Thanks!

I looked at my stats today for the blog. Looks like I'm pushing 1600+ visitors. Though I'm sure they're not all unique, still...pretty cool! Thanks to everyone that has visited and a big thank you to those that have commented with words of help and/or encouragement. And, an even bigger thank you to all those on my favorite forum that have heard me complain, laugh, cry and otherwise ask questions that were off the wall and sometimes irrelevant but who were always so quick to help!

As much as I promised myself, I really didn't get all that much done this weekend. It's just the cold...it doesn't let up. We had another 4 inches of snow Saturday...I mean, come on! But, I did manage to get the black car back up on the newly repaired and re-enforced saw horses. I cleaned up the garage quite a bit, moved some parts to the attic and made it so I could more easily navigate around the car.

I did break into the heater from the black car. Doesn't get much simpler than that design. Pipe some hot water, blow some air over it, and you've got heat. Of course, modern cars are probably just like this but with modern day conveniences like temperature control, multiple fan speeds, and vacuum assisted, automatic controls. What fun is that!?

Looks like the core is good, too, so that's a plus. I remember my brother's "original" 1967 Datsun Roadster (the links are about his "new" one, that is currently undergoing a frame-off restoration that started as something considerable less...typical LBSC "while I'm here") that he had in high school had a leaking heater core and it cost him lots of time and money to get the damn thing out, repaired and replaced. Of course, I was around 14 then so things were probably a much bigger deal!

Heater core. Love the vent "controls".

I need to test the motor, but I don't have any reason to suspect that there is anything wrong with that.

Inside heater box, core removed.

All of the rubber, including the heater to plenum chamber seal and the core pipe seals were all shot, of course. I know people have used foam home heater pipe insulation though I haven't tried to fit it personally. There are several sizes available, so I'm sure one would fit.

As for the heater to plenum chamber seal, I'm going to have to find some of what we called "cold lagging" on the boat. It's very dense, foam thermal insulation that comes in various thickness sheets for cold water applications. It's spongy, much like what I think the seal was like in a former life and I would make my own custom piece.

Oh, and I almost forgot...I finished the heater valve and I actually think it will work. The rubber cleaned up really nice and was very soft. It seems to get very stiff to rotate the pull-thing, but I guess that's why the cable has big indentations in it for heat...maybe it's easier with coolant flow behind it. Anyway, here she is in all her glory with new bolts on the flange...the bracket looks like crap, tho. And, yes, I know it's attached to the bracket upside down.

Nice and Pretty. Should have taken a better picture...a bit fuzzy.

That's about it. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to visit. You've definitely provided me motivation to keep going when, well into March, I still can't just suck it up and be cold.