Big Block
Well-Known Member
This week’s project is ready to install!
Heater Box
- Thread starter Big Block
- Start date
69hemibeep
Sponge Bob Square Wheels
Those are kinda fun to do! Looks nice
Russ69Runner
Well-Known Member
Look's like it came from the factory. Good job Big Block. 
Looks like I get to remove mine and replace the heater core. I just noticed that the carpet is damp this past weekend...
quikbird
Well-Known Member
ooopps!!!
Russ69Runner
Well-Known Member
Not a good sign. Wet carpet. 
RAINMANYEH
Well-Known Member
Change the lines around and block off those running to the heater core so the heater core doesn’t have pressure running through it. It’s only a temporary fix, but you can drive her with less fear of the heater core belching fluid into the floorboard.
Its being reassembled after having been taken down to bare bones. There is no driving going on. Whatever it puked on the floor happened when I was adjusting the timing. R&R time...
Russ69Runner
Well-Known Member
Oh you have done that also. Think a lot of us have done that when we where young. Due to it was a real job to fix it on some car's and we really did not need the heat in the summer time.
Hi Big Block. I rebuilt mine a couple years ago. I enjoyed it and it looks new. Very good job on yours.
Big Block
Well-Known Member
Thank you Big Mo! that is the first time it has ever been redone and painted that I know of.
Russ69Runner
Well-Known Member
It was a virgin. LOL.
Big Block one thing I wanted to tell you is we put a heater core in my buddy's car and the tubes that go through the firewall were a little short. We got the heater hoses no and clamped but it was a tight fit. On mine I pulled on them ever so slightly and pulled them out just a bit and that appears to fit much better. It is mounted in the car but not hooked up as of yet. Motor not in yet. hope this helps you from Big Mo.Thank you Big Mo! that is the first time it has ever been redone and painted that I know of.
Big Block
Well-Known Member
Yes, I know what you are talking about. my heater tubes are close together too, where they go through the firewall, they may rub on the firewall. I do not know yet. it measures about the same as the holes in the firewall. I am afraid to pull on them, they might leak, I don't know.
Roadcuda
Well-Known Member
I recently replaced my heater core with one from Rock Auto and had the same problem of the tubes not lined properly with the firewall holes and they were shorter then the original. Trying to carefully spread them to fit the firewall I ended up cracking the solder where the tube meets the main body of the core. I re-soldered it and it's been fine. And with the tubes being shorter they were just long enough to get the hose and clamp on it. And that was using the factory squeeze clamps.
Big Block
Well-Known Member
Yes, it is bad when you buy replacement parts that they don't make them big enough and more like the original one. they want to skimp everywhere on the parts.
I need to start working on my heater box for the '70. I was wanting to know what most did to refinish the fiberglass shell? I don't want to paint it black. Seems like you could scuff it with Scotchbrite to rough up the surface and then spray a semigloss clear. Hopefully that would look like factory.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Big Block
Well-Known Member
All I did to the fiberglass box was took it outside and washed it down with wesley's White and a scrub brush and then used a sponge on it with some soap and hosed it all down and it looked pretty good. I didn't spray anything on the fiberglass box itself, but all the metal is sandblasted and painted.
After many hours of work, finally got my heater box ready to rip. I went full out and pulled the cable brackets off and zinc plated those as well as the many sheet metal pieces that were installed as bare metal. I was able to just scrub the fiberglass and recoated with SEM plastic semi gloss clear. Just need to put the part number stamp on. Movin' on.
Big Block
Well-Known Member
It really looks beautiful, better than new!