Installing Hot Water Heater In My 36

[Mr. Will]

My car still has the original 36 21 stud LB engine so, I thought I would share this information in case it would help others. It also had a hot air heater but the heat exchanger had failed so I thought I would convert to hot water. I picked up a Ha Dees that I thought would look good so I set out to make the swap. The Ha Dees nipples that go through the firewall had a 7-1/2" vertical C/C dimension. This was not going to work with the small area on the passenger side of the firewall so I had a bit of plumbing to do as well as make a new mount and patch the 3" hole that the hot air heater used to access the cabin. I posted a want add here on the Ford Barn and a member here came through with the X I needed, thanks Kerk.

I found the easiest way to plumb the heater for the upper heater hose was to use a drivers side water pump with the temp sending boss. The temp boss is 5/8-18 NFT so it was a relatively easy fix. I drilled out the seat at the bottom of the boss with a 9/16" drill bit then used a 3/8-18 NPT pipe tap to convert to pipe thread and installed a 3/8- NPT 90* to 5/8 HB fitting. I also plumbed in the heater valve at the heater and was able to use the already existing cable for the hot air heater to control the new water valve. I drilled two 5/8" holes through the stanchions on the passenger plug wire loom then silver soldered a piece of 1/2" copper tubing in place with a street 90* on the end. Then made the connection at the water pump with a formed hose I found at NAPA. I also used formed hoses from the firewall connections and installed the hose barb fitting in the lower rad hose. I used a NOS switch I had for the fan mounted under the dash to the left of the column drop. I also installed a set of Red's Headers and all new exhaust. I think that about sums it up. In all it took me about two weeks.

[Vintage Copper 47]

photos please

[Mr. Will]

Originally Posted by Vintage Copper 47

photos please

For some reason this forum will not let me post pics off my phone anymore so I had to send photos to my PC.

[Mike in AZ]

Wow. Nice fabricating and problem solving. Any pics of finished job? Mike

Faster than me. Lol. Posted mine and then saw your new pics. Very nice

[Mr. Will]

Originally Posted by Mike in AZ

Wow. Nice fabricating and problem solving. Any pics of finished job? Mike

Faster than me. Lol. Posted mine and then saw your new pics. Very nice

Thanks here is the 90* and the valve I used.

[ford38v8]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Very neat installation!

[Mr. Will]

One thing I forgot to mention, I cut the hose barb end off the valve at both ends and had to file it down just a touch to fit the copper tubing. Soldered it up and pressure tested and all was good.

[Mr. Will]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Very neat installation!

Thanks, many knights laying in bed engineering...

[corvette8n]

Great job, that is a small heater, looks good.

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by Mr. Will

Thanks, many knights laying in bed engineering...

Nice looking installation but "Knights" in bed?

[Mr. Will]

Originally Posted by 51 MERC-CT

Nice looking installation but "Knights" in bed?

Edit, Damn fat fingers...

[Terry,OH]

There are water pumps for the 21 stud with heater outlets to replace the RH pump. Kind of rare and they are not made by Ford.