Stock heater controls with a new dash

[rdc]

I wanted to know about using the stock heater if I built a new dash for my truck. Should I just leave the heater ducts behind the dash, and not bother with new vents on the dash? Also would there be a way to just put the heater on a switch so I could just turn it on for quick blasts of heat?

[Ryno]

What exactly are you building? Just a new dash? Or a full bore race truck? I have swapped dashes, with everything. The heater core needs to be in a large box (about 4x the size if the heater core), to be effective. For "quick blasts of heat", you can have a small, high velocity fan, but they are noisy. You could wire one to a toggle switch mounted to the dash. I am assuming you aren't going to have A/C. If you take apart the dash of another truck/ car, you will see how it all works, and go from there on where to mount the fan, etc. Heater controls generally don't swap from car to car, However, Hummer uses GM truck heater controls, they just made the cutout in the dash to match the sizing.

Ryno

Build it like a Rhino, and Leave it be.

[rdc]

I am building a street legal '85 toyota just for prerunning. I want build a new dash but I want a heater (days like yesterday remind me of that). The dash is all ready apart so I can build the cage but I was looking at the all the stock pieces to the heater and getting overwhelmed. So if I was to build the box you were talking about around the heater core, should I just use steel sheet metal and insulate it, leaving a hole for the fan, then put the fan (Noise is not a concern) in the box? Is that all it takes to keep the feeling in my feet?

[Ryno]

I would refer to the stock setup. Look and see how they routed everything. Try to use what you have that's existing. Less $$$, and easier to work with, since the factory did everything already. If you build a sheet metal box for the heater core, that's fine, but it's going to get pretty hot in there, you don't anything around it. I would used the stock plastic one. Less weight, and it already fits!! As far as your feet, just route ducts to the floor, and your set. I would route some up for a defogger though as well.

Ryno

Build it like a Rhino, and Leave it be.

[scott]

You can use it, just re-route all the ducting..

[BIG_FAT_LOSER]

Post some pics after your done. thinking of doing same thing to the dash of my 84.

<font color=red>PAT KAPKO</font color=red>
"DISCO FEVER"

[gary]

me too, me too.