The Great Heater/Defroster Refurbishment Caper

Hey All,
Ms. American 3.14159's Heater/Defroster Unit is all set to be reinstalled under her dash this later this morning.

So far, the entire unit has been removed, and the leaking Heater Core (Part Number: C3AZ-18476A) was removed, and a new one installed. The entire unit has been cleaned, and polished, and is ready for reinstallation.

The Defroster Funnels, the fiber assemblies that are fastened under the dash and which direct heated air from the Heater/Defroster Plenum to the defroster slots in the dash were removed, and given a coat of Black Polymer paint.

The two Defroster Hoses that channel the air from the H/D U Plenum were deteriorated, and needed to be replaced. But instead of buying the replacement hoses which cost $12.50 (plus S&H), new hoses have been fabricated out of an old Shop Vacuum Hose, using the caps off of 18 ounce rattle-cans which fit the outlets of the H/D U Plenum, and the inlet of the Defroster Funnels perfectly. These new Defroster Hoses will be installed under the dash, and connected to the H/D U Plenum outlets after the H/D U is secured into place under the dash.

There has also been a new Heater Air Inlet Duct Connector (Part Number: C0AF-18A594A) installed, and which will be connected to the H/D U through the Glove Box Door and then the Glove Box Liner will be reinstalled.

Then for the time being, the unit will NOT be connected to the Engine Cooling System for that is going to be done during the installation of the restored Autolite 4100 Carburetor, and will involve installing the "proper&correct" 5/8" Ribbed Heater Hose with the 1/4" White stripe (Part Number: C3AZ-18472A) which I already have.

The only problem that I have not yet figured out is how to hold the H/D U in place under the dash while the Retaining Nuts are installed from the engine side of the firewall. I may have to have a neighbor come put the Retaining nuts on while I hold the H/D U in place.

I'm going to be going out and about today, and have been in touch with SMS about the Carpet, Headliner, and Seat Cover Samples. Doug Pollock said that if they hadn't arrived by today or tomorrow that he would resend them. As soon as they are here, I will be ordering the Carpet and Headliner which SMS makes. It will take some amount of time for the Carpet and Headliner to arrive, and during that time, it is planned to remove the broken bold segment from the upper Exhaust Flange of Cylinder One.

I'm also still awaiting the arrival of the shipment of parts from Greg Donahue, and will, when they FINALLY arrive proceed with the reinstallation of the Driver's Side Exhaust Manifold, the Shift Linkage and the Back-Up Light Switch.

So slowly, but inexorably, the old 3.14 is getting reassembled, and will be in better shape than she has been for years.

BTW, something for which I am looking is a "Rear View Mirror" that mounts to the trim above the windshield instead of being adhered to the windshield. The button fastened to the windshield and to which the Rear View Mirror attaches has initiated a crack in the windshield. The 1963 Mercury has a Trim Mounted Rear View Mirror as do some models of Galaxie. I'd like to find one of those, and though it is not "proper&correct", I would still like to get the Rear View Mirror off of the button attached to the windshield to keep it from furthing cracking.

Anyway, work is continuing on the refurbishment of Ms. American 3.14159 at a bewildering, though placid pace.

Hope you all are well.

JC

You are making progress there JC!! My weekend was non-productive for the most part. Spent too much time with phone calls sunday so the only thing I got done was to put the top down which took me 2 hrs, part phone call from ohio and part 2 little nuts that were being a royal pain. Finally got them loose though! Got the top down, passenger seat removed and saw that I have a crack in my exhaust pipe right at a bend that's under the passenger seat area.

That was it for me. Might as well say I got nothing done at all. lol

You might be slow but you're steady and do accomplish your goals.

Deb

You need the mirror and the two chrome trim pieces and the mounting screws.

I might have the trim... I'll check.

Originally Posted by ShotRod64

You are making progress there JC!!

Hey mon Deb,
"Steady by jerks." as my father used to say!

My weekend was non-productive for the most part.

Yeah, but weekends can be like that.

Spent too much time with phone calls sunday so the only thing I got done was to put the top down which took me 2 hrs, part phone call from ohio

At least you still have someone to call (or have call YOU) on Sunday. I used to use the WATS line at the Crane Company to call my father on Sunday. I'd call him at noon on the dot and we'd talk till 2:00 p.m. And even after seven years of doing that, he always sounded surprised to hear from me! He'd say: "Oh, it's YOU!"

and part 2 little nuts that were being a royal pain.

I know the feeling!

Finally got them loose though! Got the top down, passenger seat removed and saw that I have a crack in my exhaust pipe right at a bend that's under the passenger seat area.

You could see THAT after removing the passenger seat?

That was it for me. Might as well say I got nothing done at all. lol

I know what you mean. It doesn't take much to wear us out, does it? I know I could do more when I get going, but if I do, I over-do it, and then I'm not worth a damn the next day. Also, when I've over-done something, I can't seem to get rested afterward. I almost over-did it Thursday going into Houston for health reasons.

You might be slow but you're steady and do accomplish your goals. Deb

That comes from stewing over them all Winter and all Summer. I figure out what I need to get done, during the times when it's too cold or too hot. Then during the Spring and Autumn, I've got it pretty well in mind what I need to do, and have all the stuff organized for each task.

Like this morning already, I've gotten both Defroster Funnels attached nicely to the Rattle-Can Caps with these cutest little screws. I put a couple of wraps of duct-tape around the outside of the inlet on the Defroster Funnel to make the fit as air-tight as possible. Then used a dentist's drill to punch the tee-ninciest hole in the plastic rattle-can cap, and then screwed the screw in on the seam of the Defroster funnel where there is the most material into which to bite. It came out scrumptious!

I then had to do some touch-up of the Valspar Plastic Paint, and it's drying now. The whole thing came out really nice.

