Tomorrow I am starting the tear down of the engine so I can get the heads to the machine shop. Part of the project is the replacement of the heater core which, of course, requires the removal of the dash pad. The problem is the dash pad is severely split and warped. My question is: Can you run the dash without the pad in place? I can’t afford the nearly $500 for a new pad until later on this year and I would rather not have to put the ruined pad back in place. I was thinking I would be finished with the project by the end of April. Phase II would be clutch pad replacement with Phase III being to figure out how to tighten up the front suspension.
PS: Do you think I should pull the thermactor pump and plug the heads?
