Picked up a real nice 1979 F150 SCSB 4x4 a few weeks ago, with AC. Also has a 3" lift and 35" mudders.



I've found a ton of "how to" threads but most seem to be copied and pasted (sometimes slightly modified) from each other. There's a link to a page that had good pictures that was active as recently as 18 months ago, but I can't find it cached anywhere.

My AC truck has no "big black plastic box" under the hood. I've pulled the glovebox out and almost every screw I can find holding the ducting and plastic together under and inside the dash, and can't get to the core.

Anyone have some recommendations? I know it's a sizable job and I'm fine with that (I've built several hot rods from the ground up), just can't figure out what I'm missing. This might be worse that the '99 Ranger I did a heater core in. Three times. If that thing craps out again I'm selling the truck!

Thanks in advance!

 

A couple photos under the dash would help - sounds like a dealer-added AC. If it's a factory heater box, there should be a couple bolts in the engine compartment.

 

Under the hood are three nuts to remove, two, one above and one below the blower motor and one almost center on the fire wall. On the inside I didn't have to remove the AC evap. but I did remove the AC duct work just for more room. There are three bolts that hold the dash in.... one on each corner near the bottom and one almost center to a bracket near the ash tray. The key is to move the dash back far enough to be able to pull the heater box back far enough to let the heater core piping come back through the fire wall.... it will then drop down and out.
This is not as easy as it sounds but is a good DIYS project. Good luck with it and let us know how you do.

 

Never done a heater core in an AC Dent.....but they SUCK in a Ranger.......LOL

 

Upper pic: Deluxe dealer installed A/C (combined with the heater).

Lower pic: Economy dealer installed A/C (not combined with the heater).

 

I'm no help with the heater core problem but if you drop the broken link into the Way Back Machine at https://archive.org, you may find a cached version.

 

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Guys, thank you SO much for the help! Sorry, I was called out of town unexpectedly and just now got back to this thread.

Going to tackle this in the next few days and with the info you've all provided I'm confident I can do it. I'll report back.