Driver side kick panel vent and American Autowire fuse box--having trouble

[msg]

I think I have the reassembly correct for the driver side vent and that arm hits the fusebox and the vent isnt fully closed. Have I got it wrong? Anyone had this happen with the classic update kit?

[The Rocknrod]

You could turn it upside down.
Make it so the vent opens the oposite way (flip the housing).
Swap the vent from left to right side?
It's doubtful you can have it the way it is and work properly. Something has to give.
Or just seal the vent and turn the handle around so it would "look" like you had one.
Those are the options I can think of short of doing away with it altogether or moving the fuse panel.

[msg]

Thanks for the thoughts Rocknrod, I will call American Autowire tomorrow and ask if that fusebox needs to be shimmed out so far. I followed the install sheet exactly and that fusebox is further out than the original one. I wondered if others have ran into this issue. Or if I had the wrong vent on the driver side? Seems like to direct air forward when opened the longer side should be away from the firewall.

[roll_the_dice]

I am interested in this as well...I have not put my vent back in yet for this very reason! Since I have air (I think you do too), I was going to use a block off plate, but I like the look of the vent...

[EricWS1976]

I just started my AAW installation & noticed this too. My plan is to bend the arm down a little to clear the fuse box. I’m interested to hear what AAW’s official recommendation is on this.

[msg]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

I am interested in this as well...I have not put my vent back in yet for this very reason! Since I have air (I think you do too), I was going to use a block off plate, but I like the look of the vent...

I like the look and the function of a vent just in case something goes wonky in the future with the air in a jam and it's raining or something. Vintage air provides a block off plate for the passenger side only since the evaporator makes it too tight, but the American Autowire issue I wasnt expecting.

Originally Posted by EricWS1976

I just started my AAW installation & noticed this too. My plan is to bend the arm down a little to clear the fuse box. I’m interested to hear what AAW’s official recommendation is on this.

I thought about bending too and will if I cant reduce the fusebox profile off the firewall. It will make it that much harder to reach bending downward though to grab it. Ill let you know if they have a recommendation.

[cwcarpenter98]

Is the handle the same for the left and right vents? If they aren't, maybe you could swap handles?

[62bagger]

I was having the same problem with my fuse panel. I took the vent off the truck and modified the handle. I had to ditch the loop on the handle to make it close completely.

[norcalcap]

I have same fuse block with Vintage Air. I reversed how the vents opens. When closed, the handle is closest to seat, I push the lever towards the firewall to open. It doesn't open 100%, but really close. The passenger side I did the same but also moved the lever to the lower part of the door as to clear the fan motor. Pass side opens all the way

[racecougar]

See posts #514 and #515 of my build thread here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...560434&page=21

[msg]

Originally Posted by 62bagger

I was having the same problem with my fuse panel. I took the vent off the truck and modified the handle. I had to ditch the loop on the handle to make it close completely.

Spoke with AAW and it has come up once before he said about a year ago, and the solution is to modify the arm of the vent. Bending it in an s shape he said. So a bend in one place toward the firewall and another bend in the arm in a different section away from the firewall so the arm can clear the kick panel when opened. Thanks for the pic there 62bagger!

Originally Posted by norcalcap

I have same fuse block with Vintage Air. I reversed how the vents opens. When closed, the handle is closest to seat, I push the lever towards the firewall to open. It doesn't open 100%, but really close. The passenger side I did the same but also moved the lever to the lower part of the door as to clear the fan motor. Pass side opens all the way

I was hoping also to not have a delete plate on the passenger side. Did you have to drill into the flap part of the panel to have 2 holes on the lower side, or did you flip it inside of the vent housing?

Originally Posted by racecougar

See posts #514 and #515 of my build thread here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...560434&page=21

Thanks for the pics racecougar!

[norcalcap]

I was hoping also to not have a delete plate on the passenger side. Did you have to drill into the flap part of the panel to have 2 holes on the lower side, or did you flip it inside of the vent housing?

Cant remember the actual process of how I got it to work. I may have just flipped the vent door, putting the handle on the bottom and installed the guide track in the lower mounting position. Pics were hard to take with the evaporator cover in the way. However, the pass side vent completely opens and clears the cover I made. Passenger feet aren't bothered by the lower lever either. As I mentioned before, the open/closed positions are opposite of factory. Its not allowing me to upload pics right now. Ill try again later, or PM you...

[norcalcap]

Originally Posted by msg

Spoke with AAW and it has come up once before he said about a year ago, and the solution is to modify the arm of the vent. Bending it in an s shape he said. So a bend in one place toward the firewall and another bend in the arm in a different section away from the firewall so the arm can clear the kick panel when opened. Thanks for the pic there 62bagger!



I was hoping also to not have a delete plate on the passenger side. Did you have to drill into the flap part of the panel to have 2 holes on the lower side, or did you flip it inside of the vent housing?



Thanks for the pics racecougar!

Cant remember the actual process of how I got it to work. I may have just flipped the vent door, putting the handle on the bottom and installed the guide track in the lower mounting position. Pics were hard to take with the evaporator cover in the way. However, the pass side vent completely opens and clears the cover I made. Passenger feet aren't bothered by the lower lever either. As I mentioned before, the open/closed positions are opposite of factory. Its not allowing me to upload pics right now. Ill try again later, or PM you...

[EricWS1976]

Originally Posted by msg

Spoke with AAW and it has come up once before he said about a year ago, and the solution is to modify the arm of the vent. Bending it in an s shape he said. So a bend in one place toward the firewall and another bend in the arm in a different section away from the firewall so the arm can clear the kick panel when opened. Thanks for the pic there 62bagger!

Thanks for letting us know what they said. I took a closer look at mine today and it looks like it won’t take very much bending to get it to clear.

[norcalcap]

Originally Posted by msg

Spoke with AAW and it has come up once before he said about a year ago, and the solution is to modify the arm of the vent. Bending it in an s shape he said. So a bend in one place toward the firewall and another bend in the arm in a different section away from the firewall so the arm can clear the kick panel when opened. Thanks for the pic there 62bagger!



I was hoping also to not have a delete plate on the passenger side. Did you have to drill into the flap part of the panel to have 2 holes on the lower side, or did you flip it inside of the vent housing?



Thanks for the pics racecougar!

OK, figured out the upload issue.....

[msg]

Just getting back to this been away, thanks for the pics norcalcap. Really helps to see that passenger side. Nice kick panel speaker and covering you did on the evaporator!

[MT65]

This was my remedy, fuel tank in rear, electrical behind seats,
Hope pictures show up

[Richard2112]

Originally Posted by MT65

This was my remedy, fuel tank in rear, electrical behind seats,
Hope pictures show up

That looks like a good plan. Moving the location of that fuse panel has long been on my to do list. When I do it, I believe it'll wind up under the hood. Given the option to install new box and wire, I'm not certain why anyone would keep the stock location.

[bigmoe]

My solution was to cut mine off and put a rubber cap on it.

[msg]

All good custom solutions! I opted to customize the vents a bit since the driver side has the American Autowire clearance issue and the Vintage Air evaporator has its clearance issue also. So I started with the passenger side and found that I needed to drop that lever down 62 mm to clear the fan motor. Then I had to relocate the 2 holes for the lever mount and the guide rail mount down 62 mm (center of the original to center of the newly drilled) . That repositions that guide rail down to be about mid way. All clear now on both sides