glad I could make this work. On top of that it was bad in the US.

Now I just need to come up with some foam gasketing to put on it since I used it on the first one and it did not come off in a reusable condition. I'll have to poke around at work tomorrow to see what I can find. If nothing else a stop to Home Depot.

In the end if I could taken the mounting plate from the one and the cores from the other I would've had a perfect unit.

Just maybe tomorrow night I'll get the box halves back together and I can start to mount the linkage for running the doors. Oh, how I hope the pictures I took are good enough to get it right !

I think you meant to say it was "made" in the U.S. which is indeed the case. I went through all of this same frustration with Global and never gave up until they had it perfect (Tim @sixpkrt helped a great deal to get it right for the fuselage cars). For the sake of the slabsides still out there that will need one of these sooner or later, I would still let them know what still isn't correct with the mounting plate so future purchasers will benefit from your frustration. I went back and forth with them until they got it right and with Tim's help @sixpkrt , anyone purchasing one of their fuselage cores in the future would benefit a great deal from your additional work.

 

[live4theking]

I think you meant to say it was "made" in the U.S. which is indeed the case. I went through all of this same frustration with Global and never gave up until they had it perfect (Tim @sixp helped a great deal to get it right for the fuselage cars). For the sake of the slabsides still out there that will need one of these sooner or later, I would still let them know what still isn't correct with the mounting plate so future purchasers will benefit from your frustration. I went back and forth with them until they got it right and with Tim's help @sixpkrt , anyone purchasing one of their fuselage cores in the future would benefit a great deal from your additional work.

Yes, I meant to say made. I plan to offer them my factory core as a pattern to use to get the mount plate issues corrected.

 

[John Kirby]

If my experience with a 68 Fury, (No A/C), applies. It's a chore but pulling the whole dash first would make it all easier. Saving that, a tip I got on this site was to unbolt the right side fasteners and pull out the dash to help with the glove box, (even if you get a new box liner you'll want to get it in correctly). I ended up using a ratchet strap, around the glove box opening, and anchored to the door latch. I was able to get the box in and out without destroying it. Another thing, taking pictures as you go, to note routing of wiring, cables and/or vac lines, will help with the reinstall.

Did this on my 66 nyer about 20 years ago. Was deep in the resto process then. Was very easy with the dash removed. However you would need to remove the windshield to do that. Fairly sure all cbodies of this vintage are the same. They do use the same windshield & gasket

There is a row of screws holding it to the firewall under the windshield gasket. It may be possible to remove the bolts holding the dash in place along the side and lift the dash a bit. Be very careful if you try this. The dash is made of cast pot metal and will not withstand much flexing.

 

[Mike McGuire]

Repro glove boxes are readily available and cheap. Maybe confirm that a repro exists for your car and destroy the one that's causing you grief? And as Stan said above, you do have to fold and fuss with the damn things to get them out and back in.

When I removed my AC box, it would not fully "roll out from the top" like the FSM directed. I fought and fought...gently. Eventually I realized that the big wiring harness that goes up the front side of center dash support was preventing the "roll" that would allow the studs to clear the firewall holes (see red areas in pics below) That big, solid harness was firmly held to the dash support by a bendable steel (and coated in insulation plastic) cable tie that is spot-welded to that support. Because of the location, I couldn't bend the steel tabs out of the way to move the harness, so I carefully cut them off with a Dremel. This allowed the harness to moved aside (slightly) and I was able to easily complete the "roll maneuver" and get the box out. We can safely assume that the box went in before the harness was installed when the car was built long ago.

None of this was fun, and I'm not 20 anymore, either!

View attachment 476688
View attachment 476689

And yeah, there's lots of interesting things to be found in the box and ductwork. Once I had everything disassembled and the crud removed, the big components soaked overnight in a bathtub with a serious dose of Clorox added to the water. Now it blows cool, clean air and it was worth the work.

Mouse nest and 50 years of crud:
View attachment 476690

View attachment 476691

Chewing:
View attachment 476692

Good luck!

Trace 300 Hurst:,

Knowing what you know now, if you were forced to do it again, how many hours would you estimate it would take you to do it?
thanks, Mike

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Trace 300 Hurst:,

Knowing what you know now, if you were forced to do it again, how many hours would you estimate it would take you to do it?
thanks, Mike

Well, first thought is: What does it matter, since it must be done.

But secondly, please define what you mean by the total time. From beginning to removing the inner fender to getting to the really difficult fasteners on the firewall housing (big block car) to wrestling the godddddammmnnn box out of the car....seven hours. It's a movafarker.

And back to the beginning....if it's six hours or sixteen, if you think the box has to come out, it is what it is.

 

[Mike McGuire]

Well, first thought is: What does it matter, since it must be done.

But secondly, please define what you mean by the total time. From beginning to removing the inner fender to getting to the really difficult fasteners on the firewall housing (big block car) to wrestling the godddddammmnnn box out of the car....seven hours. It's a movafarker.

And back to the beginning....if it's six hours or sixteen, if you think the box has to come out, it is what it is.
View attachment 520437

Yes, thanks for that. I get it has to come out regardless, however I'm considering sending this particular task/project to a professional mechanic, (vs. me the backyard/hobby mechanic) and I'm trying to get an estimate of how many hours it will take him to do the entire swap. Primarily for budgetary reasons to see if I can manage the cost.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[live4theking]

I would figure 16 hours then. My other question would be is how familiar is this person with old cars.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

I would figure 16 hours then. My other question would be is how familiar is this person with old cars.

