Eliminating Under Seat Heater - 1958 Hawk

[StudeMichael]

I pulled the under seat heater unit today on my 1958 Hawk and do not want it back. Did Studebaker have a plate that filled the hole in the floor board or did they cut the floor board out when they added the under seat heater? I looked in the body parts catalog and did not see a listing for a plate. Thank you for any feedback.

1957 Packard Clipper
1958 Golden Hawk
1963 Daytona Convertible
1963 R2 Daytona
1963 R2 GT Hawk
1963 R1 Wagonaire
1963 R4 Avanti
1964 Champ
1966 Cruiser

[Dick Steinkamp]

I won't put the heater/defroster back in the ute either. I fabricated a plate to replace the heater core. Took maybe an hour (I'm slow [^]). Used the same fastners. Mine is out of aluminum because that's what I had, but 16-18 gauge steel would be good too.



Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[Jeff_H]

I have seen a '53 sedan with no heater or defroster, the hole in the floor was covered with a plate. That plate had a rib stamped in it that matches the one in the stamped out depression in the driver side floor that is sort of a mirror image to the place on the passenger side floor where the heater core goes.

That car is/was in a salvage yard up this way. Its laying on its side so the tranny could be extracted. Very little rust, so the lack of the heater/defroster makes me think someone drove it up from the "south" and junked it when winter came! Contrast with another '53 sedan in that yard that has 2 (!) extra aftermarket heaters mounted on the trans tunnel under the dash!!

Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[52-fan]

A member in Little Rock years ago had a very nice 53 Hardtop that was a heater delete car from California. It had a factory cover plate over the hole for the heater also. The must be a part number for it, but no one will see it if you make your own.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."