Is this just for 48-50 trucks? does not look like 51 52? and is there a piece missing here? or is it just the blower motor that goes in between these two pieces?? i've seen pictures of this setup befor but could not remember?
I don't need one but was just curious and figured someone on here may need this.?





48-52 truck deluxe heater tube - The Ford Barn

 

The guy selling it has had the tube for a while. I thought of buying it for my 51/52, but when I spoke to Denny, he toldme that it's for a 48-50.

 

The '48-50 wasn't one of Ford's better designs. Not a good idea of putting an electrical motor under a fender where it can be covered with all kinds of road gunk.

Here's the parts catalog drawings:

 

I looked at what seemed like a gazillion of these trucks all spring and summer, and I only saw one truck (a 49 F1) that had one of these ducts. Obviously it was quite a rare piece.

 

Quite a few trucks weren't outfitted with heaters and the ones that had them, most were rusted out and either fell off or pulled out. My dad remounted a new fan through the firewall, through the back of the stock heater. I would be a little weary of do that, with the way these old trucks leaked exhaust fumes and leaking oil being burned off the engine and exhaust, I see a very good way of getting asphyxiated.

 

What's rarer still is to find one in any kind of decent condition. They weren't given the world's best paint job to begin with and after a couple years of driving in any kind of salt they start to rust. Add 60 years and they look like swiss cheese.

The '48-'50 pieces were in fact different and won't fit on a '51 or '52 without cutting the long intermediate tube down. The '48-'50 intermediate tube is actually a little shorter than the '51-'52 piece, but the earlier inlet piece is much longer and consequently makes the whole assembly longer. The front two pieces were also used on the '48-'50 in conjunction with the later style cab elbow when installing the later '51-'52 style Magic Air heaters in the early trucks.

 

The inlet tube was also different for the '48-50 because this style grill had a flat horizontal surface, the '51-52 fender was beveled. There isn't a part in the whole system that can be interchange without modification. I have fresh air units for my '48-50 trucks. I sold a complete '48-50 set up a while back that the fan actually worked, now that's a rarity.

 

Yeah that unit right there is the exact one I saw in a fully restored 49 this summer. I remember it so vividly because I really liked the Ford script on the heater cover itself. I remember the duct snaked right through the right fender wall and I can see how that was a terrible design regarding road mud, salt, etc. I wonder if it's safe to assume that particular design is the only one that truly came out of the factory itself already installed? And were the other heater cores out there installed by the dealers, etc after the trucks were delivered? I'm probably wrong. Just wondering.

 

Our very own "firstrider" Denny is somewhere in the process of looking into making the tubes for sale aftermarket. If he doesn't jump an here you may want to send him a PM

 

There were many aftermarket heater suppliers back then. Montgomery Wards I think sold the Firestone brand. There were many others.

 

That is correct .That unit is for a '48-'50 . Have one under resto but it will be awhlie . Some of the pcs. have serious rust . Very poor design but I guess the best they could come up with at the time .Have a bunch of '51 & '52 fresh air tubes restored and waiting if any one needs one . Am also in the process of restoring 3 -'51 and 1 '52 Magic Air Heaters . Am busy with a large job right now so it will be awhile before those are done .Have 3 more complete fresh air tubes to go to the mediablaster . He does a beautiful job of blasting inside and out with black beauty ( coal dust ) . He calls me about an hr. before he is done to allow for travel time .Immediately after they arrive home the parts are blown off and wiped with lacquer thinner then spayed with epoxy primer .

Restored "52 fresh air tube w/ heater boot

Various Fresh air tubes and parts

 

This is the unit that I have in my truck also! I have all the pieces too! Rare? Guess I better get it off the floor and put it up on a top shelf somewhere! I got to look at it a little closer but I don't think mine is swiss cheese...I think the blower motor enclosure might be a little rough though.