fresh air door
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2011
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fresh air door
did all c3's have a fresh air door flapper top of cowl, mine does'nt, it has a/c, (73 base model) i have seen them for sale for 68-82, was it associated with a specific option, mine has a vacumn operated vent in lower right kick panel
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
AC cars have a flapper door tucked under the right fender top at the end of the windshield trough. Non-AC cars do not have the flapper door.
AC cars have a vacuum operated kick panel vent door on the passenger's side. Left side kick panel vent and both ball vents are closed off and do not route outside air.
For non-AC cars, both kick panel vents open and close from the console vent ***** and both dash vent ***** will route outside air.
The AIM shows the operating doors and their installation for AC cars. Also shows where the remaining vents are blocked off and not used.
AC cars have a vacuum operated kick panel vent door on the passenger's side. Left side kick panel vent and both ball vents are closed off and do not route outside air.
For non-AC cars, both kick panel vents open and close from the console vent ***** and both dash vent ***** will route outside air.
The AIM shows the operating doors and their installation for AC cars. Also shows where the remaining vents are blocked off and not used.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Jan 24, 2011 at 01:19 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 4
From: Concord Calif
AC cars have a flapper door tucked under the right fender top at the end of the windshield trough. Non-AC cars do not have the flapper door.
AC cars have a vacuum operated kick panel vent door on the passenger's side. Left side kick panel vent and both ball vents are closed off.
For non-AC cars, both kick panel vents open and close from the console vent ***** and both dash vent ***** will route outside air.
The AIM shows the operating doors and their installation for AC cars. Also shows where the remaining vents are blocked off and not used.
AC cars have a vacuum operated kick panel vent door on the passenger's side. Left side kick panel vent and both ball vents are closed off.
For non-AC cars, both kick panel vents open and close from the console vent ***** and both dash vent ***** will route outside air.
The AIM shows the operating doors and their installation for AC cars. Also shows where the remaining vents are blocked off and not used.
partly true, the ball vents on the dash are used for the air conditioning on air cars, at lease they are on my 68. But I think you meant they are not vents which is true, just not blocked off but used for the air system.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
For non-AC cars, you get outside air through them.
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 185
Likes: 2
I have an A/C that the entire A/C system is being removed. I have the correct heater core cover from a non a/c car, dash ductwork, etc and would like to get both kick panel fresh air doors to work with the levers on the console. I think the right side should be easy enough to get working properly but was wondering if there is a way for me to punch out the left side. By the way I am getting a donor car to take any needed parts off of. Anyone know if this is able to be done?
thanks,
Ray
thanks,
Ray
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
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From: Orange Park Florida
on any vert, what you really want to do is seal off that opening, I just disabled the door mechanism so that it could stay closed, it opens if vacuum is removed from the control device....having it sealed shut and the a/c on permanent recirc is a huge help in keeping the car cool, remove the interior flapper door also....
as for adding astro vent, I wouldn't bother.....time waster....
as for adding astro vent, I wouldn't bother.....time waster....
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 111
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could someone educate me on how that flapper valve and the door in the kick panel work, by vacumn of course butwhat are there functions, do they work togeather? my 73 is defintely an a/c car but had some damage on passenger side of car i think some parts were not put back, anyone have a photo of a 73 showing cowl area with flapper valve
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
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could someone educate me on how that flapper valve and the door in the kick panel work, by vacumn of course butwhat are there functions, do they work togeather? my 73 is defintely an a/c car but had some damage on passenger side of car i think some parts were not put back, anyone have a photo of a 73 showing cowl area with flapper valve
The hood flapper was a whizz-bang failed attempt at cowl induction to boost performance.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Purchase the 73 assembly instruction manual (AIM); it shows diagrams of the optional factory AC and the required parts.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,023
Likes: 6
From: Austin Tx
Maybe there was a problem with the door not opening, so a prior owner removed it. My 72 is a bit different with the wiper bay, but the door is back a little ways, is it possible you just aren't seeing it? If it really is gone, I would just go down to the kick panel door and set it to remain closed at all times. I think you can do this by either removing the vacuum line, or the spring, I'm not sure which.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
The upper flapper is only used in "Max air", it closes and the kick panel door (normally closed) opens for recirculating the cool air.
A lot of the flappers deform over time and don't seal well, so it you use the air a lot it helps to seal the upper shut and remove the spring from the lower to keep that door open.
Otherwise, you don't have to worry about it too much. Your choice.
Here is a pic from another thread.
A lot of the flappers deform over time and don't seal well, so it you use the air a lot it helps to seal the upper shut and remove the spring from the lower to keep that door open.
Otherwise, you don't have to worry about it too much. Your choice.
Here is a pic from another thread.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2011
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sorry for not identyfing the part in question correctly, i seem to be missing the plenum valve (flapper), still confused on function. it seems if flapper and or kick panel vent are open then you would be pulling in air from outside car (or least from inside fender or underhood) isnt air recirculated in the interior heating and a/c housing. maybe i will leave that plenum valve off, i see it in the aim and my firewall is missing the portion it would be mounted to anyway. damn this car is driving me crazy
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 4
From: Concord Calif
sorry for not identyfing the part in question correctly, i seem to be missing the plenum valve (flapper), still confused on function. it seems if flapper and or kick panel vent are open then you would be pulling in air from outside car (or least from inside fender or underhood) isnt air recirculated in the interior heating and a/c housing. maybe i will leave that plenum valve off, i see it in the aim and my firewall is missing the portion it would be mounted to anyway. damn this car is driving me crazy
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
One of the important functions of that cowl plenum door is to keep cr@p out of the plenum when the car is not running. That door closes without vacuum present and keeps leaves, bird 'doo', etc. out of the plenum. It may not work as well as we would like it to...but it works.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 11
From: Schaumburg IL
Is the vent door open when in vent position and closed when other positions?
