Non-ac heater box swap???

[jagerauto]

Ok I just went to screw the thing in, and guess what, the hole is bigger?!?!? Nothing is simple anymore? How have people delt with this? I'm thinking of chopping my old ac box up and adding the top part to mine?

I'll be out in the garage conjuring something but in-case I come up dry..

[GTIdaho]

Yes, A1 firewalls are different for factory AC cars. Just leave the factory box is the easiest. You can make an adapter plate for the heat only box...
Chopping the old AC box up wont really help. they are completely different and its not like you could cut the top off of it and use it as an adapter.

Why do you feel the need to remove the AC box anyway? If you want to reduce weight you can just take the AC evaporator out...

[jagerauto]

Yea I would keep my ac box but I just cut it up. Lol. I like doing things fully. Seeing as l had everything I figured I could, but now I'm f'd

[wantacad]

but now I'm f'd

yup.. way to go skippy.

[jagerauto]

yup.. way to go skippy.

Well I think this is going to work.. I gotta trim the side arms and get them mounted, then fill in the gaps with some sort of filler.. Dose not have to pretty, but as long as it seals..

BTW I must say that I really wanted to have the heat come out of the side vents so I could run gauges in the center.

[Mr. Chan]

Well I think this is going to work.. I gotta trim the side arms and get them mounted, then fill in the gaps with some sort of filler.. Dose not have to pretty, but as long as it seals..

BTW I must say that I really wanted to have the heat come out of the side vents so I could run gauges in the center.

The driver's side holds. The ac version is wider to the passenger side only. If you mount it like that it's going to be off center to the passenger side. Depending on your dash/console you will have some alignment issues. Also may have to slightly rework the hoses to the heater core since it would be further to the passenger side as well. You will also need the ducts since the discharge location from the plenum is different. These were the hardest for me to locate.






This last one shows where I welded up the bypass as well. There was a fair amount of rust around there so the patch is larger.

[jagerauto]

Nice! I took everything except the rain tray piece. I have all the ducting, defrost ducts, and center pocket from my non ac caddy.

If what your saying is true, then I just have to mold the piece all the way to the left.. I'm sure it will take some tweaking but I think it can be done. If not my buddy has another ac box and I'll run that hahah

[Mr. Chan]

It's worth it if you're not going to run a center console. Much smaller in every direction. Check the fit of the driver's side duct. If it's from a cabby it is designed to wrap down and toward the rear (of car) of the steering column. Pretty much needs the kneebar to hide it. At least in my case using a Jetta dash and pockets.

You can just make out the duct on the left. I was using a spare shelf at the time to mock up.



Shelf removed