I like to think i'm pretty clued up on fixing Z cars i repair these cars in my spare time as a side job (I'm a marine engineer) & have done for the past couple of years but iv'e never a tackled heater core before. A friend had told me that someone who i know for a fact fixes more Z cars in britain than anyone else (yes i'm from the UK!) does it this way without removing the dash for only £250 including the new heater core. Hearing that made me wonder if it was worth attempting it without removing the dash but i have decided not to take any shortcuts here and just remove the dash rather than risk potential breakages.