Heater/Defrost Controls

[Joe Flanagan]

Today I worked on the wiring and cable connections to my heater and defrost controls. Did a little head scratching trying to figure out exactly where the heater box and motor go under the hood. Sure will be cramped on that side when everything is in there.

Here is the heater box, the controls, the motor, and an extra fan housing. Good thing I had one because the original is badly rusted. The motor works very nicely when you turn the switch on from inside:

I take it this thing is a resistor. It gets pretty hot when I run the defroster (didn't check the one for the heater). This thing actually gets too hot to touch. So I'm wondering if something isn't right.

Test fit of my heating duct. It's a super-cheap reproduction I found on e-bay. I don't mean that the price was cheap. The quality was. This thing probably wouldn't last a winter. I'm thinking about reinforcing it with fiberglass. Don't know yet, as that stuff is pretty messy:

Here are my controls in their temporary setup, so I can check wiring, test them, etc.:

Other progress: I got the wiper motor and wiper arms installed. Tomorrow I have to run the lines to the vacuum port on the intake manifold and the ports on the top of the dual action fuel pump. Then I'll see how the wipers work.

[Rusty O'Toole]

Hey that looks like the duct I made for my 51 New Yorker. The original was some kind of molded paper mache stapled together. I made a new one out of black cardboard usually used for making interior door panels. It worked fine.

I believe Chrysler used a cardboard type material for sound deadening. If someone has a good one they could take it apart and use it to make a mold, and make new ones out of fibreglass. It looks like they all use basically the same duct, Plymouth Dodge DeSoto and Chrysler, just shortened on the shorter cars.

The resistor is supposed to get hot but not red hot. It can smell hot too, no harm done.

The duct may surprise you, it should last as long as the original did if you don't get it wet. If there is a chance of it getting wet you could paint it or varathane it for protection.

Edited September 10, 2011 by Rusty O'Toole

[DJ194950]

Test fit of my heating duct. It's a super-cheap reproduction I found on e-bay. I don't mean that the price was cheap. The quality was. This thing probably wouldn't last a winter. I'm thinking about reinforcing it with fiberglass. Don't know yet, as that stuff is pretty messy:

joe i bought the same heater duct and i agree it's pretty flimsy, but i really needed some flex to get all the under hood heat parts in place. What a hastle!

I siliconed sealed all the seams and when dry sprayed INSIDE and OUT with a rubberized undercoating. Actually i thought it looked better after several coats. Maybe it will also last for a reasonable time.

Time for that first drive??

[Joe Flanagan]

Wow, thanks. Great ideas. Rubberized undercoating sounds like a good way to go. Rusty, the resistor did not get red hot, but you wouldn't want to touch it. It also did smell hot during the first few seconds of operation. I'm used to this thing just being a vacant hulk, so it's really weird to turn a switch and have something come to life. I'm still getting used to the fact that the gauges all light up. It's like it's not supposed to be happening.

First drive is a good way away. Winter will likely see me doing the rear brakes and installing the drive shaft. Then it will have everything it needs to move on its own.

[Rusty O'Toole]

"sprayed INSIDE and OUT with a rubberized undercoating"

Might help preserve it but won't the undercoating stink you out when the heater is on?

[Joe Flanagan]

Heck, I'll probably stink myself out when the heater is on.

[DJ194950]

"sprayed INSIDE and OUT with a rubberized undercoating"

Might help preserve it but won't the undercoating stink you out when the heater is on?

it might stink!! don't know since it's 100 degrees today. Maybe i'll start it up and turn the heat on. Should get the duct to about 200 degrees!!

I'll know if it sticks or not for sure!

let ya know tomorrow.

[Joe Flanagan]

I would think spraying the outside would do the job.

[Plymouthy Adams]

two part epoxy works great on stengthing and proteting cardboard..a little goes a long way..the brand I used is easily thinned with alcohol and painted on with a acid brush..I had to make my own vent receivers for the AC install and used carboard tubes I reinforced in this manner..now my heater duct under the hood I fabricated from a cut down 1 gallon paint can and light metal ducting..a bit of a tight fit installing in one piece but looks great painted black.

[DJ194950]

it might stink!! don't know since it's 100 degrees today. Maybe i'll start it up and turn the heat on. Should get the duct to about 200 degrees!!

I'll know if it sticks or not for sure!

let ya know tomorrow.

Fired her up today in the garage. Got up to operating temp. ran the heater.

No smell at all. Ran it for about 10 minutes, still the same.

My thoughts on doing the inside also were for condensation that may happen with hot tube and colder outside air. Wanted the cardboard to stay dry inside also.

If the epoxy idea remained flexible it would have worked fine also. On my car the flexible factor would be critical as it's needed to get all the parts installed.

A prayer for the victims of 9-11 and the future of this country.

[Young Ed]

Joe while that may seem flimsy it looks like a pretty good reproduction of the original. Thats about all they looked like.

[Joe Flanagan]

Yeah, I'll just apply something to the outside of it (maybe to the inside, too).