My 72' Malibu was originally equipped with A/C. It was removed years ago. My question is...Does anyone have any suggestions about how I can replace the big empty evaporator box in the engine compartment with something smaller and better looking but still keep heater functional?

I have seen a neat trick. Take your box off and cut it all the way around about and inch away from the firewall area. Cut a sheet of aluminum to lay flat over the bob'd box. You can even reroute wires thru grommets for a clean look.

This way you can easily put it back. Course find a box that is battered since you about to butcher it.


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Springfield, Ohio

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>name: D.G. & my 70 Malibu
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They used different cowls on the AC cars from what I have gathered on this site. The best way to do this would be to find a car in the bone yard and cut the cowl off of it and reweld it on to your car. Now the way that I would do it is get a none ac box, remove the AC box, and weld a panel in place of the hole and finish it off like you would a body panel with filler.

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Bryan Shook
My website with lots of classic cars (http://www.geocities.com/elcamino_1972)
1972 Chevrolet El Camino Options, Codes & Pricing (http://www.geocities.com/elcamino_1972/elky-options.html)
Favorite Quote: Some people have shrinks. Some people have their garage.

If you really want to clean it up put in a Vintage Air system. The entire system goes under the dash inside the car.

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Redrum (or Mike)
68 Corvette - 383 CI 427 HP
69 SS Chevelle being updated to Pro-Touring
97 Z-28

I wanted to keep the A/C firewall on my car for when I can afford to piece together the original system. In the meantime, I fabbed a steel box out of a non-AC heater box. I will get a pic of the box installed and painted--it looks stock unless you know what it's supposed to look like! Check it out-this is before I bead blasted and painted it.
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/acdelete.jpg

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Tony Nausieda
1970 SS 396-350hp
Frame-off Resto: Just Say No! 4 years and counting...

[This message has been edited by 70L34 (edited 02-10-2001).]

Man I love this site "Ask and ye shall receive" http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif Thanks for your responses everyone.But I think Tony did what I'm looking to do.Tony what parts needed to be fabricated.It looks like everything to the left is stock?On the right I can see a plate (welded on)? Please give details as I don't want to permanently change my cowl.Thanks Tony.H P.S. Does anyone know if the non-A/C boxes are the same for all 70-72 A-bodied cars? Chevelles are non-existant in the local boneyards.

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You can sleep in your car,but you cant drive your house.

[This message has been edited by hoffbug (edited 02-10-2001).]

Unfortunately, it's a little more complicated than it looks. I'll get measurements and everything tomorrow. Everything on the left side is stock except for the 'valley' on the top to allow clearance for the heater outlet/inlet. I cut about 4" off the right hand side of the non-AC housing. I bent a box out of sheetmetal, and that's what you see on the right side. It's ~2" deep to clear the 402 (I have ~2" clearance to the motor). I butchered another heater box to get the "edging" around the box. I sectioned that and welded it to the perimeter of the box so it had attachment points and so it looked kinda stock.
I'll get the measurements to ya tomorrow. I spent around 6 hours on this thing, but I'm an idiot when it comes to welding. This was my first big project after doing a couple small patch panels on the Chevelle.

...Oh yeah, the non-AC housings are the same on all 64-72 A bodies. I know because I bought 4 of them to use on this project. I ended up butchering 3 to make the box. You'll only need 1 non-AC box if you don't add the edging around the right side.

[This message has been edited by 70L34 (edited 02-10-2001).]

Thanks in advance . Ive got a couple of additional questions... 64-72 A-body boxes are all the same? (not a typo right?) The non-ac boxes look to be metal of some sort? Is this correct? mine is fiberglass.