328 A/C center vents

What are these guide vents for inside my center console A/C vents? They can't be adjusted from the front. I didn't even know they were there until I pulled the center console. Can I just remove them and maybe get less restriction to airflow? Also in the second photo, there are two holes in the center vent duct work. I assume they are for eliminating over pressure of the duct work, but I'm thinking of just sealing them to increase the flow out the center console and dash vents. Anyone else done this?
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The two vents should adjust with the two wheels at the sides of each. One tilts the entire cylindrical assembly (up/down), and the other adjusts airflow. The center slide adjusts the left/right direction vanes.

If yours don't adjust, you might try some means of cleaning them. (Plain water?) The two rectangular vent assemblies on my '88 slide in and out of the console frame from the front.

If all else fails, the vent assemblies are part 60124302: AIR-CONDITIONING DASH VENT, 308/328.
$68.00 ea from McCann, $114.00 from Ricambi, according to their web sites.


The two holes in the back of the duct provide cooling air to the footwell area.


All of this presumes you get the duct positioned around the console vents and into the duct hose coming from the aircon. (A tad tricky when maneuvering the center console into position.) I didn't remove the duct hose with my console. From your pictures, it looks like you did. You might want to fit that to the car before moving the console (with plastic duct) into position.

(Lesson learned -- be careful not to get the clip out of position with the screw hole on the console mounting frame while maneuvering the console into position. A long nail or stiff 14awg(2,5mm^2) wire can help align the screw holes to the mounting clips while lifting the console into position.)

(Your console gauges are a lot shinier than mine -- are they new? )

 

As far as I know, they are original. I bought the car last summer from the original owner and I've never replaced them nor do any of my receipts show that he replaced them in the last 8 years.

 

DGS has it right, they are adjustable, & your legs & feet will get hot quickly if you close off those 2 side holes.

The rectangular vents are indeed quite restrictive. I don't insert mine the last 5-6 mm so the tabs don't grab. Then can pull them out to improve airflow & drop into the door map pockets. I've also removed every other one of the vertical guide blades. Also greatly reduces restriction & you still have directional control. No one has ever noticed the missing vertical blades. I've got them tucked away in case I ever need to reinstall them tho.