AC/Heater Box Refurb??

[horseballz]

Howdy Folks,
I'm just getting ready to dig into disassembling and repairing/refurbishing my 68 heater/AC box with new seals, etc. I'm looking for advice/opinions on what to use for solvent to remove old seals and their glue and what to use for an adhesive to install the new ones. Also looking for thoughts on the best method for making box repairs. This does not need to look OEM. My current plan is to use to pieces of sheet metal (one on the inside and one on the outside) for reinforcing a mounting point and a vacuum motor mount, with some sort of epoxy with fiber in it to fill the gap between the layers of sheet metal, as some of the case is missing in spots. All thoughts, comments & suggestions will be appreciated.
TIA,
Gene

 

[2+2GT]

The box is fiberglass. You don't need sheet metal, just repair it as though it were a boat, or Corvette.

 

[Loup-garou]

"Goo Gone" is supposed to be safe for use on fiberglass (I wouldn't use a heavy coat or let it soak too long, though). Gentle heat from a hair dryer might help soften the adhesive, too.

I guess the type of adhesive used on the new seals would depend on the seal material - the 3M general purpose stuff would probably work.

 

[Red5oh]

PM me your address and I will send you an extra seal kit I had.... someway I ordered two of them and there is no reason for me to throw it away. It is basically all the foam pieces and is for a factory installed 67 AC, which I believe would be the same. Let me know if you want it.

 

[Rmoore45]

I have a '67 heater box, its falling apart but you might be able to use pieces off of it to fix yours. If you want it just let me know.

 

[horseballz]

Thanks for the offers guys. I already have a seal kit. Two seals that don't come in any of the kits, or anywhere else that I can find, is the rectangular rubber grommet with 2 holes that goes around the evaporator tubes as they come out of the box, seal them to the box and the rubber seal that goes around the door thats just behind the center vent. What I really need is a pic of the left front lower corner of the main box/core housing box. Mine has a small portion of that corner missing and I am concerned that there might supposed to be a bracket there as there is only one actual bracket/mount over near the passenger side fresh air vent on the whole main housing. If no bracket is in the earlier mentioned location, simply repairing the corner will be simple. If a bracket is needed there, I need to know where, etc. The upper portion of the main box is fine, all damage is on the lower portion.
Thanx,
Gene

 

[Red5oh]

I have pics of the box fully assembled with all the brackets. Send me your email and I will send them over to you. I just cant post many pics here and this is one of the sections I did not post on cardomain.

 

[mustangmutt]

There are two attaching points on the main heater/evaporator box that hold it to the fire wall along with the attachment at the upper right side by the cowl vent. The drain hole is on the left forward area of the case and that might be the part that is broken off of yours. The case to fire wall brackets are steel and riveted to the case. If they are missing you will have to get real creative or find another case. If you have them they can be fiberglassed back on. After I disassemble all the doors I take a wire brush or wheel to the doors to clean off all the old glue. Then I use some good contact adhesive like 3M 08090 to glue the foam to the doors. Often the seal kit will have the center portion of the donut they give you to seal the cowl vent hole to the case. You can use that to improvise a seal for where the tubes come out of the case. It is very important that the case be sealed. Any air leaks will cut down on the cooling efficiency because the blower sucks air in through the evaporator and blows it out through the vents. So, any leaks between the evap and blower will be hot air getting sucked into the case and mixed with the air that the evap has pulled the heat out of. Be sure the seal between the evap/heater housing and the blower housing is good. I don't like the one in the kit because it is not very dense foam. If you can pack some extra foam in there or duct tape the two together it will help a lot.