What am I missing???

[dw8]

Going to do the 302 install on my 1984 Ranger tomorrow. Tonight I tried to remove the heater box. Initial inspection showed 4 nuts holding it to the firewall. Got the top two out and started on the bottom two. That is where the trouble began. The bolt under the blower motor wasn't a bolt after all. It felt smooth, like a screw head. But I couldn't feel any slots in it for a screwdriver. Is this proper?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

IIRC there is a couple nuts on the inside too. I also think there is more than four outside.

 

[Mark_88]

IIRC there is a couple nuts on the inside too. I also think there is more than four outside.

Correct...and they are "Carriage bolts" which means they have a smooth outer head but the inner side is squared and fits into a square hole either in the firewall or the heater box...so be extra careful when removing these that they don't strip the holes or move out of them....

Best thing is to squirt the nuts on them with some penetrating oil and leave them soak overnight...but even that may be inadequate if they got the least bit of moisture.

I ended up cutting a few of mine off because they just spun once they were out of the holes...and getting them back into the holes seemed impossible...so I used my grinder with a cut off disk on a few...and I think a hacksaw...maybe some were torched off also...but they came out.