Moparts

cuda defrost vent?

Posted By: swapman

cuda defrost vent? - 11/16/11 12:20 AM

Help. I've dissasembled 3 e-bodys and the same result. The heater box and defrost vent do not line up. There is a 1 inch or so gap. I have never seen a drawing of this mystery conection. Just wondering if the factory never installed a tube or tape or something. Anyone know the answer?
Posted By: lahatte

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/16/11 06:45 AM

Can you post pictures?
Posted By: HEMICUDA

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/16/11 08:43 AM

Quote:

Help. I've dissasembled 3 e-bodys and the same result. The heater box and defrost vent do not line up. There is a 1 inch or so gap. I have never seen a drawing of this mystery conection. Just wondering if the factory never installed a tube or tape or something. Anyone know the answer?



Nope, nothing added, superior quality control back in the day.
Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/16/11 09:02 AM

Actually there was originally a rubber seal, but I haven't seen one one a car I was taking apart in over 25 years... That is assuming your working on a non-a/c car... A/C cars have a closer fit and smaller rubber seals..
Posted By: swapman

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/16/11 04:04 PM

We never drive our cars in the winter,(they have been given a reprieve, old age). But in summer you sometimes need a defroster for humid evenings. I think a wraping of good old black duct tape will fill the void. Anybody got other ideas?
Posted By: EF8aar

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/22/11 04:56 PM

I seem to be missing that same piece too. I'm not sure if the two pieces can be adjusted to make up that gap. I do remember some manufacturers used a black cloth-like tape in these areas and I think some of my A bodys used it. Does anyone know for sure?
Posted By: 71TA

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/23/11 08:07 PM

Quote:

Actually there was originally a rubber seal, but I haven't seen one one a car I was taking apart in over 25 years... That is assuming your working on a non-a/c car... A/C cars have a closer fit and smaller rubber seals..



There was never anything in that gap. I've REALLY looked into this. If you saw a car with something in there it could have been a customer/owner "fix". I may add a foam "fix" to my Detroit Muscle Technologies heater box resto kits similar to the foam piece that WAS factory supplied on the A/C boxes.
Posted By: larry4406

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/23/11 10:56 PM

I am the 2nd owner of a 1971 barracuda convertible. I believe I am the first to take the dash apart. This car has factory AC.

My vent has rubber piece that bridges the gap between the heater box and the defroster vent. See pictures

Attached picture 6933087-IMG_9374.JPG
Posted By: larry4406

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/23/11 10:57 PM

Another picture

Attached picture 6933088-IMG_9376.JPG
Posted By: larry4406

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/23/11 10:59 PM

Last picture

Attached picture 6933090-IMG_9378.JPG
Posted By: burdar

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/23/11 11:08 PM

Quote:

There was never anything in that gap. I've REALLY looked into this. If you saw a car with something in there it could have been a customer/owner "fix".





I heard someone say that the gap is there to draw in some cabin air. Don't know if there's any truth to that.
Posted By: larry4406

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/23/11 11:27 PM

Here is picture of seal on the vent itself. It is stapled to the vent just like the vent halves are stapled. You can see how it aligns with ribs on the vent housing. This is not some makeshift seal.

Attached picture 6933119-IMG_1068.JPG
Posted By: larry4406

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/23/11 11:28 PM

Another seal closeup

Attached picture 6933120-IMG_1069.JPG
Posted By: larry4406

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/23/11 11:29 PM

Last seal closeup picture

Attached picture 6933122-IMG_1070.JPG
Posted By: larry4406

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/23/11 11:36 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Actually there was originally a rubber seal, but I haven't seen one one a car I was taking apart in over 25 years... That is assuming your working on a non-a/c car... A/C cars have a closer fit and smaller rubber seals..



There was never anything in that gap. I've REALLY looked into this. If you saw a car with something in there it could have been a customer/owner "fix". I may add a foam "fix" to my Detroit Muscle Technologies heater box resto kits similar to the foam piece that WAS factory supplied on the A/C boxes.



