The Ford Barn

56sedandelivery · 01-09-2020, 01:10 PM

So tearing down the inner fenders and find that the flapper that controls the ventilation in car and the heater blower has gone south. The gasket around the flapper that seal the vent so that you do not get outside air when you do not want it is shot. Has anyone replaced this or fixed somehow. I know the parts book show only the entire unit. I assume these are no longer available and any old one would probably be in the same condition as mine. What have you guys done to solve this?

alt63bird · 01-09-2020, 02:29 PM

Drill out the spot welds, pull the two halves apart, cut new rubber out of rubber roofing, screw back together with sheet metal or panhead screws. Carpenter I think makes the seal, but you can cut one out pretty easily as long as you have an old one for a pattern.

Hot Rod Reverend · 01-09-2020, 03:54 PM

another blog post on my website gets into this in detail:
https://www.hotrodreverend.com/post/...n-blog-part-11

56sedandelivery · 01-09-2020, 04:09 PM

Thanks guys.

Daves55Sedan · 01-09-2020, 07:13 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Some of the repro parts suppliers are offering the complete reproduced vane with the new rubber sandwiched in-between. During the days when I rebuilt my Courier, it was offered as a complete assembly or you could just buy the rubber and hardware kit. I redid the valves in both my '55's by using the rubber/hardware kit. I drilled out the spot-welds so the two halves come apart. I cleaned the metal parts in a motorized wire-wheel, painted them and put them back together myself using the screws and nuts provided in the kit.

01-09-2020, 02:29 PM	#2
alt63bird Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: outside Omaha, NE Posts: 276	Re: Air Vent flapper? Drill out the spot welds, pull the two halves apart, cut new rubber out of rubber roofing, screw back together with sheet metal or panhead screws. Carpenter I think makes the seal, but you can cut one out pretty easily as long as you have an old one for a pattern. __________________ Alan H. Tast AIA, LEED AP BD+C Technical Director/Past President-Editor-Publications Director, Vintage Thunderbird Club Int'l. (VTCI) http://www.vintagethunderbirdclub.net Author, "Thunderbird 1955-1966" & "Thunderbird 50 Years" 35+ year member, Crown Victoria Ass'n.

01-09-2020, 03:54 PM	#3
Hot Rod Reverend Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lancaster, CA Posts: 916	Re: Air Vent flapper? another blog post on my website gets into this in detail: https://www.hotrodreverend.com/post/...n-blog-part-11 __________________ Lancaster, California Visit hotrodreverend.com to view hundreds of pictures and videos of the build of the 1955 Ford Club Sedan!

01-09-2020, 04:09 PM	#4
56sedandelivery Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Arkansas Posts: 525	Re: Air Vent flapper? Thanks guys.

01-09-2020, 07:13 PM	#5
Daves55Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, Illinois Posts: 3,008	Re: Air Vent flapper? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Some of the repro parts suppliers are offering the complete reproduced vane with the new rubber sandwiched in-between. During the days when I rebuilt my Courier, it was offered as a complete assembly or you could just buy the rubber and hardware kit. I redid the valves in both my '55's by using the rubber/hardware kit. I drilled out the spot-welds so the two halves come apart. I cleaned the metal parts in a motorized wire-wheel, painted them and put them back together myself using the screws and nuts provided in the kit.