Who has removed heater?

[Evan]

I took out my heater the other day, (winter is short in arkansas). My question is - what do you do about the big holes behind the dash - the ones from the cowl that bring in fresh air? if i dont do something, it looks like water can get right in. I think it would look cool to shave the "grill" thing (with the slots in it) on the cowl. I dont know what its called. i want to weld in a smooth piece of steel where the slots are. has anybody done this? thanks       -Evan

[WildCat]

I removed the stock heater box and installed Classic Air condtioning to my 67 Dart. I had to cover the hole for fresh air on the right side and I filled the holes for the blower and heater hoses. Since I was planning on modifing my car and installing AC I was going for the clean look. I ended up having to redrill the blower motor hole for the AC/heater hoses to come thru the firewall.

I just used a piece of metal and siliconed it to the cowl and used a few screws. After getting my Classic air system it had a plastic cover with a foam seal. If you want it you can have it for shipping cost.

As far as covering the blower hole and heater holes, I would make a temporary cover and see if you really want to remove it. Even thought it is a short winter there are days some heat would be nice and during wet weather a defroster is needed to keep the windsheild clear. If these are not an issue then it can be welded in from the back side and filled on the front with bondo for the clean look. With the new epoxies you could even use a glue to hold the metal in. PLUS the factory fresh air provides a lot of cooling when driving on HOT days and I do believe you get lots of them.

If you fill the cowl you will loose your fresh air on both sides, but I don't see any other negitives. The plus would be no water going thru it and less chance of a water leak onto the carpet which is common.

pictures of my firewall before hole filled, inside after filled and finished outside

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[Evan]

your firewall looks good! anyway, you're right about the hot days - if i wanted to keep the slots in the cowl, how do i keep water from getting in the car (if i leave the heater box out)?

[69 GTS Clonvertible]

When Ma Mopar did the heater deletes in the Hemi Darts they put a round aluminum plate with seal, over the engine side of the fire wall blower motor hole, and had an identically fliped drivers side fresh air vent for the passenger side. If you can't find one for the passenger side try modifying an extra drivers side fresh air vent and change the swing of the door, or measure the hole and screw a stainless plate up in there with a seal to keep the water out.
another idea would be to modify your heater box by cutting the fresh air vent off of the box and fabricating a plate to go over the side were you cut the heater part off.

[Midnight Special]

Make a pattern from the flash attachment of the blower motor and cut it from seat metal and paint it the same color as the firewall.  Then next winter put it back in as needed...IF it fits in your application.

[Evan]

I thought about that, but i want to keep the whole heater assembly gone.

[WildCat]

I thought about that, but i want to keep the whole heater assembly gone.

If you leave the cowl vents and remove the heater box you will still have the fresh air on the driver side. I still have the fresh air vent on the drivers side of my car

Let me know if you want the filler plate that came with my Classic air kit for the right side fresh air hole in the cowl

You could always cut up the heater box and keep the fresh air part of the box and make a side panel to eliminate the heater. It is all under the dash except for the door for the fresh air. It wouldn't be to hard to make a fiberglass side for the heater box

[Evan]

That's probably what I will end up doing. - either modifying the heater box for fresh air only, or taking everything out and filling the cowl. thanks, guys            -Evan

[jet-taz]

i making a small unit out of a rear window defroster from a 68 charger, i'am taking some hose and running from the right side header to draw heat and running it up to the window ducts from help keep the window clear.

[Evan]

jet-taz, can you tell me more about that? thanks         -Evan

[jet-taz]

well i bought a whole unit of ebay. which incluced 1 small motor mounted on a  metal housing. orginal it draws air from the inside of the trunk ,but i'am going to take some sheet metal and where the blower motor mounts in the engine compartments run a small hose to the right side exhaust header, like you see on some gm products to heat the choke.then take 2 hoses (like dryer type) and run them to the orginal window ducts the whole unit weights only 5 lbs. and it's a 1 wire hook up. 

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[WildCat]

Here is the cover that came with the AC system I got from Classic air. If you are going to remove the stock heater box and want it to block off the fresh air vent on the passeneger side let me know. I had already used a peice if aluminum and siliconed it before I got the kit.

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[Evan]

ok, thanks guys

[67 dartgts]

To answer your Orginal Question.

Maynard

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[Evan]

Maynard - thanks, that's exactly what i was looking for! Can you tell me how you did that?     -Evan

[67 dartgts]

Evan:
  The person that did my floor pans and roll cage cut out the slots with a body saw then welded in a piece of metal to fill the long hole lots of small welds.  Then I ground it down as flush as poss...then lots of sanding.... filling.... more sanding ..more filling... priming and sanding..until its flush and smooth.  (did the same thing to fill the hole for the wiper motor and the one for heater motor.)
   I really like it and this is a race car no need to have a cowl vent dragging in air..
 
      Maynard

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[Evan]

thanks - that's what i'd like to do, i just have to decide if i want the fresh air vent or not.        -Evan