Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

OK, I've got all the screws removed and I can pull the driver side panel out an inch or so, but then the vent door surround (for lack of a better term) gets hung up on the hole in the body panel. Looks like I may have to remove the parking brake bracket, but that's not what the panel is hanging up on yet. Any suggestions?

Truck is an 82 model, if that makes a difference.

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

Never mind. Finally got it out. Not a pretty sight behind it though:(

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

I remember having a lot of trouble trying to remove it also. That was years ago. What did you have to do?

Did you find rust?

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

Please post a pic. I have been wanting to see what's inside. Curious if there's enough room to mount a speaker (with modification of course).

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

Ended up removing the parking brake assembly. It took quite a bit of effort to disconnect the cable and release rod. Of course I had to reduce tension on the cable under the truck.

You can see some of the rusted sheet metal clinging to the glue on the vent panel. Looks like some PO had been in there before.

Water had been dripping out the bottom even during light rain. Drain passage does not seem to be clogged, so it's not like water is rising up to the vent.

Pretty frustrating that this 82 truck has significantly more rust than my 69, which needed only outer rocker panels and cab corners. Have to say the panel vent design is the culprit.

My photo hosting website is maxed out, and I can't figure out how to do a direct image link from iCloud or Google Photos, so here you go:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/e4...w1336-h1002-no


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZR...=w752-h1002-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qO...w1336-h1003-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LW...w1336-h1002-no

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

Thanks for the pics. Now I'm curious cause my 85 has the plastic panel but I don't have a driver side vent like you. I'm wondering if it was an option thing and it just has a cover over the sheet metal. I actually want the floor vents, especially since I converted to vintage air a/c. It has no provision for outside air blend like the factory.

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

Was it a factory AC truck? I know there were some difference between AC and non-AC kick panel vents. Others here can chime in here.

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

Yes, it had factory a/c. It didn't work when I bouyght it and I just pulled everything out and went aftermarket. When I removed the ps vent, it had a vacuum pot on it so I assume it was controlled via the control panel. I would like to put the vent back in and control it manually and add the same on the d/s.

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

I doubt the sheetmetal is different, so maybe you can find a non-AC vent panel somewhere.

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

IIRC, the AC vent still retains the place in the plastic where the manual vent control knob goes.

Re: Driver side kick panel vent removal
 

Checking back in to show the "before, during, and after" repair pictures. Welds are covered by the vent panel.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5E...=w1317-h988-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OH...=w1317-h988-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nT...=w1317-h988-no