Just finished dash pad/hoses/etc. replacement, lessons learned

[mt Al]

This was my second time doing this fairly simple, but time consuming swap and learned a few lessons.

Changed the dash pad, all hoses (defrost and AC) and heat/ac controller and cables.

Chose to use GMC Paul's "longer lasting hoses" rather than the original style. They are great, but I couldn't make the tight turn on the passenger side AC vent without kinking the hose badly. So...I cut a small piece of the new hose, hooked it to the AC vent connection, bought a PVC 90 (degree) and taped it/spliced it into the hose. Works great.

Also got the center AC vent blocks and am glad for it. Sinch to put in, less clutter behind the already VERY cluttered dash. It comes with two cheesy looking plugs and two screws. Just had to drill a big enough starter hole so it wouldn't split.

To cheap to buy a new re-chromed center vent, so it was painted black. Just masked off the center swiveling part, sanded it with 320/400 and shot some black Dupli-Color on it. It looks OK, but makes it clear that I'm no body man.

Also too cheap initially to change the dash bezel. DUMB! Its going to be in the next order to The Man (Paul).

Bought a new diverter box for the AC/Heat (also from Paul, like the rest). The Chinese/Taiwanese put some cheesy looking WHITE glue around the top of the tabs instead of inbetween the tabs and the box. Looked like crap. Covered it with black magic marker, now looks great.

Dash pad dilemmas. I hate changing these things. The most trouble some of the nuts are those in the corners and above the AC center vent. However, with enough monkiing around, they all came out. I unhooked the wiper switch, light switch and rear AC switch (its in a suburban). It was much easier to get to the stinking nuts that way. In goes the new pad. Couldn't get the stamped nuts on. After much hassle and testing/trying new nuts I found out that its a METRIC bolt coming out of the new pads and that, if you crank down too hard, the bolt will turn inside the pad. The original pad's bolts are welded to a bar that runs the length of the pad. These bolts obviously are not. Bought the right nuts with lock washers and put them on. Works fine.

Has anyone put on a simple dash cover? I'm tempted next time.

Putting on the new cables was a pain in the rear for some reason, but they finally work.

Took off the metal heater outlet (on top of hump) and painted it black with the same dupli-color as above. Looks much better, covering 30 years of kicks, duct tape and other abuses.

I can't imagine changing the wiring harness behind the dash. Has anyone done it? Did you survive?

New problem: Now my fan doesn't turn on until the second speed. Also in the rear AC housing. What gives? It worked fine before. Not a problem in the rear heater though. Any help on this one would be appreciated.

My main suggestion to anyone doing this in the near future is to do everything at one time and get it over with. Start early in the morning, send the wife and kids away for the day and take everything apart and start from the dash pad down. It took me one weeks total time with the dash apart, but most likely only about 10 hours of working time (including all AC diverter boxes, controller, cables, hoses and dash pad) and I'm not all that good at this stuff and basically suck as a mechanic. Someone with a clue would most likely have it done in half the time.

The last thing coming is a repro-stereo (AM/FM/Cassette) from Paul. When it arrives, I'll slip it in through the glove box, which is the only thing left off at the moment.

The carpet, sound deadener (B-Quiet Brown Bread) and rear seat out of a '93 'burb are next. Can't wait till its done.

Several board memebers helped with the cable issue, not to mention all I learn every day on this site. My money's going off to Josh next week. Thanks.

Any other thoughts and answers to the fan problems would be appriciated.