The front plate isn't completely flat. It has a shallow return on the edges which means the plate is stiff. There is a screw in the centre of the plate at the top which is hidden with the heater installed with no access to remove it. I don't think you would be able to fit the ears without dropping the heater down. In the photo you can see the heater dropped down with the front plate still on. When the car was repainted they didn't mask off the part that is hidden behind the dashboard so it got Smoke Grey paint on it.
Dropping the heater is a horrible job. I would suggest the following (take a deep breath, have a good head torch):
1) Disconnect the battery (live wires behind speedo)
2) Remove screw either end of parcel shelf crash bar and lower shelf down
3) Loosen speedo retaining screws on either side, accessed through inboard hole in each glovebox
4) Remove 2x machine screws, nuts, washers, split washers that hold the top of the heater box onto the dashboard. These are accessed with the speedo pulled out. The screws have Phillips heads and are 2BA. A 2BA ring spanner is needed.
5) Loosen and remove 2x nuts, washers each side holding the heater bracket to the bulkhead. Remove brackets
6) Free the top of the heater box from the dashboard and then it should start to drop down.
Photo shows 1 of 2 heater retaining screws with 2BA nuts
- IMG_3931.jpeg (1.89 MiB) Viewed 294 times
Front plate showing concealed top centre screw
- IMG_3932.jpeg (4.05 MiB) Viewed 294 times
too much work 