Vintage Heater Refresh

[FlashBuddy]

With temps begining to drop the time was ripe to pull the non-functiong heater out of the truck.

 

 

After disassembly the parts (except the motor and switch) were submerged into a bucket of vinegar; love that stuff.

 

 

A paste made from flour, salt and vinegar was whipped up and slathered onto the core.

 

Several days later and with a little wire brushing the parts are ready for the next sunny day and a coat of Rustoleum primer.

 

 

While that is drying I'll make a trip to Home Depot to see what colors of hammertone paint they have in stock.

 

The motor was frozen, but with a little lube and the @B1B Keven speedometer trick of drill attached to cable, I attached the heater motor shaft to the drill and after some time it freed up and now will run off the battery.  Color ne optimistic?

[Plymouthy Adams]

2 hours ago, FlashBuddy said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

man are  you one lucky guy, when I opened up the heater here at the house, the little operator was dead....which resulted in an in-op fan....

[FlashBuddy]

 

[Grdpa's 50 Dodge]

Cant believe your new little buddy stuck around to pose for a pic and even said cheese?

[FlashBuddy]

No friend of mine! I put out some peanut butter laced with xanax ?

[Don Coatney]

My dad worked at Arvin in the 1950's.

 

[FlashBuddy]

Awesome! Thanks Don. Some Indiana lore there. I've grabbed your photo and added it to my archives ?

[johnsartain]

I never thought about Arvin making Automotive heaters. After my parents retirement we moved to North Mississippi. My mother worked for and Arvin plant in Verona, MS for several years. My father had a business mowing yards and took a contract to mow the plant grounds. He also took a part time job as a Security Guard for the plant. Like a lot of manufacturers the succumbed to NAFTA. They tried for a while to manufacture off shore but ended up in bankruptcy falling victim to Chinese imported heaters.