Heater box restoration

[rikubot]

Here's another heater box (non-A/C) restoration. I'll be documenting my experience during the process and hopefully get a few tips along the way.

I have the box completely disassembled. I do not have a core and will need to pick up a gasket kit from Detroit Muscle Technologies. I've read that they have a pretty good kit put together.

Here are some questions I've gathered so far:

What kind of rivets should I use to re-attach the brackets?

What paint (primer?) should I use on the raw steel pieces?

What brand heater core should I go with and where?

Here is the box when I got it. The seller did include the front panel already painted and stamped with the part number which I thought was pretty cool.

Hope to hear your thoughts and advice!

- Mike

[rikubot]

Got a little bit of work done on the box yesterday and today. I've been using Evaporust on the rusty pieces that didn't get painted from the factory. It works just as well as the videos on YouTube say it does. I scuffed, cleaned, and painted a few of the pieces I stripped and have just a couple left to go.

[CDN72SE]

Doing the same thing right now to mine, good luck with it. 

[rikubot]

Awesome. If you get bored you should share pictures. I've actually had a lot of fun with this one so far!

I'm by no means doing a concours job with mine. I'm probably going to end up using regular ole hollow rivets on the brackets for the cables

A rebuild kit is on the way from DMT and I'm still trying to decide which core to go with. The Spectra brand seems to have decent reviews 

[gtx6970]

FYI,
NONE of the aftermarket heater cores fit right.

I tried maybe 3 or 4 different ones.
None of them did the fittings protrude thru the firewall enough.
ended up having originals recored

[rikubot]

FYI,
NONE of the aftermarket heater cores fit right.

I tried maybe 3 or 4 different ones.
None of them did the fittings protrude thru the firewall enough.
ended up having originals recored

That's valuable information to know. Thank you. The box I bought did not have a core in it so I could have bought something that may have looked right but when I went to put the box in had too short of fittings.

[rikubot]

Couple of pictures from today.

[rikubot]

Pieced it together to see what the metal would look like all together. I'm pretty happy with it. Doesn't look like a raw metal but at least it shouldn't rust for a very long time.

[70sixpkrt]

Looks good. I did mine about 12 yrs ago.

[rikubot]

That looks great Six Pack. What color did you go with on the metal pieces? Thanks for the photo 

[70sixpkrt]

Seymour Stainless steel. I just noticed that the metal where the bypass hose goes should be over the fiberglass piece. Oh well. This was the first time I rebuilt a heater box. It works.

[rikubot]

Seymour Stainless steel. I just noticed that the metal where the bypass hose goes should be over the fiberglass piece. Oh well. This was the first time I rebuilt a heater box. It works.

I did that same thing. I couldn't get the holes to line up so I tried it on the other side and it fit better. I was ready to bend that sucker to fit haha.

Also, where did you get your rivets and what tool did you use to install them?

[70sixpkrt]

I didn't mess with no rivets. It was sheet metal screws holding the plate on.

[rikubot]

Did you re-use your heater core or did you find a new one?

[70sixpkrt]

I bought a new heater core from my local radiator shop at that time.

[rikubot]

I just gave my heater box a once over and saw where the foam tape had been peeled off (by me a few weeks back) and it looks like you installed the plate correctly and the way I had it on is wrong 

[rikubot]

Here's most of the metal I pulled off, de-rusted, and painted:

[XH29N0G]

I am impressed.  Thanks for sharing this with us. 

[rikubot]

I am impressed.  Thanks for sharing this with us. 

Thank you 

A bit tedious but I'm happy with it. The finish of the silver I used isn't perfect but most of this stuff is inside the box anyway. I had a week off with little else to do so I really got in there. I'm just happy I'm not messin' with the A/C heater box!

[rikubot]

I got my 3M Super 77 spray adhesive in the mail today and glued the foam in. It seems to be pretty tacky but still isn't completely dry. I will check it out tomorrow.

[rikubot]

I was putting this thing back together and came across a fitment issue. The door rubs a little bit on the case. Is this the correct way to mount the door?

[rikubot]

Found a resto thread with a pic and looks like the door is in right. Only other way is to flip it and come from the other side with the screw. I just wanted to make sure. It's all together except the core and the panel that goes behind it.

I will post a list of the things I purchased for the rebuild and some prices if anyone is interested.

[rikubot]

I've got an OE heater core on the way for the heater box. I read that you can test it with a gauge and some compressed air holding it under water to see if any bubbles come out. Does anyone have any experience or tips for doing this?

[astjp2]

Have a radiator shop test it so you don't blow it up.