What goes in these holes? '54 C heater tube.

[junior]

[Jeff_H]

My '53K had a cardboard version of that tube. I looked through my old notes and didn't sketch anything about the heater core "pan" and that tube for some reason or the notes are lost.... Best as I can recall there was no bracket holding the far front end up, maybe just a screw and washer into the floor but no longer sure as it was about 16yrs ago. I sure don't recall anything where the band clamp that holds the flex hose on then also connects elsewhere.

Things are not stock under the car now but the heater is pretty much and I used a longer hose and didn't bother with the tube (cardboard was rotten and had mouse holes anyway).

Looking in the body parts book, that tube is labeled as AC1-43. Then under that is the hardware. There is either 1 #6x1/2" or 2 #8x3/8" screws holding the tube to the pan and a #10x1-1/2" screw and washer holding the other end to the floor. A '54 has a bigger washer on that screw than a '53. Also the parts listed are different for '53 vs '54 for the tube as I expect that was when the change from cardboard to metal came about. That 1 vs 2 screw to the pan also came with the change.

So, its looking like there IS no bracket and that screw you have was it.

The core pan P/N is different from US vs Canada tho... BUT, the tube is the same so I don't know why or what would be different there. The core P/N different too. Maybe Canada cars have a BIGGER core to combat the extra cold winter!!

[8E45E]

Is there a round hole on the opposite side? If there is, there could have been a rod with a damper attached to it with a lever on the outside that would possibly connected to a cable to actuate it....perhaps.

Craig

[Flashback]

No hanger or bracket. The hole you said the screw was in is not factory. The slotted hole is to slide a clip in that goes back under the round hole. The screw goes thru the floor pan and screws into the clip, holding the tube tight against the floor. I have mine ready to clean and install. If it would help, i could get a picture tomorrow???

[junior]

Thanks for the info, it was exactly what I needed to know, but didn't really want to hear. No need for a photo Flashback, as your explanation makes perfect sense to me...I figure somehow my car lost it's clip, so some enterprising 'mechanic' just drove the sheetmetal screw at a slight angle into the seam because the factory hole for the clip was too large for the screw to thread into. It really doesn't matter as I'm going to have to fab up some sort of bracket to mount the front of the tube to the car because my interior has excellent carpet in it that is glued down, so I really don't want to rip it up just to gain acess to the screw. (you wouldn't believe how long I wrestled with the tube to try and remove it before I figured it was screwed into the floorpan) Jeff, I was thinking about ditching the tube and running hose all the way to the core housing box, but thought that my exhaust system would be running too close to the hose, will have to take a closer look on the weekend. Must not really be a problem as Studebaker fitted a cardboard tube on the '53's! I too noticed that Canadian heater cores and boxes are different part nos. than American ones but have no idea why. I have a 53 heater core from an American spec car and IIRC it was the same size and fin count as my 54, but had slightly different tanks...I just figured they were from different suppliers. I also came across different part nos. for Can. vs. USA reachrods, but compared them and they were visually identical and SI had no idea why there were different part nos. Thanks again for your help. Regards, Junior

[new cruiser]

The cardboard tube in my 54 Land Cruiser fell against the exaust as I was driving it home for the first time. I thought the car was on fire.
I used a high quality flexible dryer vent tube and a reducer to fit into the heater core box.