Heater box/blend door question...86 B2

[rusty ol ranger]

I posted a while ago about not having any heat (well not much) in my 86 B2.

I tore into it yesterday and did find some shit between the heatercore and firewall....but i dont believe that was the entire issue.

So i removed the top of the dash...the metal part where the speakers are. I found the cable system to be intact and moving fine, as is the plastic piece on the heater box that supposed to move the blend door.

However...i did find the little rod that slides into the pivot seems to be broken. When you move the HVAC slider toward heat it moves slightly then just kinda topples over to the point it almost falls out of the pivot hole. Slide it toward cold it stands back up.

Is there any way to get at the blend door without pulling the whole dash and heater box out? If i could just get yt closed for winter id be happy, then when its warm out ill pull the box out of rusty #1 assuming its any good anymore and replace it.

Any help is apperciated

 

[SenorNoob]

Drill a hole and flip the flap with a coat hanger?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Drill a hole and flip the flap with a coat hanger?

Where exactly would i drill?

Maybe take a hole saw, drill it open, set it and glue the hole shut?