Does anyone know if the heater unit out of a '56 is the same as one out of a '53? My truck didn't come with a heater and I would like to install one, I found a '56 that looks pretty complete. Thanks, Ricky

 

I don't know if they are the same or not but the 56 will be 12V and if you have not upgraded your truck, you have a 6V system....

 

It has been upgraded to a 12v. I was just wondering about how much modification I was going to have to make. Thanks for the reply.

 

As far as mounting it should be the same.

 

The '56 had two different styles of heaters, a fresh air and a recirculating. I assume that the '53-'55 offered the same...? I don't know for sure. Also the catalogs show 3 different heater cores available for the '56. Again, I would assume that the tubes come through the firewall in the same manner, but may possibly not. I have a recirculating heater in my '56, and my shop manual does show pictures of both.

Maybe someone else on here, a little more familiar between the bodies, can verify this.

 

I know this is a stupid question, what's the difference in a "fresh air" and a "recirculating" heater?

 

Fresh air draws air from outside the cab, usually through a tube running underneath the right fender (at least on the 48-52 trucks it's like this) and into the heater. Recirculating uses the air inside the cab only. It recirculates it.

 

Here's a picture of the two. They both have defroster ducts, it just that the recirc. heater is pictured without it's ducting.



Here's my refurbished recirculating heater. See how it has the same defroster/floor heating duct.

 

The 53-56 trucks fresh air heater draws it fresh air from the louvers on the cowl just in front of the passenger door.

Don't you think the re-circ heater looks nice painted up like that??

 

Man that heater looks nice ! My '56 has just a "box" with three little doors: no cables, but one heck of a blower motor. The '56 NAPCO does have the recirculating one just like above: looks I'll be doing a swap !!

 

Thanks! Just a little bead blasting and some paint. You ain't seen it all though.. I had an extra core grille, so i sent it in to get it plated.. Should add a little more 'bling' to the heater.

The motor i got from Napa sure puts out some wind! I don't think I'll be experiencing window defrost problems... that's for sure. Might be having an F1 tornado in the cab of my F100.

 

Gotta luv NAPA ! It's amazing what they carry, and will ship to their store from Denver or wherever with no shipping costs to me. Have to wait a few days sometimes, but save a lot of shipping over the course of a project.

Looking forward to the pics of the extra bling !

 

This is the part that connects the "fresh air" heater to the back side of the louver. This part is not shown in the picture posted by Dano78 and is fastened with 4 screws from the outside. Anyone know if the hole with a grommet is stock or custom?

 

Got my heater's extra BLING back from the chromer's a few days back and finally got it installed? How's them apples?

 

That sure is purty! I always thought the recirculating heater is prettier than the fresh air heater. I simply painted my recirc grille with the Ford argent spray paint and it looks real good! See below: