The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Heater Switch-1955 1st Series

For the standard heater, just where is the heater motor switch supposed to be? And what does it look like? I think I have the stock switch, which is a three position switch. It has the low speed dropping resistor mounted on it (ceramic tube with wire wrapped around it). I think it mounts under the dash, just to the left of the steering mast. I don't like the idea of this resistor near my knees, as the thing will run hot on low speed, especially considering I'm running with 12V instead of the stock 6V. Maybe I will just eliminate this resistor...don't need the heater too often in south Texas. Not sure if I have the 6V or 12V motor, I assume I should use a 12V motor which hopefully is an easy replacement.

Your right about the switch. If you need a 12 volt fan motor, this one will work Grainger motor

Tex: The original heater switch is a brown plastic switch that has three positions on a flat brown plastic toggle that goes up and down. The maroon replacement switches with a rheostat type of setup are not original and are not what came on the truck from the factory.

Here's a photo of similar switch. The difference in the original is that it is brown toggle with "heat" on it instead a white toggle with "air" on it.
[img]http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/photos/stovebolt/heaterswitch.jpg[/img]

It mounts under the dash between the defroster cable knob and the column.

Whoa! Ooops! Correction!

This is the switch used on '47-'53 trucks. The '54 GMC (and "'55 1st series" GMC)had a toggle on the dash above the radio and to the right of the guage cluster, in an odd spot.

I am unsure about how Chevy truck heater switches were set up on '55 1s series. I know that it is a two speed (three position w/off) switch because I have an original '55 1st series Chevy Truck data book, but as far as the type of switch, I am now uncertain.

hello all. just ran out to check the switch on my 55 first series chevy and it is the same as the one in the picture and is mounted to the left of the steering mast. the word air is printed on the toggle.

Thanks everyone! My switch looks like the one in the pic but I will have to look closer to see if "air" or "heat" is imprinted on the toggle itself. I have seen replacements that have a rotary dial, these must be aftermarket. I think I will try to use my existing switch after switching to a 12V motor. The current should be approximately halved and therefore the power dissipation from that ceramic/wire-wound resistor should be one fourth of original (power = current squared times resistance)

Thats the same switch used in the '54 sedans. You'll need the additional resistor as sold by antique auto if you're gonna use a 6V motor. That stock switch is designed for the power involved with a 6 volt system. 12 volts will shorten its life.

chip

Okay, so I think I'm confused. My 55 1st GMC has an empty hole in the dash where I believe the heater control was originally installed. The current hearter control is one of the aftermarket type things, located under the dash. The heater is the standard sort, though it looks like the truck once had a delux heater in it.

I have a '47 Chevy with a delux heater, and the original switch and controls. I want to update to a 12-volt motor, and put the delux heater from the '47 in my 55 1st.

Will this work?