Dear heater core, I hate you.
 

I finally took the time to extract part #000001 from the '87 today. I swear Chevy put this thing on a jig and then built the rest of the car around it. Ugh. Now to put the aluminum replacement in which as you can see doesn't have quite the same pipe bends as the original.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...bda4807d73.jpg

Even though I have the dash pad and bread box out it wasn't really necessary. In the end the only screw I took out from the top ended up being unnecessary.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...08c19eec43.jpg

After all these years I cant believe you did not do the fast guy method.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...etty-easy.html

I did mine when I was 17. I know for damn sure I couldn't fit under the dash now or lay there for 8 hours. Never pulled the dash.

Scorp508, I assume it was necessary to remove the passenger seat??

If you want to get in there with a bit more comfort. Not sure why the driver seat is out though

When mine finally kicks I'm just rerouting coolant lines so that I don't have a heater anymore. I don't want to ever do this job again.

I basically did. In the end pulling the dash pad and bread box were entirely unnecessary. I can see why it may be necessary for 90-96, but these earlier cars there's really nothing to gain as all the screws can be reached from underneath with sockets, extensions, and a universal joint. The only thing I did extra was pull my radio to get at one 7MM screw holding in a long hard plastic duct so it would get out from the front of the heater core box. My interior is also out of the car for a number of other things such as carpet & sound deadening, seat leather/cushion replacement, ZF6 swap, and probably some stereo work while I have easy access to everything.

Interior replacement.

It would be a lot more challenging with it in unless you frequently star in a Cirque de Solei show. The seats are held in place by four bolts and two wire connectors which makes pulling them out rather easy.

Same issue when I replaced mine in my 89. I never have creatively cussed as much in my life as I did that day changing the heater core :lol:. I agree with Vader, if it goes out in the future, the lines are just getting re-routed and i'll wear an extra layer in the winter

I remember reading the adventures of "scorp508" years ago. Glad to see you are still in the game! :thumbs: