My 3.2 Heat Backdate Story

[Jcslocum]

We all know how crowded and ugly the heating fan and ducting makes the engine compartment look. I was working on my 89 Targa and wanted to do a backdate but have been reading that even after getting a new duct, they didn't fit very well. I saw that the original stock parts might make a backdate duct system and decided to give it a go. I used only original duct parts and have about 2.5 hours total into the change. Here is how and what I did:

So, the fan housing duct and the pipe to the HX run right next to each other:



Maybe if I turned the pipe to the HX towards the duct they could meet and provide a backdate.



Cutting a hole in the fan duct seemed and easy task to do and would let me run the pipe direct into the duct.



Make a hole and begin fitting the pipe so there is no interference with the distributor and the air from the fan has the easiest path, at least visually.

Cut the pipe to fit into the duct:



Pipe fits good, clean up the hole and finish it off with some rubber tuning to make it look better and create a soft seal:





Cut the duct so that I could heat it and bend it down to make a "lid" for the duct. My attempt to make it look less DIY:



Heat the top up and bend it over to make a lid to close it up.



I used a piece of heavy black foam to create a seal for the top of the duct:



To be continued.........

[Jcslocum]

Part 2


Foam fits good and will make a nice seal:



Duct all done:



Duct and pipe installed. The just slip together as they are installed.



No interference with the distributor:



Looks pretty much stock.



There is more work to do. The relay needs to be modified to let the foot-well blowers work. The engine needs to go back in too!

[totle]

Never seen this solution in a 3.2 before. Very cool :-)

[wholberg]

Very, very nice.

[James Brown]

wow very nice, and almost free!! better, really cleans up the 3.2 engine bay

[mpetry]

some creative work there. Nice crackle-painted valve covers.