Bill,

I doubt that yours is much different from Julie's. I had a '96 Ranger and even back then I had to pull the dash out to change the heater core. I'm wanting to remember that '95 was the last year that you could get the core out from under the dash without removing the whole thing. Lots of cars are built that way these days. I've had the entire dash assembly out of several cars and trucks now. It's not rocket science, but it can be a little time consuming. It's also not something that should be attempted without a manual to show you where all the bolts are hidden.

And regarding aluminum radiators in general, I'm not saying that they don't work just fine and I don't think anybody else is either. I'm only saying that they do NOT cool any better than a copper/brass radiator and they're usually more expensive. Having one is all about pinning that "I gots a shiny radiator!" badge on your jacket. Nothing more.

 

I had a aluminum radiator built for my 50 f1. It was cheaper than a copper brass and at least half the weight. I'm not concerned with corrosion since I'm running an all aluminum engine.