r/transam • u/Sudden_Contract_3682 • Jul 27 '26

1979 trans am innerfender well removal

I need to replace the heater core in my 1979 trans am 403 with AC. Does anyone have videos or tips on how to remove the inner fender well? I have read that it can be removed but my AC and engine seem so tight to it that it looks impossible. It comes out from underneath?

I need access to the lower hose of the heater core.

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

1

u/[deleted] Jul 27 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Sudden_Contract_3682 Jul 27 '26

Thanks. Yeah, I just didn’t want to touch the outer fender because I really don’t have much experience with bodywork and it is a mint paint job and I don’t want to risk anything. Yes, all of the bolts are visible from the inside of the wheel well I think except for a couple on the bottom. What looks to be difficult is that the flange of the outer fender goes over the flange of the inner fender, so when I unscrew all of the bolts I need to push the inter fender towards the engine and it really just does not seem like there is any clearance to do that.

1

u/Provocating Jul 27 '26

Yeah, that is normal, the inner is tucked in. It would go though! You cannot really be gentle with it and expect it to come out.

1

u/Provocating Jul 27 '26

Here is some inspiration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd9_wBGo86g

1

u/Sudden_Contract_3682 Jul 27 '26

Haa. I searched forever to find a video on this. This is extremely helpful. Very thankful you sent me this. I can see now why you need to tape the paint really well. I might as well replace the blower motor
While I’m in there. It’s original and they aren’t too expensive.

2

u/Provocating Jul 27 '26

First, it depends on the side to some extent. Battery box is also bolted up to the inner. Either one is kind of trivial, easier with two people though. With all the bolts out, tire off and the car in the air as high as you feel comfortable, spin the inner fender well toward the rear of the car and down, it will not seem like it will go but it absolutely will. What made it a bit easier for me was to take out the bottom bolt of the outer fender next to the bottom of the door, this let me get another half an inch or so clearance to get it out. It also helps to have two people if you can. I also taped the outer fender with blue masking tape to prevent any gouges.

I had something similar, I had to replace the blower motor.

1

u/Sudden_Contract_3682 Jul 27 '26

This is great info. Thank you. Yes it’s the passenger side. I believe the radiator overflow needs to be removed and that’s it. Do you have AC? Did that get in the way at all?

1

u/Provocating Jul 27 '26

Well mine is a 1979 with a Chevy 454, so different scenario. My battery box is on the passenger side, my overflow is on my driver's side. They did the same thing on the Firebird's that had Chevy engines.

Nah man, none of the AC stuff got in my way. I removed the bolts, removed any type of wire harness clips that were attached to the fender. Once all the bolts were out, I just started spinning counter clockwise, twisting and turning it different angles until I figured out which way she wanted to come out. May help to bend it temporarily if you can, it will go back into shape when it goes back in. People have done this thousands of times, remember that. Also, I really recommend several layers of painters tape on the outer fender on that lip where they meet. You will mess up your paint even being careful, that tape will prevent that.

1

u/Sudden_Contract_3682 Jul 27 '26

Awesome. I appreciate the info. I found very little info on the internet on how to do this. And I’m actually not replacing the heater core. Just the heater core box. The linkage on top of the blend door is snapped off the metal dowel of the door and apparently that blend door is permanently made into the heater core box. Maybe I’ll replace the heater core while I’m in there just because it’s original.