I've been looking at pre-'70s, pre-electric grid rear defrosters (the kind with a blower motor under the package tray, and a vent above), but can't seem to find much info on them... or pics. Some have a heater core, most don't (and use cabin air instead, which works pretty decent after the car warms up). Looks like in '61 they were offered as an dealer-installed accessory by Cadillac, and by '62 they began offering them as standard equipment in the Eldorados, and they could be installed by a dealer in earlier models, hence seeing them in those occasionally... I'm ***uming the same was likewise for most of the rest of GM (I have a Cadillac, hence the Cadillac bias). Attached are some pics from a '60s Chevy - can anybody post more pics of these (especially the blowers, and ones with rear heater cores that also heat the floor of the back seat)? I've always wondered why these weren't very popular until the 70s... or why the electric grid, ugly though it was, wasn't used until then. Those blower motors look like they involve fitting into the trunk in weird positions. I once considered a modern-style electric grid-style rear defroster, but 2 seconds later, the ugliness of the whole setup almost burned my imagination out. Eew. Since then I've found reproduction blowers for early Mustangs that look and perform the way many of the early accessory ones did, however I'd like my install to look more like a dealer-installed accessory of the time instead of some cobbled-together piece of ****. So show me your rear defoggers/defrosters! I'd love to see more examples of the installs (factory or not) that have been done on some of your rides - I think this is something that would be way handy (and period-correct) to have on some of our rides here in the Midwest for those of us who drive our cars in the winter. And if you live somewhere where you don't need 'em, feel free to gloat. ~Jason
Picked one up a couple of years ago to install in my Malibu, cleaned up and painted to match. Then gave it some thought to the days when they were current technology and how effective they were. Didn't cut it here in Manitoba when it hit 30 below, still needed frost shield on the back window to see out. So it sits on the shelf collecting dust. Oh well I don't have the switch for it anyhow. This is what one out of a 66 Chevelle looks like, same as one for a 64 Chevelle. Canuck If anyone is interested ???
Anybody have any pics (especially Cadillac) of the vent(s)/etc above the package tray, or the blowers under it? Maybe pics of the cutouts needed, or the switch used? ~Jason
the mopar version from the early 60's to the early 70's was a blower motor as you described. The blower mounted to the right speaker hole and the car only came with 1 speaker back there on the left side. my 69 dart as all mopars around that time had a 2' x 1" cut out in the center of the package tray.....a 2' hose ran from the blower motor to the ductwork in the center.....on ebay you can put in mopar or chrysler, dodge rear defroster and look at them.....the chevys were like the one you posted. if you could figure out a way to heat the air without melting the blowers motor...you would be better off....like in the link below....put the element in that metal box my rear defroster cover is a screen that looks like a speaker cover...it goes over where the air is drawn in.....as long as nothing gets in that area you could fabricate a heating element in that spot.....thats why i like the chrysler set up....the plastic duct is no where near the squirrel cage...and the heating element which is small can be placed far enough away from the squirrel cage not to melt it...its worth looking into....have not tried it yet also on another note....the 2' hose going from the blower to the duct work......could be replaced with metal pipe....and the element be put in there...that would be better.....if it got too hot...lower the resistance or lengthen the pipe.....check out the mopar stuff here is what it looks like http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=16440&highlight=rear+defroster its way down the page with the chevy version......like the one above.....i would mount the blower motor to a box with an element...and mount the box to the package tray....kind of like a spacer.....element heats air.....like a soldering iron....and instant very warm defroster....could even use a variable resistor for a switch
I don't have a picture, but my Sister's 65 Barracuda has a factory rear window defroster for that huge *** rear window. It's the only one I have seen on an early 'cuda. It has a knob in the dash labeled for it from the factory.
i would like to use some sort of resistors to help heat the air in the rear defroster......have the air blowing across the resistors just to give it that extra edge
Anyone out there know anyone with a rear window defroster for a 64-66 Barracuda that are willing to sell??????????
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