1968 Selector Assembly (Heater Box) Stuck - Please Help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 246
Likes: 20
From: St. Louis (more or less) Missouri
1968 Selector Assembly (Heater Box) Stuck - Please Help
I am trying to remove the Selector Assembly (Heater Box) on my roadster in order to replace the Selector Actuator. The Assembly will not come loose near where the upper left stud goes into the engine compartment. I have gone so far as to insert some small pry bars within an inch of that point (from the passenger compartment) and put a LOT of torque on them; the underlying firewall flexes, but the Assembly will not loosen. It feels as though I have not removed the nut but I have done so. When I 'work' the assembly, I can see the stud moving in the engine compartment.
It is unclear if the stud is jammed or if someone applied a very strong adhesive.
More details are 'here' in this continuing saga (scroll down to recent entries):
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-effect-2.html
Ideas?
If nobody has a better idea I am thinking of two options:
1. Get a very long drill bit and drill out the stud head - I can't imagine succeeding at this given the distance; or
2. Cut through the assembly tab at the stud - I struggle to see how to do that, too. A saw will not fit. I can't pry it sufficiently to snap it because the core tubes prohibit the lift. I guess I could use a full size pry bar as a make-shift chisel OR I might be able to snap it loose with the small pry bars I have. 'Seems crazy to do this to a car I'm trying to restore.
It is unclear if the stud is jammed or if someone applied a very strong adhesive.
More details are 'here' in this continuing saga (scroll down to recent entries):
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-effect-2.html
Ideas?
If nobody has a better idea I am thinking of two options:
1. Get a very long drill bit and drill out the stud head - I can't imagine succeeding at this given the distance; or
2. Cut through the assembly tab at the stud - I struggle to see how to do that, too. A saw will not fit. I can't pry it sufficiently to snap it because the core tubes prohibit the lift. I guess I could use a full size pry bar as a make-shift chisel OR I might be able to snap it loose with the small pry bars I have. 'Seems crazy to do this to a car I'm trying to restore.
Last edited by NRAROX; Apr 7, 2017 at 09:33 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,278
Likes: 4,372
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi n,
????
Looked at the other thread.
I'm thinking too.
That odd 'captured' bolt is only on a/c boxes.
If you loosen the nut on compartment end of that fastener and then gently pry on the box… do you get ANY sense of the box being loose?
Have you quadruple checked that there's not a hidden fastener you're missing?
???
Regards,
Alan
????
Looked at the other thread.
I'm thinking too.
That odd 'captured' bolt is only on a/c boxes.
If you loosen the nut on compartment end of that fastener and then gently pry on the box… do you get ANY sense of the box being loose?
Have you quadruple checked that there's not a hidden fastener you're missing?
???
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 246
Likes: 20
From: St. Louis (more or less) Missouri
Thanks, Alan. I really appreciate your thoughts. . .
I get NO sense of looseness of the box at that corner, although the stud 'moves' like a 'small-arc' searchlight when I 'work' the box. The box feels completely loose around the counter-clockwise perimeter from 6 o'clock past 3 O'clock past 12 o'clock to just near the stud where it seems to hang up; I can verify that it is loose by passing a prybar around that perimeter. The opposite direction feels equally loose but I cannot verify with the prybar given other stuff remaining on the left.
Given the length of the stud into the engine compartment, there is a chance there is another nut between the housing facing the engine compartment and the firewall, but I don't think so (there is a second housing placed against the firewall from the engine compartment). Inspecting closely inside the stud 'hole' with a flashlight shows no metal that would be required for a nut or other fastener. The only odd thing I can find is that the stud is off-center from the factory hole, implying that the original assembly was not easy and required a little 'factory floor' engineering or it has been reassembled with a little special help.
What think ye now, oh great one?
I get NO sense of looseness of the box at that corner, although the stud 'moves' like a 'small-arc' searchlight when I 'work' the box. The box feels completely loose around the counter-clockwise perimeter from 6 o'clock past 3 O'clock past 12 o'clock to just near the stud where it seems to hang up; I can verify that it is loose by passing a prybar around that perimeter. The opposite direction feels equally loose but I cannot verify with the prybar given other stuff remaining on the left.
Given the length of the stud into the engine compartment, there is a chance there is another nut between the housing facing the engine compartment and the firewall, but I don't think so (there is a second housing placed against the firewall from the engine compartment). Inspecting closely inside the stud 'hole' with a flashlight shows no metal that would be required for a nut or other fastener. The only odd thing I can find is that the stud is off-center from the factory hole, implying that the original assembly was not easy and required a little 'factory floor' engineering or it has been reassembled with a little special help.
What think ye now, oh great one?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 246
Likes: 20
From: St. Louis (more or less) Missouri
Eureka! Someone installed a nut between the firewall and the engine side housing. I was able to loosen it by levering the housing open enough to insert a wrench. After loosening it, I could 'spin' the nut free using a screwdriver. The Selector Assembly is OUT. Thanks everybody.
