[HWYSTR455]

So I'm assembling my 1979 firebird dash and the passenger vent deflector has a sprung piece of metal that is used to provide resistance so the entire deflector doesn't just flop around as you drive. And for the life of me forget how it is installed, it's been that long since disassembly.

Here's a pic attached, anyone have an idea of how it's installed?



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[78w72]

Is this for the upper pass side vent in the dash or the lower kick panel fresh air inlet vent on non a/c cars?

I checked my 72 & 78 dashes and they dont have a metal clip like that for the pass side dash vent, the vent itself is installed into the plastic holding bracket that clips into the dash as 1 complete assembly, the resistance comes from the press fit of the vent into the plastic housing from what I could see. Unless that clip is hidden somewhere but Ive popped the vents out of that plastic bracket assembly & didnt see any metal spring clip like that.

The driver side vent uses a metal clip for that function but its shaped different. Unless they changed the vent assembly in 79-81 or mine is missing, I dont see that clip on the upper pass side dash vent... & the vents have a resistance that they dont flop around.

Heres a pic of the driver side metal clip which isnt much help, but at least on my 72 & 78 dashes I dint see that clip. Will check my 81 next time i get to it.

[HWYSTR455]

Hm, my dash looks different. Maybe it's not a 79-81 dash pad? It was provided as a core by the shop that recovered it, so not sure the year?

I think I requested a 79-81 dash because I wanted the radio area to be larger, but would have to go back and check.

Here's the pics of the one I have.

I guess I can just use a stick-on piece of foam to make it work, but pretty sure I removed that clip from the previous dash, which was in fact a 1979 AC dash.

Uhg.

The first pic is the driver's side, the other 2 are the pass side.


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[HWYSTR455]

And that clip I originally posted was in the bag of hardware that was from when I gutted the 79 dash.



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[78w72]

Your pic of the pass side is exactly what my dash vents look like for the 72 & 78 cars as well as all the ones Ive pulled from 72-81 parts cars over the years... a whole bunch of them.

The pass side vent is clipped into the housing that clips into the dash, the slight press fit of the vent into the housing & the housing into the dash is what provides the resistance from what I can see, you can pull the whole assembly out of the dash & see what creates the resistance to the vent movement, its not much at all & maybe if its worn that will allow it to flop around, I recall the one in my 78 isnt as tight as the 72 & 81.

Adding something like foam or slightly heat the area of the housing that holds the vent to reform it some, or try to see if that clip will fit in there some how should add more resistance.. in my 35+ years of owning these cars I cant say Ive ever noticed or cared what that pass side vent does, but none of my cars have the A/C option.. T tops have always been my A/C.

[Gator67]

I disassembled two original '79 dashes recently and I don't recall either having a clip like that.

[HWYSTR455]

Yeah, the housing and vent are new repops, and that thing just flops around in there. I did put a sticky felt dot on the housing and it provides some resistance, that will just have to do.

Well, now I'm thinking that strap I have is for something else and not the vent, but still can't figure out what the heck it might be for.

As an FYI, the dash is going into my 71 bird. The 79-81 dash radio opening is slightly larger than previous years (or so I'm told) and am going to use a single DIN radio.

Also will be using a vintage air setup.

Gauges are New Vintage.

EDIT: Thank you gentlemen for your time & experience!

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[78w72]

I used a later year dash in my 72 also, the 77 or 78-81 do have the bigger radio hole. I used a later year dash because the original 72 was cracked pretty bad, everything else fit into the later year like original.

[HWYSTR455]

Only thing I noticed when swapping over to a later dash was there's a hair more of a gap where the pillar cover/dash meets.

But it's acceptable to me.

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