Fixing the dashboard 360-degree vents

[bodayguy]

Has anyone ever restored these?

My are kinda beat up and the passenger side vent just spins way too loose, to the extent that it faces the wrong direction all the time.

I used some metal cleaner on them but I'm picky and that's not enough!

[RivNut]

I fixed mine but it required me to disassemble the dash and remove the entire section that holds the glove box. After getting the glove box section of the dash off, you remove the complete a/c vent assembly by taking some nuts from the back and removing the wire from the closure knob to the vent. There's also a small set screw that needs to be loosened. Once you have the vent assembly apart, take strips of self-adhesive felt and attach them to the housing - you'll see where the old stuff was. I used two strips for each ball, so that the ball is held in place between them. Then reassemble and put the dash back together.

Ed