heater box and valve cover clearance

Well, today I put my heater box(non a/c) in and the only way to get it in was to pull the engine part way out and take the valve cover off. Now I can't get it back on.

Any suggestions?

thanks, Dan

 

Crank the engine around to 0* and the rear-most valve will open leaveing just enough clearance for the valve cover to get past. :TU:

This only works with the 1975 & 1976 Valve covers though which have the inverted notch. Basically they are regular valve covers flipped 180*. Those are the only non-ac units that fit clean.

 

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to get that valve cover mine is a stock 1970 cover.

 

Alternately, you can cut the heater box up. It doesn't take much to do really.

I used a carboard template then cut a galvanized steel insert to fit in the hole. Fiberglass it over and paint the whole mess black. It looks *reasonably* stock.

 

ooooh thats sounds like it would be sweet since the box is already cracked in the spot.

 

It's really an easy fix. Any old heater box from a G-body will work. Pull 2-3 fromt he wrecker your first time out since you'll usualkly screw up the first one.

 

Hi!
I used my stock AC box and cut it up and made a nice plate ( bead rolled and everything!!) to cover up the hole! I relocated the heater core to where the AC was (it didn't work anyhow!!) painted the whole box flat black looks great! Takes a little time to make it look good!!! Good luck!!
Brad