Read several threads on here about accessing the heater core. Some say the fender has to be removed to access some said you dont.

Non AC car - 1972 Convertible. Can the cover on the firewall be removed without removing the fender? Do you have to remove it from inside the car?

 

If you don't remove the inner fender, you have to drill out one of the bolts, if I remember correct, the bottom right? If you have the plastic fenders, I would take it out, do the job right. Been years since I did this, but kind of a BITB,if I remember right,

 

the heater core is replaced by removing the inside heater box, but to do that, you must remove all the bolts and nuts on the engine compartment side of the firewall.

 

Can all the bolts and nuts on the engine side be accessed by just removing the inner fenderwells or do you have to remove the fender?

 

There is one nut that is behind the inner fender well. I think the CSM shows to cut an access flap to get to that nut. I was able to detach the fenderwell and reach up into the gap and remove that nut. This was in maybe 1982? I opted to not reinstall that nut, which made heater core replacements in the next 40 years much, much easier.

 

I removed the inner wheel well on my 68 and got access to the fasteners.
Non AC car, too.
I would think the 68 and 72 are the same in that area.

 

You do not have to remove the fender or the inner fender.

The heater core box (under the dash) is held on by 5 fasteners on the engine side. Two along the top, three along the bottom. The third one along the bottom is a tight squeeze between the firewall and the inner fender, but still easy enough to remove without taking half the car apart.

You only need to remove the fender if you want to remove the blower fan and/or housing.

All this confirmed on my assembled and driving '71 and my disassembled and just working on putting all this together '70 ;-)

 

Thanks that will make it a lot easier.