I decided today while I was hanging out to remove the Astro Vent and give it a redo. It is working like it is supposed to but I know it needs redoing. When I was taking it out, it is obvious that Bubba has had his hands in this area as well, of course. I bought some replacement drain tubes to install while I was back there but there is so much silicone back there, I am not going to tear into that until I feel like replacing the carpet again. I guess I will just keep the tubes in my tool box till that time.

Here are a few pics of my astro vent as it came out. There were only about 4 screws holding the whole unit in place!! I will see if I can fix that too as I go about this one.

This is a picture of the doors as they came out. The doors are linked together in the middle by the hinge on the top left of the bottom door. The vacuum tank pulls or pushes the doors open and closed on the left end of the bottom door.


This is the door that is operated by the vacuum canister. It mounts on the passengers side.


This would be the door on the drivers side.


The vacuum canister and its mounting bracket.


This is a pic of both doors with the hinge pins removed (pins at top) and the doors separated. This is before I started removing all of the silicone that bubba has used for what reason, I cannot guess.



This is the doors completely apart and ready for some serious cleaning.


All of this, with the exception of the canister will get media blasted and powder coated so it will be nice and pretty before it gets hidden again. Hope to have it all done in the next week or so.

 

One of the projects on my list.

Looking good.

Bill

 

Not a whole lot of progress the last few days have been made on this project with all that has been going on. I was able to make my gaskets today and they are ready to go. I am going to stop by Lowes on the way home from lunch and buy a new wire wheel for my grinder and clean everything up and start some powdercoating this afternoon if the weather holds out.

Here is a pic of the homemade gaskets. Easily made using closed cell foam sheets picked up at one of those hobby stores.


Another reason I have not been making too much progress. My wife bought this for me and I have never played before but I don't want to put it down just yet. Sore fingers and all.

 

Keep at it. The sore finger tips will give way to callouses. After that, you can jam with Clapton, Page, and Schon.

 

Great work
The silicon was probably a quick fix to a stuck open vent which was leaking.
Marshal

 

I have discovered this is a project I must undertake while I have the interior out of the car and discovered damaged vacuum line that runs to this. I suspect this is the source of my leak

 

Photobucket sucks but you can still get to the pictures here: http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Eddi...Vent%20Rebuild

 

pictures work for fine me in firefox.

just apply a browser fix for photobucket to whatever browser you use.

 

Hi EC3,
The vacuum supply line for the Astro Vent doors is a small copper tube that runs back on the side of transmission tunnel from the heater/defroster controller, across the seat bulkhead, and then up the driver's side lock pillar.
It then changes from copper to a rubber hose that connects to a small vacuum pot that controls the operation of the flapper doors.

Coupes have the pot on the left side while convertibles have it on the right side.

Regards,
Alan

 

Two thoughts:
1). Coupes have all that assembly fastened to the car with screws. Convertibles have them riveted in.
2). I have worked on a number of convertibles—the small metal vacuum on those has been steel, not copper.

 

Fantastic thank you all for this help. This was a totally unexpected project

 

Glad you shared I'll be looking at mine to clean it up and to make sure it works.