C3 Heater Core

[Bob B.]

Hi all,

Silly me! I vainly imagined I would send my C3 heater core and radiator and a C1 heater core and radiator to the radiator shop this afternoon for boiling out, checking, fixing leaks as necessary, and repaint. So, I have three items sitting here longing for the radiator shop while the C3 radiator core sits in its place daring me to take it out!

Everything is disconnected, as far as I can tell, but like Chuck Berry and the safety belt that wouldn't budge, my C3 radiator core sits as brazenly as a Barrack Hussein Obama sits in the White House! I see rivets holding what, in normal people's minds, would hold the brackets and not the heater core itself, and I count like 357 rivets, although I could have missed some!

So, can anyone tell me how these heater cores come out for a simple check! Will I have to drill out all 357 rivets and then put all of them back in for judging!!!

Thanks,

Bob

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

Hi all,

Silly me! I vainly imagined I would send my C3 heater core and radiator and a C1 heater core and radiator to the radiator shop this afternoon for boiling out, checking, fixing leaks as necessary, and repaint. So, I have three items sitting here longing for the radiator shop while the C3 radiator core sits in its place daring me to take it out!

Everything is disconnected, as far as I can tell, but like Chuck Berry and the safety belt that wouldn't budge, my C3 radiator core sits as brazenly as a Barrack Hussein Obama sits in the White House! I see rivets holding what, in normal people's minds, would hold the brackets and not the heater core itself, and I count like 357 rivets, although I could have missed some!

So, can anyone tell me how these heater cores come out for a simple check! Will I have to drill out all 357 rivets and then put all of them back in for judging!!!

Thanks,

Bob

Bob------

Some folks have tried to remove the heater core from the engine compartment side. I do not recommend this approach and the GM service procedure does not, either.

First, you have to remove the center console cluster and right side dash pad. Then, you remove the heater box from the car. Once you do this, the heater core can easily be removed from the heater box. There is no need to remove ANY rivets. All you need to remove is one bolt which fastens the heater core retainer bracket to the heater box---that's it. The heater core can then be EASILY removed from the heater box.

[Bob B.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

Hi Joe,

I guess I should have mentioned that the '69 427 is far into disassembly and that the whole heater assembly is out (see pic). I'm in my office right now, so I want to be sure about whatever bolt you're talking about. I have the two screws/mini bolts at the top out and the bottom clip out and it is as solid as a rock, so I guess I missed this bolt. Where is this bolt and I will attack it tomorrow?

Thanks,

Bob

[Wayne W.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

Should be two straps over the end tanks. Two screws holding.

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

Hi Joe,

I guess I should have mentioned that the '69 427 is far into disassembly and that the whole heater assembly is out (see pic). I'm in my office right now, so I want to be sure about whatever bolt you're talking about. I have the two screws/mini bolts at the top out and the bottom clip out and it is as solid as a rock, so I guess I missed this bolt. Where is this bolt and I will attack it tomorrow?

Thanks,

Bob

Bob------


I was thinking there was one bolt/screw but Wayne is correct; there are two. You can see these just to the left of the tubes. Remove the rubber seal around the tubes and you will see the complete retaining bracket. Remove the tw0 hex head screws and the bracket will come out. Then, pull up on the core from the tube end and it should come right out. Absolutely no need to drill out any rivets anywhere.

By the way, Dr. Rebuild sells a complete heater box seal kit which includes all the seals you need for reinstallation, including an excellent reproduction of the aforementioned large rubber seal.

[Tony S.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

I have just replaced the heater core on my original unmolested 1969 Corvette 427/390 (NON A/C) car that I have owned since 1973 and has been in storage since 1977. The heater core was removed from the engine side with no difficulty what so ever in 1 hour. I used a Spectrum quality heater core and I documented the complete procedure.

[Patrick B.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

I have just replaced the heater core on my original unmolested 1969 Corvette 427/390 (NON A/C) car that I have owned since 1973 and has been in storage since 1977. The heater core was removed from the engine side with no difficulty what so ever in 1 hour. I used a Spectrum quality heater core and I documented the complete procedure.

Tony--- Can you give more details or pictures about how you accomplished this feat?

[Edward B.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

I did this a few months ago using THIS THREAD as a guide. No problems and it was done in just under an hour, start to finish.

Ed

[Patrick B.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

Thanks Ed. I hope a 70 Corvette is the same as a 69 regarding the heater retention and firewall hole size.

[Edward B.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

Thanks Ed. I hope a 70 Corvette is the same as a 69 regarding the heater retention and firewall hole size.

It is Pat

Ed

[Tony S.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

I will post the pics asap.

[Tony S.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

Here are some photos of the C3 big Sept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 008.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 009.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 010.jpgblock heater core removal and install from engine side.

[Tony S.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

More photosSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 011.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 012.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 013.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 014.jpg

[Tony S.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

More photos of the installSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 015.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 016.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 017.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 018.jpg

[Tony S.]

Re: C3 Heater Core

More photos of the installSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 019.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 020.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 021.jpgSept., 12, 2014 69 Corvette 022.jpg