Came someone tell me how much of a pain in the rump it is to change the core on my 65 Lark with AC? I swear it has to be the only original part on the car. I changed everything else on this car. This was a frame on resto. It just didn't dawn on me to change it when the whole freaking thing was apart!!!
It's a day job if you are dilligent and a long day if you pace yourself from getting too irritated about it. You have to take the inner-fender loose to get to the bolts holding the heater box in, or take the whole fender and inner fender off together to make it easy. Then pull the inside half of the heater assembly in and swap the core. While I was there I spent the extra time to put dynamat on the inside of the firewall along with a new insulation pad. There is more work, but you're at least 1/3-1/2 the way with what is a real PITA job. I definitely noticed it was quieter afterward. Between the 2, it is a weekend.
What?? The freaking fender?!?!?! Is that the truth?? Your telling me the job isn't only an interior job? of coarse aside from removing the hoses and a few nuts. Which I thought would be the only under the hood work involved.
Have fun Dude............yes the heater box bolts are on the firewall on the engine side. That outer housing pretty much has to come off then the inner you can get out to change the core. It's some what of a B$%$$%tch. The inner fender will have to proably come out to make it easier for you. Good Luck!!
No kidding. What a disaster. And with the big block jammed in there, the 2 hoses are almost impossible to get on and off. As a matter of fact I had to do a 90 degree on one om them just to get it on. The valve cover is in the way.
The last 65 Special I pulled out wasn't too bad............but I was stripping the car and it had a 300 with plenty of room. I had the fenders off already.
Unbelievable. Nothing is ever easy. I guess it'll wait till the spring time when it gets warmer. Now the nightmares begin.:spank: Thanks fellas.:bla:
Joe; Look in your shop manual.It gives measurements on the inner fender to drill a hole and access the nut. That's if you want to drill a hole in your fender. Your choice really. But think of the Heater Core as a big Calzone and how hungry you are. What's the fastest way of getting there.:TU: :beers2: PONCH
Man. Now I gotta go get a freaking calzone!!!! I'm actually waiting for my GN to charge so I can drive it into Staten Island to get it inspected, then run to DMV to have it re-registered. Both ran out and I was told at DMV to take my chances and drive it to my friends shop. Then bring the new inspection certificate and money to DMV to re-register. Thats the best they can do. Take your chances.
Oh yeah, I forgot about the hole! Joe, if you are lucky(?), somebody else might have already put the hole in there. You will know it if it's there.
My advice is to make it easy and drill the hole, then cover with a rubber cap/grommet. Wouldn't it suck if you did all that extra work of removing fenders, then found out in a week or two that you installed a defective heater core?!?! Jeff ~
it may sound hard.....but be thankfull it's not a new gm vehicle where the whole dash assembly has to come out....pickups,trailblazers,etc.
Joe said the car has AC on it. You don't have to take the fender off to get to all the bolts on an AC car--it can all be done from under the hood. There is a little more to take apart under the dash due to the AC ducts, but that is no big deal. It is only on the non-AC cars that you have to either take out the inner fender or drill a hole in it to get to that one nut. On the AC cars, the shape of the air box under the hood is such that you can get to that nut, whereas on a non-AC car, the shape of the box keeps you from getting to the nut.
so what you are saying is that you have a mopar....... M...ost O...riginial P...arts A...lready R...eplaced
Joe; You haven't been out there yet to check it out? Pop the hood and give it a look. I was lucky with mine, the former owner must have changed it before, no nut there. Chirs; I remember back in the 60's there was a joke about driving behind any Chrysler product. DON'T. You'll ruin your tires running over all the junk that's falling off the car. The reason they're so rare, nobody wanted them. And yes, all the parts on the older one's now have been replaced. PONCH
