Heater controls on 68 rally dash

[4 speedin]

I am trying to install my heater controls on my new rally dash set up on my 68 Valiant. The bezel is installed and it looks as though i might have to remove the bezel to install the controls. I have never done this before so any advise would be greatly appreciated. * Here are photo's of my issue, My dash frame is a 69 I believe, A new bezel and my heater controls are from my original 68 Valiant dash. There is a substantial angle difference between the bezel housing and the bezel and I am very confused and need some help.
Thanks Mike

 

[Sedanman]

There was a steel support plate that went in front of the controls if I remember right

 

[4 speedin]

Yes there is, Does the face plate bracket bolt in from the front side of the bezel or the under side of the dash.

 

[4spdragtop]

From behind dash if I understand you correctly.

 

[4spdragtop]

Heres a pic of spare rally dash, I believe its 68. 68 and 9 are very similar. I believe 2 bolts I'm pointing at hold heater controls.

 

[RedFish]

Sorry Steve but wrong again. Pic of inst' housing above is 67 model. That left bolt stashed in between fan switch and sliders or buttons was one year only.
68 up had both bolts outboard of controller and a touch higher above its center line. Either or, remove the glove box liner to access. Remove knobs from sliders, center sliders, guide them through the bezel from behind. 3/8 socket with magnetic or sticky something to hold the bolt in it. Short extension and 1/4 drive disc type finger ratchet.

 

[4 speedin]

Thank you gentlemen! I will give it a go in a few and update soon...

 

[4 speedin]

After looking a mine and Steve's bezel, It looks like my housing is from a 67 That looks like one problem I have. Unsure about other issues, Is the housing angle different at the heater control side between a 67 and a 68/69?

 

[RedFish]

After looking a mine and Steve's bezel, It looks like my housing is from a 67 That looks like one problem I have. Unsure about other issues, Is the housing angle different at the heater control side between a 67 and a 68/69?

Yes sir. The pot metal housings are different, the climate controllers are different, and the bezels are also different. If that housing pictured above was flipped over you would notice a offset or step left of the support limb for the climate controller that later model housing does not have.
If you have a 68 up bezel and a 68 up climate controller you will need a 68 up inst' housing.
Sorry I seem like a know it all but... I designed a steel support plate for D.I.N. stereo friendly rally bezels. It accepts every model climate controller in a different location. The support limb is completely removed. I had to identify every little difference.

 

[RedFish]

You should have had a issue with the depth of this casting when screwing a 68 bezel to the 67 housing. It changed too.

 

[4spdragtop]

Heres a pic top side of same housing for reference.
I have 2 others in 68/69 bezels. I won't be able to pull out for a day or 2 if you need pics of those.

 

[4spdragtop]

I dug out my other bezels and noticed the differences that Redfish had mentioned. I marked differences with green painters tape on my 68/9 housing #1-6.
#1 missing bolt hole on 68/9
#2 missing bolt hole on 68/9
#3 "extra/added" hole on 68/9 for plastic bezel.
#4 "extra/added" bolt by Fan switch on 68/9
#5 wiper switch hole orientation.68/9 have flat sides running vertical. In 67 they are horizontal. Make sure to get proper switch!
#6 Mounting boss depth on 68/9 WAYYY taller. Zoom in on 67 housing, quite the difference.
Hope this helps having a side/side visual.
Thanks Ben!

 

[RedFish]

Above doesn't show the difference in the front side, offset of climate controller limb. Definitely enough difference shown to prove they aren't interchangeable.
About the wiper switches... For 67 the knob had a set screw underneath. The lower dash pads for 68 model made it more difficult to access that set screw so first they rotated the same switch 90 degrees. It moved the set screw land to the side but still wasn't a solution. So next change was to add a steel clip inside the knob deleting the set screw and/or need of it. The switch shaft was still small, making the clip small, not a lot of hold. So next change was to make that shaft, its land, and the clip larger. The switches will install there one way or the other.