Hadees Heater ports

[ferdball]

Hey All, I picked up a Hadees Heater for my 48 b-1-b and am having a bit of trouble getting the inlet and outlet ports loose to adjust for the holes in the firewall.

Does anyone know if they are typically soldered on or are they just screwed tight?

I've tried some PBlaster and torch, with my pipe wrench, it dosent look like they are soldered.???

I hate to get rough and break them....then be in for more work.

any ideas?

thanks

Edited October 19, 2011 by ferdball

[Rusty O'Toole]

Probably screwed in tight as the hubs of hell with litharge pipe dope on them.

Could you leave them as they are and drill new holes in the firewall?

[TodFitch]

Cool. Someone else with a Hadees heater. I've got one in my 1933 Plymouth that I believe was installed when the car was a year or so old. I did not realize that they were still being made into the late 1940s.

[Dave72dt]

Pipe threads so using a pair of hammers, larger one as a backup against the pipe fitting, work your way around the pipe tapping with one hammer and maintaining the backup hammer 180 degrees from where you're striking, will generally get them lose enough to remove or move.

[ferdball]

Tod: I have no idea when they stopped making them I just found one that was "universal" and looked like it might work on my pickup... now just gotta find the nuts/washers that hold it in after I move the curvy ports...

Dave, Thanks for the hammer info, I'll try it.! Wish me luck, I have a habit of breaking things before I make them better.

[ferdball]

ok, So I got it and heres how.

Did the hammer tapping trick as suggested and heated it up with a torch while applying some pressure with a pipe wrench and it started to move. woo hoo!

I just focused on the one that would help me hit the holes the easiest and all I needed was a inch and a half. Now just need to get it hooked up and a switch!

Thanks for all the help.

[TodFitch]

Tod: I have no idea when they stopped making them I just found one that was "universal" and looked like it might work on my pickup... now just gotta find the nuts/washers that hold it in after I move the curvy ports...

Dave, Thanks for the hammer info, I'll try it.! Wish me luck, I have a habit of breaking things before I make them better.

Not sure about the nuts, they might be an odd thread as the pipes take a regular plumbing nipple. At least on my Hadees heater.

For the washers: On the engine side of the firewall they do use a large washer. Might be able to make one using a metal hole saw and some 1/16" or so stock. Inside the passenger compartment mine uses some U channel, maybe 4" to 6" long, rather than washers. Looks like it spreads the load out over more of the firewall sound deadening material than washers would.

As near as I can tell, my heater was installed when my car was only a year or two old. So I think I have the original mounting hardware on mine.

[John-T-53]

Maybe check the plumbing section at your local hardware store. There might be some faucet hardware that could work for this - under sink mount style, with the large nuts and washers. Although a lot of these are fine thread, not IPS. If you have iron pipe threads on your heater you could adapt a close size nut with a pipe thread cutter...

[ferdball]

Bingo, 1/2" galvanized plumbing nuts.

I also picked up some washers and neoprene washers to sandwich in the middle. turned out great and no leaks! Just a switch and im set!

you'll notice that the welded in piece was put in because some PO cut almost the entire heater area indent out... not sure why... must have had some crazy heater in there at some point. But now it's back to normal. **WHEW**

[TodFitch]

That is quite a bit newer looking heater than the Hadees I have. Looks like 1940s styling versus the early 1930s Art Deco for mine. I guess they must have been in business for a few years to have such different model styling.