Replace AC Evaporator Core

[MSheff]

I have my heater box out of my car (really wondering if I can put it all back together...) am intending to replace my heater core and AC Evaporator Core. It looks to me I have to take split the box to get to the evaporator. Is this right? I have been trying to separate the box at the split, but it feels glued together. I have made some progress, but am thinking surely there is a better way! Anybody have any tricks for this?

[MikeFleming]

Yep, top/bottom halves will need to be separated to R&R the evap core. And you'll want to spend some time with each separate housing piece to clean the 30+ years of crud out of them. I don't recall disassembly/separation being much of a pain - lots of screws though. More humid enviros might be different.

I have a bunch of pics of assorted disassembly, clean, re-assemble of that "item" somewhere in the archives. With particular attention to the vacuum motors and associated hoses.

[MSheff]

Mission accomplished. I used a heat gun to soften up the seam a little. Careful, because you can just melt a hole in it. That worked reasonable well. And yes there was a bunch of crud in there. Cleaned some of it tonight. I may have to look up those pics sometime soon. There are sure quite a few piece laying on the work bench.

I think this one had baked in the Wichita sun for most of its life. The two pieces felt kind of melted together.

[MSheff]

The foam padding on the doors inside my heater box pretty much turn to dust when I touch them. Does anyone know if there is a kit available somewhere that I could replace these? I haven't seen them for the svo or foxbody. I know I bought one for a 69 rebuild...

[MikeFleming]

I used some closed cell-foam fror my local hobby store. I was not able to source the OEM stuff. Anything that fills the slight air gap and keeps it form making a thud/banging sound when closed.

I did find a NOS outlet drain gasket though. Still have it in a box somewhere.
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