I'm going to see if my neighbor can take me to the super-market and Post Office as I am almost out of everything and my SMS samples might be there. So I might be done working on the old Gal for the day.

It all depends on how I feel. I may yet get the Heater/Defroster Unit put out in the old 3.14, but I've got to get the Defroster Funnels installed first, so I don't think I'll get it bolted into place today. BTW, I figured out where the little left over bracket that was in the can with the other stuff goes. It holds the outer sheath of one of the control cables in place.

I'm hoping that the stuff from Greg Donahue gets here today. I sent him a check with the order, and I think that what he does is wait till the check clears before he ships the parts. I don't blame him, but with as much stuff as I've gotten from him, you'd think that he would know by now that my check is good. Oh well, business is business.

Hope you are well.

JC

Originally Posted by FEandGoingBroke

You need the mirror and the two chrome trim pieces and the mounting screws. I might have the trim... I'll check.

Hey Gary,
Having the mirror like that might not be correct&proper, but then again neither is a completely cracked windshield.

I'm a little concerned though. the loose end of each of the Sun Visors snaps into a fitting in the middle of the top of the windshield. I don't know if that will be the case when that place is occupied by a Rear View Mirror Bracket.

And once I get that mirror in place, I don't know that I can get the button that is adhered to the windshield off. They usually fall off every couple of years though, so I might just let it be, and be happy when it next falls off!

Anyway, thanks for checking on the trim pieces and screws. I'll pay you for them, and the shipping.

Hope you are well.

JC

Doh! My bad, the trim will be the same, it's just that the rear view mirror mount will have the screws to hold it up and the visor catches will be in the mirror mount it's self..

Maybe I still have the mirror...

Originally Posted by FEandGoingBroke

Doh! My bad, the trim will be the same, it's just that the rear view mirror mount will have the screws to hold it up and the visor catches will be in the mirror mount it's self.. Maybe I still have the mirror...

Hey Gary,
If you do, that would be WONDERMUS!

Anyway, I'm off to the grocery store, Post Office, and bank! My Uncle Samuel sent me $250.00. I'm going to use it to help stimulate the economy AND pay for the carpet for Ms. American in one swell foop!

It's like MAGIC!

Hope you are well.

JC

JC, that did sound a bit screwy didn't it. I saw the crack in the exhaust when I was under the car to unbolt the passenger seat. On the under side of the car. LOL Made it sound like I had a window to another universe under there didn't it! Hmmm, maybe there is!

Originally Posted by ShotRod64

JC, that did sound a bit screwy didn't it.

Hey mon Deb,
I was all set to send you instructions on how to fix the hole under the passenger seat through which you could see the crack in the exhaust pipe with just a roll of aluminum foil and a can of epoxy resin!

I saw the crack in the exhaust when I was under the car to unbolt the passenger seat. On the under side of the car. LOL

Whew! You had me going there for a minute!

Made it sound like I had a window to another universe under there didn't it! Hmmm, maybe there is!

You can see another "UNIVERSE" from the crack in the exhaust pipe of your GALAXIE? Du du du du Du du du du (to the theme of the Twilight Zone!)

So this afternoon I got a piece of carpet on which to lie, with a pillow for my head placed under the dashboard, AND I got the Heater/Defroster Unit sitting in the 3.14. They haven't been together for about six to eight months.

I didn't make it to the store though. My neighbor had an MDeity appointment, and then this afternoon a Little League Coach's Meeting, and tonight a game. But he called, and said we would go first thing in the morning, which is fine with me.

Also I just had an E-Mail from Jeane with the VW Vanagon, and she confirmed that she would be here Thursday, May 21, 2009. and then we will go to Livingston for Oxygen and Acetylene, and to Huntsville for Medium (hopefully) Chantilly Beige.

Now, if the parts from Greg Donahue would just show up, then things would really start to jell around here!

Hope you are well.

JC

Hey All,
Wednesday morning update:

Here is the first JPG of the Heater/Defroster Unit's new Defroster Funnels, hoses and connectors.



Those are the original Fibrous Material Funnels. The hoses are from an old Shop Vacuum. The way that the Shop Vac Hoses are connected is by attaching each end of the hose to a Rattle-Can Cap that has a hole cut in the top of it that fits the smaller diameter of the "finned" (for flexibility) Hose.

The Rattle-Can Caps are then attached to the Fibrous Material Funnels with four (on each cap) of the cutest little teenincy screws screwed through the Rattle-Can Cap and into the flange edges of the Funnels.

the other ends of the Shop Vac Hoses and Rattle-Can Caps fit over the outlets on the Plenum Chamber of the H/D U, and are attached with a large diameter (but short) screw that goes through a hole in the Plenum Chamber Outlet Flange.

Cost to do this:
Funnels: $0.00
Rattle-Can Caps: $0.00
Shop Vacuum Hose: $0.00
Black Valspar Plastic Paint: $1.00 (approx)

These units are superior to the original units in that they are sturdier.

Anyway, I had a phone call from Jeane this morning. She will be here tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. and we will be on our way to:

The Post Office, to send off the USPS Money Orders for the Carpet and Headliner, which Doug Pollock at SMS says will be delivered in a week to ten days after the receipt of the Registered Envelope containing the USPSMO.

Livingston, for Cat Food, Kitty Litter, Oxygen, Acetylene, and Coral Calcium.

Huntsville, to the Sherwin Williams to see if we can get rattle-cans of Medium Beige Metallic paint.

Then it will be back to Onalaska for a nice long visit with her.

Anyway, things are moving along here. Still haven't received the parts from Greg Donahue, but I have patience. They may be here today! Wouldn't THAT be GREAT?

Isn't this FUN?

JC