Yeah, I think that's a reasonable guestimate for the entire job, including the rebuilding of the box. Maybe 20 hours for purely the in and out of the box, no other work, depending on all the peculiarities that crop up during old car work.

Maybe they remove the box, you bring it home and enjoy cleaning and rebuilding the box at your leisure, then give it back for them to reinstall. Consider that they might have to replace heater hoses, refill the system, so again the hours could grow.

I'll stand by my estimate of 7 hours to get it out, from opening the hood to when the box is on the workbench. I probably spent 24 total hours rebuilding/restoring the box once on the bench, really taking my time and enjoying it. Figure 10-12 hours getting it reinstalled and all working properly. It's a pretty big job that's unusual to most of us, all things considered.

 

[live4theking]

Well it's been nearly 11 months... @bigmoparjeff

I started the process of putting it back together last night by cleaning a few things up in the garage and tiding up the work space. Since everything is wide open I installed new flashers for LED's which will come in the future, a splitter and extension for the antenna, new gaskets on the floor vents, and screwed the coolant valve into the firewall.

I think that tonight is the night for the HVAC box to go back in. With the front seats and carpet out of the way I'm hoping it will go in much easier than it came out. Then it will be time to get all of the ducting back in place.

The fan will be running on high again as it is expected to be almost 90° with high humidity. The real feel temp is 99°. Nothing like weather you wear to be laying under the dash with.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Following, and sending helpful vibes - hope it goes well!

 

[3175375]

Well it's been nearly 11 months... @bigmoparjeff

I started the process of putting it back together last night by cleaning a few things up in the garage and tiding up the work space. Since everything is wide open I installed new flashers for LED's which will come in the future, a splitter and extension for the antenna, new gaskets on the floor vents, and screwed the coolant valve into the firewall.

I think that tonight is the night for the HVAC box to go back in. With the front seats and carpet out of the way I'm hoping it will go in much easier than it came out. Then it will be time to get all of the ducting back in place.

The fan will be running on high again as it is expected to be almost 90° with high humidity. The real feel temp is 99°. Nothing like weather you wear to be laying under the dash with.

Take your time and I am looking forward to your report back on your progress and success!

 

[Isaiah Estrada]

Eager to see how this turns out!!! Speaking from my perspective with my NY'er being just a shell, I hope the installation is straight forward. I am, however - a bit nervous to put everything back together. I can only assume, you didn't have to mess with the engine at all to get the box out? We're looking at putting my motor back in (with the whole front end off still) and possibly doing a break in. What I'm wondering is if I can put the motor in and do a break in and be able to still install the heater box afterwards? I can't remember who said it, but I feel like someone said there's a stud behind the engine that is really hard to get to and makes the removal of the HVAC box real hard. Contemplating on whether or not I should wait to do a break in before or after I can get the HVAC box reinstalled. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[furious70]

Yes, peeling back the carpet does make enough difference, I learned that the hard way 3 yrs ago. Console has to come loose and back but not all the way out as well if so equipped

 

[live4theking]

Eager to see how this turns out!!! Speaking from my perspective with my NY'er being just a shell, I hope the installation is straight forward. I am, however - a bit nervous to put everything back together. I can only assume, you didn't have to mess with the engine at all to get the box out? We're looking at putting my motor back in (with the whole front end off still) and possibly doing a break in. What I'm wondering is if I can put the motor in and do a break in and be able to still install the heater box afterwards? I can't remember who said it, but I feel like someone said there's a stud behind the engine that is really hard to get to and makes the removal of the HVAC box real hard. Contemplating on whether or not I should wait to do a break in before or after I can get the HVAC box reinstalled. Any advice is appreciated.

The engine is still in the car. If I can get to the nut so can you. It isn't that hard to get to. Getting it back up under the dash is what I'm not looking forward to. Tonight is date night so I may not get to it till tomorrow morning. I'm hoping that the carpet being out makes it a whole lot easier

 

[furious70]

On my fusey I managed to do the r&r with my turbo kit in place. I did remove the inner fender cuz I was replacing the blower motor. The inner fender is a small pain but probably the easiest way to do it

 

[live4theking]

Aaron and I put the box in tonight. It took less than an hour. Then we made most of the electrical connections. I need to do the vacuum line yet.

My control for the temp isn't working correctly. It will open the valve for heat, but not close it. I don't know if it was that way all the time or not.

Well, I need to look for the thread where someone shared a picture of which way these wires go on. This is on the passenger side under the fresh air door.

 

[live4theking]

I found the picture @Trace 300 Hurst posted it for me in another thread previously.

 

[3175375]

Aaron and I put the box in tonight. It took less than an hour. Then we made most of the electrical connections. I need to do the vacuum line yet.

My control for the temp isn't working correctly. It will open the valve for heat, but not close it. I don't know if it was that way all the time or not.

Well, I need to look for the thread where someone shared a picture of which way these wires go on. This is on the passenger side under the fresh air door. View attachment 539070

Doesn’t matter which way the wires are attached to the terminals identified in the picture.
That’s the a/c timer (actual name escapes me). It’s vacuum operated and turns the compressor on in cold temperatures.
It’s explained in the FSM.