The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop cowl vent motor source

I have had an A/C unit mounted in my dash. Due to space problems I lost the operator arm that opens/closes my cowl vent. It is now shut and sealed but want to make it operational again. I saw somewhere a dc motor setup to open/close the vent with a dash mounted switch. Anyone know where I can find this setup? Better yet a home brew setup with spare wrecking yard parts. Ideas are most welcomed. Thanks.

I ran into the same problem.I wasn't sure how those electric ones worked.Was worried about limit switches to shut it off before it wrecked something when you opened or closed it.I put one in that I got from watsons-streetworks.com . Orderline phone # 866-859-0513. Wasn't to hard to hook up, has a little gearbox that lets it open and close continuously while you are pushing the button. Jim.

I had not thought of that problem.
But now that I have, I would use an air cylinder and an external spring to keep it closed. Sounds a lot less complicated than a motor. Unless you don't have air on your truck...

I may do that if I run in to space problems when I install my AC.

Grigg

I made an extension below the origional dash, that I cut my air duct outlets into, instead of cutting the dash.Had to remove the vent handle cause of that.Don't have air for air cylinders, was thinking more of a tiny actuator,but then got concerned about limit switches.This deal is the tinyest little motor and plastic gear box with an adjustable arm that slowly opens and closes the vent as it rotates.It all mounted on the brace under the dash real neatly.A guy could easily rig up a air cylinder, or actuator.Just have to play around with the mounts. Jim

Don't have air, at less not compressed air. Vacuum is not a strong enough force to hold it, not on a vehicle anyway. Found an electric one at "Ball's" for less than $60.00. Streetworks want almost $100.00 and they look like the same thing. May have to invent one. Something like a small DC motor with a fex shaft attached (like a speedo cable). Just drive it to "stall", should work with a polarity reversal switch, center position off. That way I could mount the motor just about anywhere.

darn, you guys have deeper pockets than I do!
here's the deal, go find a caravan with the power rear vent windows and steal the motor(some are cable, too.it'll allow ya to put the motor away from the cowl vent)
last on i HAD to buy was 20 bucks.....

I LOVE that idea, tomslik. I don't really need this power option in my truck, but I think I may do it now.

The electric door window motor and arm from the rear door of a 70's GM 4-door car works real good too.

I used a linear actuator on mine with limit switches to control where it stops and is controlled by the remote I use to open the doors and roll the windows up and down.
The actuator is a 75 lb lift unit, It opens and closes it with no effort.
I had to make the brackets to mount it to the dash and the vent along with the limit switch mount, but that was easy. Setting the limit switches is the time consuming part.

I am unsure if I have room for a linear actuator. Plus the fit up will be behind the A/C already installed. A pain whatever I do. Thanks

The actuator is only about an inch in diameter and 6 inches long fully retracted. It will extend 12 inches. It's pretty small.