Heater box hole

[Vooda]

Just wantin to see what you guys are using to cover the hole left when you remove the heater box. I have a 65 shortbed. Thanks for any ideas.

[geoff.clark]

I have not done this yet, but plan to do something like this...

http://www.infantimachine.com/products/007.htm

[rbar]

I had mine closed up with sheet metal welded in. I would think if you already have paint that you could make some flat panels up that you could bolt in or make some kind of clips that hold it in. You could make up or buy some nuts for the back side where you don't actually have to bolt through the fire wall, they could overlap it on the inside. Just some thoughts if you have paint problems.

[Captainfab]

You can either cut your own cover plates from sheet metal or try and find a factory set of cover plates that were used with the recirculating heater.

[Vooda]

Good ideas. I figured welding a piece of metal was the easiest. They sell parts for everything anymore so i wasnt sure if guys were buying some kind of replacement part. It would be nice if you could put a smaller heater box in those things. The one that was factory is HUGE.

[AZ66GMC]

I just made one from a piece of 18g sheet metal that I had lying around. I got some gasket material from O'Reilly's and drilled 5/16" holes for bolts. Something quick and you can paint to match your firewall.






Tony

[GMR-PERFORMANCE]

Easy to make up a panel and weld it in.. but I have to ask did you remove the heater or put it inside the cab under the dash??

panel wise locate a door, hood, and cut out what you need. I used a hood, to cut out all the panels I made, gas fill hole, stake holes, the 20 plus holes in the doors from countless mirrors being mounted over the years

[Vooda]

I removed it. Not really planning on driving it when its cold. If I do, I will just bundle up. I just really like the look of the firewall without it. What do you mean by mounting it under the dash?

[kieth]

Originally Posted by Vooda

I removed it. Not really planning on driving it when its cold. If I do, I will just bundle up. I just really like the look of the firewall without it. What do you mean by mounting it under the dash?

Most of the new airconditioning kits also include a heater that is inside the cab instead of outside like the factory one. only drawback they usuallin cost one the glove box room.....Kieth

[awbrown]

under the dash heater is the standard heater , it will only have 2 controls and the outer 2 controls are deleted.. The under the hood heater is the deluxe heater and it is run by 4 controls.. .. I didnt know this til last week when I started working on truck #2 and had to look truck #1 to see how the cables were routed , and the 2 were totally different .. I always thought 2 of my controls were broke of , but they never existed...

[Vooda]

Mine must be the deluxe because I think I have four controls. I would have to look again to make sure.

[jocko]

Here you go! QUICK! Buy this before it's gone! $19.95 "buy it now", i.e. not an auction.
(it's not mine. I just bought a nice set of plates from a member by listing a "want to buy" ad. Something you might consider if you want a stock plate). Personally, I like the look of the factory blockoff plate. But if one becomes hard to find, the ones that folks have made look very good too. (note the below link is only for the square hole - I have not seen the blockoff plate for the oblong hold at the top of the cowl).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Heate...item4aa9c9b78c

[LeftCoast32]

Here are the factory plates we just took off an original Heater Delete truck.