Interesting idea. I can visualize using them to pull fiberglass molds. Is that what you had in mind? As high as they mount up in the fender well, though, I'm sort of surprised that they are rust prone. I'd think they'd be high enough to not trap/shelve mud. The old wreck of a MH that they go with sure had seen mud. Stu

 

I know where the dude is that makes new, correct rubber boots for 'em!

We could bring a bunch of stuff to the party, sell our tooling to Dennis Carpenter, and be rich!

~Jason

 

Then everybody would have a fresh air Magic Air heater.

The tubes on my 51 are pretty much shot. I have another set of tubes in storage, but I think that it's missing the front of the fender attachment.

It would be nice to have the tubes repopped.

If I had a good example, I would call Fairlane. He seems interested in repopping stuff that other don't and stuff that could be in demand. I once spoke to him about repopping short running boards (for Panels and F4 - F6 trucks). He was very interested and told me that if I have a nice set, then he would use them for the mold. I have one NOS board, but need to find another good example.

If the heater tubes were repopped, I'd be at least two!

 

The heater units themselves were the same from cars and trucks. In 1951 the blower motor on the trucks was moved inside as opposed to under the fender outside. The only difference betreen the 51 and 52 truck heaters is the shape of the metal mounting flange for the rubber boot that attaches the heater itself to the duct. In the 51 the flange end is round in the 52 its square. You know about Denny and the boots. I think he's making 51 and 52 boots now.

The car controls were completely different than the truck controls. The car controls were all side to side slides on a flat and later slightly rounded panel. The picture Panelman posted is the correct control panel for a Magic Aire from 1951 thru 1956.

The earlier truck heaters (up to 1950) had a control panel like the one I have (and will post a picture of) The switch on those was a **** that rotated as opposed to a 2 position pull switch.

These heaters are not rare at all. Heater cores and 6 volt motors are readily available as are switches. About the only thing that is rare about them is finding the name plate. I found the Chrome horn button off a 46 Ford fit perfectly as a replacement - even has 5 stars on it.

I restored mine myself and it was very easy to do. Be prepared for lots of rust on the inside bottom. Here is a picture of my heater during restoration. Mine is out of a 52 -note the square end of the rubber boot.



And installed - note the horn button - not correct, but better than the two bolts sticking



And my control panel which is out of a 1950 truck. I deliberately installed the wrong one in my truck because I needed to have a duplicate on the other side of the steering wheel to control the full front tilt (and the 51 control panel was not big enough), hood and overdrive cables - here are both of those.

Heatercontrol:



Full tilt hood control:



And finally, a picture of where the Duct mounts to the cab. If you are going to do a full front tilt, that duct is going to have to go. It bolts at the intake end to the front fender lip just above and slightly inside of the passenger side headlight (as Panelman showed in his picture). I am currently grafting the side fender vent from a 49 studebaker onto my cowl side (similar to the location of the luovers on the 56 cowl) to attach to the heater for outside air. I mounted the control **** for the vent door today. Note, I'm using 56 bezels.





This is a long post I know (so what else is new for me ) but I thought I'd add the extra about the full tilt since you had asked me about it in other threads.

You can find the heaters about once every couple weeks on e-bay. I have the heater core number and supplier if yo need it.

 

Once again Julie, you rock my world!

I'd wager the pics you posted about the washer and the '50 Magic Air controls (which I'm wanting real bad, and haven't ever even seen) are the only ones online!

Are the '50s rare? I never seem to be able to find the '50 truck controls, etc...

~Jason

 

Hell yeah! The more the merrier!

I just wanna play with the COOL kids on the playground.

~Jason

 

Oh Panelman is just teasing you!!! ILYA!!!!!

He's posted pics of this kit before and it is NICE! If the search function wasn't so bad anymore, I'd find the pics and post them just to be mean....But I'll let him do it. I think his kit is the bag type.

There is also a guy on e-bay who colletcs these and refurbs them. That's who I got my foot pump from. My kit had a makeshift electric pump on it with a push button switch next to the wiper **** on the upper dash. The foot pump he sold me for $10 was new in the box - beautiful.

Shhhhh! OK I'm mean! Not sure if this is the same one!

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...her-stuff.html

 

The bag type in the link Julie provided is for 56 only. It was also a complete NOS kit, with instructions. I sold it to Sy and he has it now.

 

ILYA, you've got more stuff than Santa at Christmas!

I'll bet your garage is interesting! (or should I say wearhouse!)

 

I'll bet he's a hit at all the old Ford parties...

~Jason

 

The boots for a '51 & '52 are different .The '50 is a 4" round accordian style duct .The '51 is 4" in Dia. where it meets the fresh air intake on the kick panel .This style also fits the '51 & '52 Merc trucks .Ths '52 is almost sq. where it meets the fresh air intake on the kick panel .Out of neccesity I started making both styles last yr. They are an exact reproduction of the originals right down to the cast lines in the correct places , 80 durometer black rubber & fit perfectly .Have sold 14 of them so far .I showed them to Dennis Carpenter at the Nat's last yr .When he seen them he had this puzzled look on his face . I knew what that meant . He did not know what they were . So right away he made suggestions on making them softer so that sort of turned me off . Have made a deal with NPD parts .They will be in the upcoming catalog .They will be less expensive to purchase from me directly .Will post a pic of each in regards to this subject in the next few days .Am in the process of making the emergency brake cable boots that go over the clevises on the bell crank .

 

Now just start making the actual tubes and you'll have yourself a goldmine!

 

THERE'S DENNY NOW! HAVEN'T SEEN YA IN AWHILE - WHERE'VE YA BEEN!

Ilya, it would be a snap all you would have to do is get one and fill in the rust, then make a biberglass mold using it. The reason it would be so easy is because with the crimp fins, it's a perfect place to set the seams on the pattern. If you made a fiberglass mold you could turn these things out in a jiffy - like boat hulls.

 

Hell yeah, you could! And no rust!

~Jason

 

Hey Julie !! .Am a daily reader of most posts on the '48-'66 truck site & am partial to any info on '51 or '52 trucks .I know you can relate to that .Your Dad & I had some very interesting converstions via email on the boots .I need to send them to you .Could use the part # and supplier for the heater cores .The outside molds for the heater boots are made out of carbon fiber .How about a fresh air tube and duct made out of carbon fiber ? Now that would be bitchen !! Trouble is you would need a loan to pay for it .My buddy and I play around with CF often .I will present him with the idea of a CF fresh air tube and duct & see what he thinks .Once again I would like to thank Julie for all the info .