Heater Box Question

My '64 has the heater box on the floor, right in front of the doghouse. My recently purchased parts van is a '66 and it has it mounted under the dash and covering the front wall. It's pretty rusted, and I haven't yet tried to see how its bolted in there, but it certainly is more out of the way than the floor mounted version. How tough would it be to adapt it? Or will it bolt right in? Might be too rusty to salvage, but maybe not.

switched in 65, I believe. My 64 has this.

The fresh-air inlet to the heater is right on the floor with ours, so different... The air inlet on that one probably comes from the front vent panel, possibly over the existing passenger side vent, and then the new housing also has a vent to the passenger. Not sure... may require cutting into vent channel. Certainly, you'd have to seal up the floor.

I'd keep the original... a tell-tale sign of the year of our vans.

My 64 has floor mounted heater also. I think you're right that 64 was the last year for the floor mounted heater.

The inlet box on the passenger side is definitely different, and would need to be part of the conversion. Sealing up the floor would be a given, but this would free up the floor space and make things look a little less cluttered.

Seems like a desireable update, so perhaps someone else who may have tried it will chime in. Thanks.

If that's what you want, why not go with Vintage Air? Fitting the compressor in the doghouse is a little tricky, but possible! In S.C., you'd have the coolest early!

Should be a piece of cake. I snagged one to go in my 64 PU as there will not be room for the floor heater after I install the bench seat!

Later,
Rip

"If that's what you want, why not go with Vintage Air?"

Trust me, I am planning on air at some point, buy current budget doesn't allow it. Staying cool in SC is definitely a major consideration though!

I'm wondering, thinking out loud for my projects, "I wonder if I could just buy the blower unit and controls... get the AC stuff later..." I don't know too much about the pricing, but you'd have a working defroster...

The heater will bolt in in place of the vent or plate on the passenger side. You will have to make some modifications though.
1) You will need to drill two holes in the front floor to run the heater hoses, be sure to drill them large enough to allow for grommets. The grille edge will also have to be drilled.
2) You will also have to enlarge the hole for the drain tube and drill another small hole for the temperature control cable to go through.
3) You may also have to change the wiper motor and/or mounting plate to a 65-67. The early style ones interfere with one of the outlet ducts. I have been able to fit them in but it's tight.
4) You will have to drill holes to mount the control cables. Their location is critical as they are just the right length. If you have the wiring that came with the switch it will plug into the original wiring harness.

New heater cores and control valves are available for these heaters.
I have templates for the holes in the floor and the ones in the dash.
Fred

Fred is the man!