The Great Heater/Defroster Refurbishment Caper

You know JC, that heater box might just kinda hang there with the studs pushed through the firewall enough on it's own that you can get outside and put the nuts on there. If not maybe you can use a rattle can or something to like "sit" it on or something like that to hold it up enough to allow you access to the studs to get the nuts on.

Defroster doodads look good.

Deb

Originally Posted by ShotRod64

You know JC, that heater box might just kinda hang there with the studs pushed through the firewall enough on it's own that you can get outside and put the nuts on there. If not maybe you can use a rattle can or something to like "sit" it on or something like that to hold it up enough to allow you access to the studs to get the nuts on.

Hey mon Deb,
Good thought. I may see if it will work.

Defroster doodads look good.

Thanks. I thought that they came out quite nicely.

Anyway, hi ho, hi ho, it's off the work I go!

HIT

JC

Deb[/quote]

Hey All,
Another Wednesday morning update:

The Heater/Defroster Unit is sitting under the dash of the 3.14, all hooked up and ready to be put into position and fastened to the inside of the firewall. There's just no way to prop it up there by myself. I need another body and two more hands.

BTW, I have slowly and carefully poured the control wire sheaths full of 3 In 1 oil and worked the levers back and forth, in and out, till they move smooth as silk!

In working with this Heater/Defroster Unit, it has become clear to me that one cannot get fresh air to go through the heater core. The air that goes through the heater core gets into the heater from the interior of the vehicle through the same louvers out of which comes the fresh air on the passenger's side.

With that port open, cold air enters the passenger compartment. With that port closed, air from the interior is sucked INTO that set of louvers, through the heater core, and then can be directed to the Defrost hoses, or the interior of the vehicle.

There is also another adjustable "flap" that permits air to bypass the heater core, and thus the temperature of the air that is coming out of the heater can be adjusted. BUT there is no way to get "fresh air" into the heater without it getting into the passenger compartment too.

Anyway, I'm going to be seeing if my neighbor will come and do the "nutting" for me while I hold the H/D U in place.

It has been a GREAT morning. I'm going to go have something to eat, and then maybe take a nappie.

Isn't this FUN?

JC

When I put my heater box back in I used an old gas pedal on one end and a spray paint can on the other. It held it up just enough that I could get a couple nuts started. I tightened them and it pulled the rest tight enough I could start the nuts on them. It was a pain, but it worked.

I just used short pieces of 2X4 and 4X4 boards stacked up along the firewall slope until the bolts would fit through the firewall. Worked pretty slick for me?

Scott...

Originally Posted by Domino

When I put my heater box back in I used an old gas pedal on one end and a spray paint can on the other. It held it up just enough that I could get a couple nuts started. I tightened them and it pulled the rest tight enough I could start the nuts on them. It was a pain, but it worked.

Hey Domino,
By the time I had gotten everything ready: Getting the Defroster Hose connections to the Heater/Defroster Unit ready; Getting the Control Cables all oiled and connected; And getting the hardware and tools all assembled, I was getting a bit fatigued, and it was getting to be late morning with the sun peeking over onto Ms. American, and so instead of just powering through, and making do, I decided to leave off, and finish putting everything together later when I had help.

BUT, I do have a couple more JPGs of the Defroster Hose.

This first JPG is of the connection of the Rattle Can Cap to the Fibrous Funnels using the cute little screws:



And this JPG is of the Rattle Can Caps connected to the Heater/Defroster Plenum Outlets with these humongous bolts. The bolts are only about 1/2" long, and the reason that they are so big is NOT because they need the strength. It's because the hole in flange of the outlets from the Plenum are about 9/32", and the bolts that I used fit perfectly, making their own threads as I turned them in.



Anyway, I have company coming today, and I'll probably have my visitor do the honor of putting the nuts on the bolts while I hold the H/D Unit in place.

Hope you are well.

JC

Originally Posted by one37tudor

I just used short pieces of 2X4 and 4X4 boards stacked up along the firewall slope until the bolts would fit through the firewall. Worked pretty slick for me? Scott...

Hey Scott,
Had I not been kind of tired after preparation like I told Domino, I might have just gone ahead and figured out a way to do the deed like you did. BUT, like I said, it was starting to get a little warm, and I was getting a little tired, and things had gone so well, that I didn't want to mess anything up, and so I just decided to wait till I had some help.

BUT, today I will have transportation to go ANYWHERE I want!!! I'll be heading for Livingston to the Welding Supply for a bottle of Oxygen, and a bottle of Acetylene, among other stuff (cat and health related items).

That means that as soon as I am rested up from having company, and having the Heater/Defroster Unit FINALLY in place, that I'm going to be giving FULL attention to heating the Top Exhaust Flange Ear of Cylinder One to a CHERRY RED, and seeing if I can't extract the "little bugger" broken bolt segment.

As I mentioned to Deb yesterday, I called Greg Donahue about the parts I had ordered. He had gotten the personal check on May 7, 2009, and it took till yesterday for it to clear. That's a two-week process. He said he was shipping the parts today,and probably UPS doesn't move anything on the weekends, and Monday is a holiday, which means that if it take three working day that it will be Thursday of next week before the parts finally show up.

What I will be waiting on, if the broken bolt DOES come out is the Locking Tabs for the Grade 8 Exhaust Bolts.

So it looks as if late next week I will be putting the Headers back on the engine, getting the shift linkage all reassembled, and getting the Accelerator Pedal ready to be reinstalled.

One of the OTHER things that I'm doing today is sending off the United States Postal Service Money Orders to SMS Auto Fabrics for the Molded Carpet and Padding, the Headliner, and the Windlace. Douglas Pollock said that it would be a week to ten days AFTER the Money Orders clear that the Carpet, Headliner, and Windlace would arrive. So that would be around the first week in June.

Another one of the things I'm going to be doing today in Livingston is looking for a nice Navajo blanket or rug to temporarily serve as Seat Cover/Tonneau. And another thing is getting new Windshield Wiper Blades.

Once the Headers are back in place, I'll be putting the Distributor Cap back on the engine, hooking up the spark plug leads, putting on the Mallory Ignition back in and hooking it up, installing the Enclosed Air Cleaner, installing the carpet when it gets here, putting the Front Seat back into the Passenger Compartment, installing the Seat Belts, putting in the Navajo rug/blanket Seat Covers, and THEN Ms. American will be ready to make another shot at getting inspected. Hopefully by mid-June, the 3.14 will be back "On The Road Again" (Willie Nelson)

I tell you Scott, things are getting SERIOUS around here.

Isn't this FUN?

JC