Heater box non/AC

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Jere Hodges

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Clarksville, Tennessee
I'm replacing the heater core in my 64 Dart GT convertible. As I'm disassembling the unit, I've noticed that the plastic seems to be trying to come apart in my hands.

Since I know no one makes a new heater box to fit my car, how long were these heater boxes used in the Darts & Valiants? As late as 70? 73? Watching Dylan McCool's heater core replacement video on Youtube, it looks like the one in his Dart is identical to the one in mine.

 
This is a great video, I wish there were more. Mine is a 63 GT, and has the pull knob controls. I guess I have to disconnect the cables at the heater box to get the box out of the car. Or do I leave them hooked up and take the heater control knobs out with the heater box? I guess I'll find out!
 
I have been working on rebuilding a couple AC/heater boxes. The fiberglass heater boxes can be repaired with fiberglass resin or two part epoxy. My understanding is 1965- 1973 units is about the same. 1974 changes were made to the A-bodys. I have no first hand knowledge of any thing pre 1965.
 
If you have the 63 with the below-dash knobs, you should be able to pull the knob bracket out with the heater box, leaving the cables attached.

If yours is a 64 with the knobs mounted above the radio, you're SOL, and you'll have to detach the cables at the box so you can pull them through the dash.
 
If you have the 63 with the below-dash knobs, you should be able to pull the knob bracket out with the heater box, leaving the cables attached.

If yours is a 64 with the knobs mounted above the radio, you're SOL, and you'll have to detach the cables at the box so you can pull them through the dash.

Thanks. I went ahead and disconnected them. The clips pop right off and putting the cables back on was fairly easy. I now have excellent heat. Just waiting on carpet to put the interior back together.
 
You are in luck as I posted photos when rebuilding the heater boxes in my 64 Valiant Conv and 65 Dart, in parallel. I also had a spare box from a 1964 junkyard car, so when you see 3 air doors in the photos, the odd one is the 1965. All are non-AC boxes and all of the cars had manual cables (instead of pneumatic). They do have several differences in the placement of several of the internal doors and their design. The cable attachments also vary a bit, so look close to decide if you could make a 1965 box work. I also give some of the PN's for the assemblies. All you have to do is search for my post (works better for me from google).

In both cars, I installed a vintage used under-dash knee-knocker AC unit. It was very difficult to get the knee-knockers to just barely fit and not actually knock knees. I know they were a common retrofit as AC became more affordable, but must have been a bit klutzy install and earned their name. If I did it over, I would have just bought a new aftermarket heat/AC box (~$400 ebay), though probably couldn't use the dash control cables without some very clever engineering. Still, it avoids the silliness of have 2 separate blower motors.

I also installed an automatic heater water shut-off valve in the engine bay on both. Probably not needed since the heater box blower won't run when AC is on, but wasn't too hard. I tapped a wire inside each knee-knocker that is hot when AC is on (not just AC clutch) and ran it thru a spare bulkhead terminal to the engine bay where it turns on a vacuum switch which closes a little water valve (newish Ford, $8 ebay, spring return).
 
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