58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
I need some help installing the heater core box to the firewall and then attaching the fresh air vent cover. Does anyone know of an article or photos they can share about this? I am having a hard time figuring out how the adapter plate, rubber seal ( 1 or 2 seals ??) and the fresh air vent cover come together onto the firewall. Is the adapter plate under the dash and the rubber seal in the engine compartment? Confused how it is lines up with the holes on my fiberglass firewall. Please help guide to an article or detail photos. I have seen all the drawings but cannot tell the order and where the firewall is. Eric
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Re: 58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
Eric, Coincidentally, I've done 3 in the last few years, last one was just last week. You're right, the AIM isn't helpful, because the unit came to St Louis as an assembly, with no 'assembly" instructions published anywhere.
The entire heater unit, including the fresh air vent cover, which is attached to the core housing, then gets installed in the car as an completed assembly. FYI, seal kits include two plate(the one that the valve attaches to) to housing seals. Only one was ever used in the assembly as you'll see in the "before" photos. You can add the other one if you want to, on each side of the metal plate, but not needed. I never do. The large rectangular seal goes on after the rectangular metal plate(what the fresh air vent housing attaches to). That seal faces and touches the INSIDE of the firewall. Allegedly, after installation, the factory added some non-hardening sealer around this seal in the engine bay side. I usually don't because it makes a messy looking final installation. When I do, I use black dum-dum(3M weatherstrip caulking).
I'll include several posts with 4 pics each.
Rich
First, a few before pics.....
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Re: 58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
As you can see, the only one seal is used on the plate.
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Re: 58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
Reassembly.....
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Re: 58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
More.....Note the rectangular plate goes on the housing before the seal. Attach the studs with the push-nuts first. Remember that the short stud is closest to the engine, to clear valve cover/head.
I use a hole punch to open up the holes in the seal a bit more for better fit of the fresh air vent cover attach points.
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Re: 58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
Completed ........
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Re: 58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
I also took the blower motor apart and refurbished, bead blasted the case halves and repainted semi-flat black. All other metal parts are semi-gloss.
This motor was in nice shape inside. The original wires have a tendency to crack at the 90* bend where it attaches to the plate, as this one was, a potential fuse blower. I remove the original terminal from the old wire and solder to the new brown wire. A little heat shrink tubing to look like original as well.
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Re: 58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
And finally a few pics installed in a few cars I had here while ago, a black '60 and a red '59. Not the unit above. That's slated for a '61 I'm working on presently.
As you can see, the rectangular foam seal is on the inside, pushing against the inside face of the firewall. i used no dum-dum on this one on the outside. It's a large gap between the edge of the fresh are housing and the opening in the firewall. It's looks crappy with the dum-dum IMO, and IMO isn't really necessary as most folks don't drive these in harsh weather.
Rich
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Note on the red car the hinge pin for the female hood latch was installed backwards. Helper did that one but I didn't notice until after I installed it.
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Re: 58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
THis is a great help...Thanks ! EricComment
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Re: 58 - 61 Heater Core to Firewall Installing Question
Thanks for the tips. I've refurbished my heater assembly exactly the same way, but removed the fresh air housing before removing the heater box from the inside. I'll attach the fresh air housing prior to installation.Comment
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