a/c vents
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 85
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From: Houston, TX
a/c vents
here's the problem. my center a/c vent or deflector is falling out of the gauge bezel, or center dash, where the gauges are. its the 2 vents at the top. I'm missing the clips or retainers that holds the vents in place. I looked in the big companies catalogs(year one, eklers, mid america, vette central). but i can't find them. anybody out there has any info. please fill me in. its for an '80 vette. hope i'm descibling this correctly.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
I don't believe that there are any 'clips' to hold them in place. I believe they just pivot in the housing they are in. But there are felt seals inside the housing which takes up the 'slack' you are seeing and prevent air leakage around them. Chances are those seals are shot. Just remove the upper vent housing (3 screws, I think), and you can get at them for repair. Buy a scrap of black felt and cut some strips to the necessary width; then use double-sided tape or non-hardening glue to put them into place. Stick the vents back in and you should be 'good to go'.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,652
Likes: 3,110
From: Shamong, NJ
mejetdrvr, your right, the 77-82 plastic, center gauge bezel used spring steel clips to hold the center vents into the bezel. GM discountinued these years ago and no one has repoped them, that I'm aware of. I took a quick look around the shop, I use to have some from cars we parted, but didn't turn up any. Your going to have to find some used ones.
