What part of the heater is at the back / inside of fender ? 55 2 door president

[StudeRich]

You can call it whatever, but it is an add-on, aftermarket "Box Heater".

There would be no reason to add that in the Day that those were made, except if you were too cheap to go to the Dealer and get replacement parts for the Studebaker System or too lazy to do it right.

[studebakerkid]

The 54 wagon has the climatizer with the fan in the fender. I replaced the fan motor but the even with new ducting the air flow coming through the heater was weak. I installed a 12 volt computer fan in the housing under the floor a nd that makes all the difference. Low speed is the low speed on the fan in the fender. High speed turn the fender fan on high speed and the computer fan.

[14x7]

I remember back in the day , Rod& custom magazine had a article on how to rebuild that aftermarket heater box! Like the 1970's magazine!

[junior]

Since a "Box Heater" is recirculating and not Fresh Air Forced, I would go the other way, replace all the Studebaker Heater hoses, hose adapter to the Defroster and other deteriorated parts and remove the "box heater".

.

X2...I used one of these "box heaters" in an old Datsun 510...talk about humidity on the inside of the windows!...there is no way the factory defroster system would keep the windshield clear at all unless I drove with the side windows down which in effect offset the additional heat from the aux. heater. I'm betting the same thing would happen in the Stude with it's relatively weak defroster system. My factory climatizer keeps me toasty-warm to about -10C...never driven it in colder weather or snow so actually have no idea how good the defroster system is.

[E. Davis]

Believe me the climatizer with a 180 degree thermostat will keep you toasty at 20 below. Ask me how I know. And the defroster will work at that temperature also.

[studebakerkid]

I pinch the passengers side defroster hose in half to direct most of the heat to the drivers side windshield.......now Winter driving in my 61 T cab.... I used an electric blanket plugged into the cigar lighter....