The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors 1949 Harrison Heater question

Hello! I have the heater removed from my 1949 3600 Chevy PU and have a couple of questions. First off, does anybody else have the blue hammered paint on their Harrison recirculator? It appears that is the original color of mine, but cannot find the color paint anywhere!

Second, there is no switch or wiring in the truck anymore. Does anybody have a wiring schematic for this specific heater? Thanks in advance

Here is a photo of what my hair looks like and what the remaining color that I can find looks like. Harrison E-57 (Borrowed this link from another thread)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129330842/in/album-72157631868452754/

Bremquest,

First off, since this is your 1st post, Welcome to the Stovebolt!

In answer to some of your questions, I myself haven't seen a "blue" heater. Others may have more knowledge and will chime in to provide more feedback.

See the link below for a wiring diagram resource courtesy of "The Old Car Manual Project" (all credit for their work to collect and post these resources for our community to use).

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/electrical/wiring/index.htm

If you are in need of parts to support repairing/reinstalling your heater, suggest a web search using "1949 Harrison Chevy recirculating truck heater parts". You will find multiple resources that carry used (mostly ebay) and reproduction parts to help you with your task. You can also look in "The Swap Meet" forum to post a request for what you are looking for.

When you get a chance, take a few minutes and create a post in the "Welcome Centre" forum. Tell everyone a little about you, your truck, and post pictures of your truck.

We love to see pictures! If your not sure how, click on the link in the lower left page margin "Posting images in the Stovebolt Forums" and use the step by step guide.

Again, Welcome! You have found the best source available for knowledge and resources supporting our trucks.

Dan

Send me an email to dakar959@yahoo.com. I have the answers you seek.

My heater is green/blue, but I haven't found anything that matches it. I have a can of the Rustoleum Hammered Bronze, but may still try getting it matched. The green on the nozzles to the left is my first attempt at matching. The part on the right is the original color.

Unofrtunately the heater was not standard equipment and therefore wiring, etc. is not included in the wiring diagrams I have found. In my case my truck did not originally have heater so I have found a rebuildable one and at some point in the future will be looking for the same answers regarding wiring and controls.

I don't think the blue was a standard color. Most I have seen are a grey. I used Rustoleum Hammered grey. In regards to wiring it is fairly simple. It does not route through the ignition switch. It goes from a direct power source to the switch to the hot side of the heater motor. The original switches are almost impossible to find but after market ones that clamp to the under side of the dash are readily available. If you need to convert to 12v here is a replacement 12v motor that fits the existing housing. I think I reused the existing fan and maybe had to cut the length of the shaft. The motor is reversible. AutoZone. Part #35512. Everco. Heater blower motor

Original switch on eBay but expensiveOriginal switch for reference


ClassicParts

Here's another option for a switch Link.

I just bought one of these. They are rheostat style switches (off-high and variable to low) and I measured the resistance as between 0.2 and 0.5 ohms on the coil. These have had some moisture on them, so need a little cleanup. I have an original "HEAT" backing plate that I'll use after a bit of restoration. I'm not sure if the resistance is correct for the heater motor (so it changes speed significantly, but I'll find out.

Wiring is pretty simple - Go from the accessory contact on the ignition switch (so you don't forget and leave the heater running with the engine off) thru the switch in series and to the motor. The ground lead from the motor should be connected under one of the mounting bolts for the heater, cleaned off so it makes good contact.

I've found over the years that NOS doesn't necessarily mean functional. You have to wonder why or how these parts have remained on the shelves for 40 or 50 or 60 years.

Perhaps the part was purchased and returned for being defective and just kept getting shoved to the back of the rack. In any event, electrical stuff is a crap shoot.

I purchased one of these brand new made by Standard. It's a rheostat type and has the added bonus of a light bulb in the knob that glows when it's turned on. The bulb is brightest at the highest fan speed and dims as the knob is turned toward slower speed.

It's infinitely adjustable from hi to lo without detents in between.

I'm using this switch I bought from Jim Carter (though it's available all over eBay and probably at most of the truck parts places). It lights up like Otto's, but has detents so it has three speeds. I chose it because it matches my lighted Unity fog light switch.


[img]https://media.fotki.com/2v2amKr23xDubp.jpg[/img]

I understand what you're saying. But I only have $10 in it. If it doesn't work correctly, oh well. The seller has a bunch of them, and it's evident that the one I got was laying around for a long time. The box it came in looked original, and weathered like the switch. There was a little corrosion inside, but cleaned up well.

I may go for one if the repop ones if the one I have doesn't work out. Do you have a PN for the one you bought, Otto?

There is a lot of good information in the responses. It doesn't look like the poster has been back to benefit from it. Being a new member and this their first post they might not realize how responsive and helpful this group is.

Bremquest Looks like your heater is a dandy just need the "T' that color doesn't look blue in my picture,is brown and looks the same as the ones I have. Hope your core is good,mine just wants to seep,hate to goop up with stop leak. Carters have the core but is an expensive reproduction that is kind of scarce.

Hi Kevin.

It's Standard Motor Products HS-92

https://www.standardbrand.com/en/ecatalog?part=heater%20switch&type=p&search=s

Classic Parts sells it under Item #68-311

Thanks Otto

Thanks!

Thanks for all the responses. I’m not getting notifications for the thread and then couldn’t remember the password so I’ve been delinquent! I ended up finding a stove blue paint that matched pretty well to the hammered blue paint found on some of these Harrison’s. I don’t think I’m getting a good ground but will wait until I rewire everything this winter

Before I added the decal

Did you bench test it before installing it to make sure it actually works?

Bremquest,

Looking good sir!

Thanks for sharing your results.

Can you share the details on the paint? I may have to give that a try. Yours looks good.

Stove Bright High Temp Paint - Metallic Blue (Found on eBay)

Yes I did, however I seem to be losing ground when installed. I was under the impression it grounds by it’s mounting on the firewall as I have only one wire going to switch. If that’s the case I wire wheeled connection points, but no luck. The switch is a repo 6v heater switch I ordered from auto zone.

Just run a dedicated ground wire from the heater to a known good ground or directly to the negative battery post.

Your firewall is probably not properly grounded to the frame/battery, etc.

Install good ground straps from the battery to the cab and frame and clean up both ends of the one that's already there. The standard Chevy ground setup is barely adequate in the best of conditions.

Clamp an alligator clip to one of the mounting studs poking through the firewall and connect it to the battery or known good grounds and see if that solves your problem. If it does, just make up a permanent connection.

You’re right. I’ll bet the firewall isn’t providing enough. I’ll try that tomorrow and report back. Thanks!