I got this heater with a 52 dodge truck I had and was looking to install it but not sure how. Figure i need to drill holes for it to fit. Anyone else have pictures of how this sits under the dash.
It's pretty straightforward. Two holes for the heater hoses, and then holes for the mounting studs. Big question, what are you putting it into?
Oh yeah sorry. Trying to put it in a 53 dodge truck. Does it mount the way it is in the picture or on its side that was my main question
How much heat do you need in new mexico,,just asking from Ontario Canada we are gearing up for snow tommoro
Just enough to defrost Windows and keep the cab warm. It's my daily driver so picking up my daughter from school in a warm truck would be nice.
Check your firewall from the inside with the floormats out. If you get really lucky there may already be either mounting holes for the bolts & the hose ends, or at least embossing where you need to drill(sometimes a flashlight held at a flat angle will show them up as shadows. (& if you are that lucky, you'd better go buy a couple of lottery tickets immediately!! LOL) If not, go to the truck the heater came out of (or similar) with a tape measure, pick a couple of reference points that are the same as on your truck & draw a pattern on a piece of cardboard so you can transfer it to your truck, & have at it(Just like most of the rest of us have to do.)
use google to search for images of the interiors of old Dodge trucks....get some ideas for where it belongs.... it gets pretty darn cold in New Mexico. I went on a trip from Arizona to New York last March, and the coldest part of the trip was driving through New Mexico, between Albuquerque and Las Cruces.
As stated above, make a template in cardboard to lat against the firewall and aid in drilling holes. Be mindful of where the hose barbs exit on the engine side, behind engine etc. Make sure there is sufficient room for hoses and clamps. Last thing you want are holes in the wrong place!
If that's a factory optional Dodge heater, the firewall has knockout plugs for the studs & water pipes. Otherwise, any open spot will work. You may need to hunt up some defroster ducts for under the dash. If you're still running a 6v system, a universal switch should have you going.
find or make a cardboard box the size of the heater. use a template that matches the studs and pipes and make holes in "bottom" of box . position "heater" where you want it and mark the holes through the holes in the box.
At 64 years old it wouldn't hurt to take the heater core to a radiator shop and have it checked for leaks,nothing is more aggravating than installing it and have it leaking & smelling of antifreeze in the cab. HRP
^^^^^ And the gooey steam residue it blows on the windshield can't be cleaned off until you fix it. Martin, the defrost hoses point up ...
When I installed a vintage aftermarket heater (Hot Wave brand) in my truck, I found hose from a junk vacuum cleaner, free at the recycling place, the perfect size for defroster ducts. Rinse it out and cut to length. Better than the wire reinforced paper hose.
Probably dont mater, does not look like a 52 dodge heater to me. The dodge pilot house trucks from 48 to 53, the heaters were a option, and installed at the dealer. At least how it is explained to me. I have a 1949 and a 1952 with heaters. they had 3 different models. But physically looked the same. Here is a random picture of it. I do not know when dodge switched to 12 volts negative ground, but a 52 heater would have 6 volt positive ground motor. And they install on the firewall passenger side. The firewall will have some knockout blanks in the firewall, just remove the ones that work for your heater. And it would install the way your picture shows. The defroster tubes pointing up. Good luck.
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