[Amc-list] Fun with heater parts (excessively long but I am looking for some stuff)

[Matt Haas <mhaas@xxxxxxx>]

Yesterday, I took my wagon for it's first drive since last October. 
Since I don't believe in doing anything small (or being particularly 
smart sometimes), this first drive was about 250 miles round trip. Over 
the winter, the power valve stuck on the car and I got about 10 MPG 
until about half way through the trip (the surge I got as the valve 
started working again was fun, I'm sure I looked at least drunk to 
everyone else on the road). I also noticed some odd problems with the 
dash lighting and that my windshield washers weren't working.

The surging problem seems to have taking care of itself since the car 
didn't surge at all on the return trip and I'm back up to about 20 MPG.

My plan was to take the car over to my parents today but I got the 
bright idea that I should fiddle with it before doing that (this is 
where the not particularly smart thing comes in). The first issue I 
wanted to deal with was the windshield washer. It turns out, it just 
lost it prime and a few more pumps got it working.

The next thing was the ground problem with the dash. I took a look at 
the stud the ground wires connect to and I saw it was sorta rusty. I 
took the nut off, removed the ground wires, and cleaned it all up with 
sand paper. Once I had it cleaned up, I put it all back together and 
snapped the stud off tightening the nut. At this point, I knew I was 
beat so I put the car back, washed up, and headed over to my parents.

After I got home, I messed with it some more and decided to start with 
removing the blower motor since it looked like I could get to the stud 
without having to dig into things. The TSM says you can pull it out 
without taking the heater box out but I guess the old gaskets were hard 
enough that that wasn't going to happen. Both bullet connectors on the 
blower motor broke trying to unplug it. I'm pretty sure they aren't 
supposed to be green and crusty inside so those were bad as well. 
Anyway, I saw that I didn't have any choice but to yank the heater box 
to get everything fixed so I decided to start taking it out. At some 
point, someone had it out before (there were somethings mis-assembled 
and mixed hardware) so it came out pretty easy (it was less than an 
hour). Once it was all out, I noticed two things: I'm going to have to 
remove a ton of rivets to replace the broken stud and the foam seals are 
in really bad shape.

Anyway, here are some fun facts from today's escapades:

- The blower motor was painted gloss black, the opening for the wires 
needs to face down, and the motor has a bunch of numbers painted on it 
in yellow (they look like stamps were dipped in paint). I see an AMC 
part number (3172925), another number (400000 043), and a date (21 66, 
21 is probably a week number and 66 is 1966). The part number is between 
the wire grommet and casing seam. The "another number" is under the 
casing seam, and the top of the date code is about midway between the 
bottom of the "another number" and the end of the motor casing. All of 
these numbers are center justified under the grommet opening.
- The replacement motors are very close to the originals. The bump out 
for the rear bearing is different and the wire colors are different. 
Unless you looked at an original and a replacement side by side, it 
would not be noticeable.
- At least for 1967, the mounting plate is painted gloss gray. I 
originally thought it was silver cad plated but the runs (and back side) 
gave it away.
- A bunch of the seals I need changed for 1968 (heater boxes and cores 
are different).
- It's pretty much impossible to get a 40 year old paper glove box out 
without damage.

The weather is supposed to be nice this week so I'll hopefully be able 
to get the blower motor and mounting plate cleaned up and repainted. I 
also know that I can get a new mounting plate to blower motor gasket, 
mounting plate to firewall gasket, and glove box for not much money 
(roughly $40).

What I'm looking for are these parts:

- Heater core end (fits all models) and front (67 American only), and 
side gaskets.
- Heater core tube seal (the one commonly available has a 3/4" and a 
5/8" opening, 1967 and earlier used two 5/8" openings).
- Heater core to cowl gasket (this also fits Javelin and AMX so I'm 
surprised it's not available)
- Side and bottom heater box gaskets (these go between the box and firewall)
- Defroster duct to extension tube seal
- Grommets for the blower motor to mounting plate studs (also fit 
Javelin and AMX)

Since I have to take the heater box apart to fix the broken stud, I'd 
also like to replace the foam on the air doors.

Does anyone know of a source for these parts or suitable replacement 
materials? The heater box to firewall seals look like they can be made 
from stuff I can pick up at a home center but I don't know what to use 
for the rest of the parts.

Thanks,

Matt
-- 
mhaas@xxxxxxx
Cincinnati, OH
http://www.mattsoldcars.com
1967 Rambler American wagon
1968 Rambler American sedan
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