1968-1972 Chevelle Firewall Screens (with A/C)
The 1968–1972 Chevelle Firewall Screens (with A/C)—also widely known as cowl vent grille screens or leaf guards—are specialized multi-piece plastic inserts that snap into the intake openings at the base of the windshield. Their primary job is to filter out leaves, twigs, and road debris before they can slide down into the lower cowl shoulder panels and cause severe structural rust. [1, 2, 3]
The Crucial Difference: With A/C vs. Without A/C
While the screens look nearly identical at a glance, GM utilized two distinct configurations for A-body platforms depending on the factory climate control options: [1]
- The A/C Difference: Factory air conditioning cars feature an internal vacuum actuator/door located right inside the passenger-side cowl fresh-air intake. [1]
- The Mounting Clip/Tab Adjustment: To clear and support this factory hardware, the passenger-side screen in the A/C kit contains a specialized L-bracket, small clip, or pre-removed tab. Standard, non-A/C cars use a simple solid mesh screen that will conflict with or crush the vacuum linkage if forced into an air-conditioned car’s cowl. [1, 2, 3]
Available Replacement Options
Because original GM factory plastic pieces brittle, crack, and dissolve due to under-hood engine heat exposure over the decades, several suppliers reproduce these kits using modern UV-stabilized, injection-molded plastics: [1, 2, 3]
A premium reproduction manufactured using case-hardened steel tooling.
- Quality: Built with premium black injection-molded plastic to guarantee crisp factory tolerances and original rib styling.
- Kit Type: Sold as a complete set matching factory specifications for models equipped with air conditioning.
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