Looking at the coolant tubes on this heater should there be some kind of flare at the end? Also am I correct in assuming that it needs rubber grommets in the firewall
That's a Firestone heater. It's upside down in the pic. The tubes were straight, as shown, with no type of flare. I've found the defrost ducting (that's missing) is Hen's Teeth. A grommet goes into the flat support plates on the heater (one there and one missing). Grommets on the firewall are a good idea to prevent rubbing.
Also, some heaters of that era are 6 volt. Be sure the voltage is correct for your ride. I smoked one because I just assumed it was 12 volt. It wasn't.
The electrical lead to the motor looks like it had seen better days. Probably should replace it. Also, if cars of that era didn’t use pressurized coolant systems, a straight tube would likely be fine, but if coupling into a coolant system that is pressurized, it might be a good idea to be a bead on it rather than risk have the hose slip off and losing all your coolant.
Soldering a pre-soldered copper coupling onto the brass(?) inlet and outlet would give you double flares:
This probably goes without saying but be sure and check that old core for leaks. They are prone to that and a sizable mess it can make.
Pink’s idea is good. I’ve also had good luck sweating a couple of ferrules for compression fittings on. Far enough apart for the hose clamp to go in the middle. Pretty cheap and easy if it’s stand size tube and you’ve sweated copper pipe before.
-I noticed that wire too. Definitely going to fix. - would a compression fitting be ok? My bottom hose ended up to close to the tranny dipstick and I'll need to make a 90. - would the inlet be coming from the pump or the intake?
When the core goes bad, and it most likely will (modern coolant pressures), you'll have to get one made, because nobody repairs the honeycomb cores anymore. The core for that heater is the same as was used in the '40 Studebaker Champion. I worked with The Brassworks to get these available. https://www.thebrassworks.net/collections/heater-cores/products/studebaker-1940-champion-heater-core Good luck!
I took the old motor out,took it up to orillys and matched it up with a 12 volt motor. For a heater core I got one that fit a 1989 toe We car,fit pretty good,used pipe insulation tubes to wedge everything together
I read somewhere that you don't want to do any pedal to the metal driving with the heater valve open, that could blow them out. don't they make a little tool to add a flare to the end? I ran mine on 12 votes, they just spin faster. of course I hardly used it here in sunny California.
That tubing might be a little hard to put a bead on. I simply wrapped a piece of 12 or 14 gauge copper wire around the end of the tube and soldered it. And I'm only running a 7 lb. cap on the radiator to protect the honeycomb heater core.
Just be sure to consider serviceability-- if you have to remove the heater itself at some point in the future, adding a 90* fitting on either the inlet or outlet would make that very difficult. For a replacement motor, remove the old one and measure the shaft diameter and length, as well as the motor body diameter and distance between the two mounting studs. Armed with that info, search online for 12V (or 6V) blower motors. Here's the motor I purchased: https://www.partdeal.com/red-dot-two-speed-12v-single-shaft-motor-73r0082.html And some pics of it with my Arvin heater: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...2-rambler-wagon.1291532/page-11#post-15545901
Not sure what drive-line and radiator you have. I believe core could rupture with too much pressure as these are designed for older low pressure systems.
At the risk of getting off topic, does anyone know a part number for a universal shut-off valve for 5/8" heater hose?
my old pu used this https://www.partsgeek.com/wd9tzsk-f...(BSC)&utm_term=1100003048397&utm_content=Ford
1975 Dodge pickup trucks had a cable operated heater control valve. Works to regulate the flow and temperature and shut off the coolant to the heater.
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