71TA - I am convinced this is real and not some hack job. If you want detailed measurements for reproduction, let me know (trade for a seal kit?). From the forum comments, my car is a one of one having this seal.
Posted By: burdar

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/24/11 01:20 AM

Your car has A/C. Mine doesn't. The non A/C cars didn't have anything there. The A/C cars obviously did. The shape of the inlet is completely different on an non A/C car.
Posted By: 71TA

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/24/11 04:44 AM

Quote:

Your car has A/C. Mine doesn't. The non A/C cars didn't have anything there. The A/C cars obviously did. The shape of the inlet is completely different on an non A/C car.



I concur.

We are all aware the AC boxes have that square foam piece between the box and vents. I'll probably duplicate something like that and add it to my non A/C heater box resto kits. I'm sure a numbers guy will bust my chops that his car never had one though

Still gonna make em and add em. But like mentioned above, might have been a reason like some venturi effect to draw in cabin air? Probably not though. Those old duct halves were stapled together and leaked like a sieve. I actually work for a company that makes space age type equipment to darn near hermetically seal duct halves together now a days. In fact I'm in Alabama working on such a machine for a Mercedes supplies - working through Thanksgiving while everyone one else thats not too scared to tell "the man" to pound sand spends Thanksgiving with thier families.
Posted By: 71TA

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/24/11 04:48 AM

Quote:

Another seal closeup



Thanks for the pictures though. Don't believe I've ever seen that rubbers seal.
Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/24/11 05:04 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Another seal closeup



Thanks for the pictures though. Don't believe I've ever seen that rubbers seal.



One post you tell me you've really looked into this then you've never seen that before... As I posted earlier it's been 25+ years since I've seen a seal on a non A/C car but there was a seal.. It was similar in design to the A/C style seal but it wasn't stapled, it had a H sort of cross section & was captured between the plenum & the defroster duct..
Posted By: 71TA

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/24/11 07:06 AM

Larry muddied the water a bit there Randy.

The original poster, and I, were talking about NON A/C boxes. I looked at a LOT of non A/C heater boxes, in cars, at shows, in boneyards, asked the people I sell bunches of resto kits to and I have never seen and no one I've talked to has ever seen a seal in there on the E bodies or the very similar but different 71-4 B bodies - even the Strat-O-Vents. The reason I looked into it in was I've had quite a few people restoring thier original heater boxes asking if something was there. I told them give me thier old one and I'll duplicate it (tounge in cheek) In this hobby we know there can always be an exception. Definately not questioning your Mopar knowledge.

As for that rubber A/C seal. I'm only familiar with the guts of boxes. Don't deal with the ductwork much so no I don't remember seeing that particular duct seal. By it's appearance it looks like it'd be the type of rubber piece that would clean up with a little soap and water. I doubt anyone could every justify the tooling for the 3 that may be needed in the world.
Posted By: larry4406

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/24/11 02:50 PM

Quote:

Larry muddied the water a bit there Randy.

The original poster, and I, were talking about NON A/C boxes.



I did not intend on derailing this discussion, but no where in the original post does it say this is limited to non-A/C car discussions. That said, it seems odd the factory would recognize the need and provide a seal for an A/C application but then not do the same for a non AC application. I don't have any experience with non-A/C cars.

Good luck.
Posted By: burdar

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/24/11 03:47 PM

Here's a picture from iccahome.org

http://mmcdetroit.com/ICCA/References/Interior/image_06.html
Posted By: 71TA

Re: cuda defrost vent? - 11/24/11 05:40 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Larry muddied the water a bit there Randy.

The original poster, and I, were talking about NON A/C boxes.



I did not intend on derailing this discussion, but no where in the original post does it say this is limited to non-A/C car discussions. That said, it seems odd the factory would recognize the need and provide a seal for an A/C application but then not do the same for a non AC application. I don't have any experience with non-A/C cars.

Good luck.



No harm.

Great reference photo of the gap. Doesn't look like any evidence of tape or a seal.

Attached picture 6934201-gap.JPG
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