Removing Left Kickpanel Vent Door
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 103
From: Brisbane Queensland
Removing Left Kickpanel Vent Door
G'day All,
I have to remove the left side kick panel vent door, as it's not operating correctly. Are there any pit falls that I need to know or advice that you can give that will make the job easier?
Thanks in advance,
Mark
I have to remove the left side kick panel vent door, as it's not operating correctly. Are there any pit falls that I need to know or advice that you can give that will make the job easier?
Thanks in advance,
Mark
Racer
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 284
Likes: 16
From: St Louis MO http://1972corvetterestomod.blogspot.com/
If I recall correctly, there is just one screw holding the kick panel up under the dash... you have to squeeze up into the foot well to see it. And the kick panel is tucked under the door sill so the sill has to come off as well. Very easy to remove the kick panel if the screws holding the door sill are not rusted/frozen like mine were.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
The only functions of the door are opening and closing. A bowden cable does that from the Vent **** on the console. You may not need to actually remove the door to get it opening and closing again. For factory air cars, there is no left side door.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Apr 20, 2014 at 11:07 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,042
Likes: 19
From: Oswego New York
If your door isn't sealing correctly when closed, you may want to replace the seal. The door consists of 2 oval shaped pieces of sheet metal riveted together with a piece of foam in between. Foam and rivet rebuilding kits are available, or you can purchase hardware store rivets and use 2mm black craft foam sheets. If you're not trying to maintain originality, you could use screws instead of rivets.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Pop-rivets make that job easy. Get craft foam at Michael's or HobbyLobby craft stores. (8"x10" sheets of black 2mm thick foam)
As mentioned, if the door is not functional, the Bowden cable could be rusted tight (inside the cable sheath), the mechanical actuator could be damaged (at the control head), or someone could have glued the door closed (???). Check condition of door and mechanism at the door first. THEN open up the console to check the rest of it.
As mentioned, if the door is not functional, the Bowden cable could be rusted tight (inside the cable sheath), the mechanical actuator could be damaged (at the control head), or someone could have glued the door closed (???). Check condition of door and mechanism at the door first. THEN open up the console to check the rest of it.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Apr 20, 2014 at 12:11 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,038
Likes: 504
From: myrtle beach sc
Army
The vent door is held to the car by two pins that it rotates on. One pin is fixed and the other is spring loaded, so that the door can be removed. The lower pin can rust into it's pivoting hole and freeze the door up. Been there, done that! Lou.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 103
From: Brisbane Queensland
Thanks to everyone else for their advice as well.
My vent door must have been siezed up for a long time, as a previous owner(bubba) had stuffed a piece if rag in at the top of the vent/drain shaft to stop the air flow.
