Hitman's Pontiac Trans Am Forum

Trans Am Information => Restoration => Topic started by: Wallington on June 24, 2014, 01:30:56 AM

Title: Repairing AC centre dash vents
Post by: Wallington on June 24, 2014, 01:30:56 AM

Ever had to try to reassemble one of these and try to press it all back together and dab the melting pins with a soldering iron to hold it in place? I even had an expensive repro unit that was so sloppy in it's assembly that the vent flaps would fall out or jam up, I had to repair it to make it usable from new out of the box!

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4472/37426687990_8a5e92afe9_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gypY)Firebird AC centre vent repro wire pin fix 1mm (2) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gypY) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

Anyway, I came upon an older used unit I had, but the plastic melt pins had let go again and nothing left to melt. So here's what I did for an easy fix, I'll do this with my other units too, protect them from the plastic pins giving way and clumsy fingers poking at them!

Here's where the plastic pins poke through and the tops melted to secure. This one has nothing left, overly excited soldering previously by the looks!

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4500/37635917106_8bc56047af_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ZkKUWw)AC centre vent mods (https://flic.kr/p/ZkKUWw) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr
And here's the problem, on a lesser scale to many, but the insert holding all the blades in place with it's legs is able to lift up and offers no support. On other samples these pieces come right out and scatter on the ground.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4497/37635916886_fd62543f44_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ZkKUSJ)AC centre vent mods1 (https://flic.kr/p/ZkKUSJ) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

I marked out the centre of these square bars onto the outside of the case. They are approx 12mm down on mine, centred by eyesight and marked.

I then found a 1mm drill and 1.0 steel wire from my old modelling box.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4489/23831511298_2ec35536bf_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/CiUJ2Q)AC centre vent mods3 (https://flic.kr/p/CiUJ2Q) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

Holding the inside support down I drilled into the end about 5-6mm.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4469/37426753200_d4c7d14a9d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gTNh)AC centre vent mods4 (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gTNh) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

Then pressed in the steel wire, I added a tiny dab of supaglue first but firm enough it's only an extra. It was then trimmed off flush. Repeat 3 more times.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4455/37652212202_8e3bb0ac5c_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ZncqUs)AC centre vent mods5 (https://flic.kr/p/ZncqUs) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4445/37426688280_3c1db252e3_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gyuY)Firebird AC centre vent repro wire pin fix 1mm (1) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gyuY) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4443/37426687560_4c14d9383e_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gyhy)Firebird AC centre vent repro wire pin fix 1mm (5) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gyhy) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

Job done. Vents open and close and no chance of coming apart again.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4489/37426688060_d5636fbed1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gyrb)Firebird AC centre vent repro wire pin fix 1mm (4) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gyrb) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4464/37426687830_47d1be4415_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gynd)Firebird AC centre vent repro wire pin fix 1mm (3) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gynd) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4472/37426687990_8a5e92afe9_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gypY)Firebird AC centre vent repro wire pin fix 1mm (2) (https://flic.kr/p/Z2gypY) by Aus78Formula (https://www.flickr.com/photos/53057445@N08/), on Flickr

Title: Re: Repairing AC centre dash vents
Post by: JupiterBandit on July 16, 2014, 08:58:41 AM

That is a great tip

Title: Re: Repairing AC centre dash vents
Post by: Wallington on October 14, 2017, 02:04:16 AM

Just updated the old pics in the post with new pics since Photobucket died and had a few requests.