Per an earlier post regarding installing a volta drop from 12 to 6 volt for my swap meet 3 door heater I was highly advised to NOT use a volta drop but install a new 12 volt blower motor. OK but where are you purchasing the 12 volt motor? I have been most early Ford part sites as well as electric motor sites with no luck. I called and talked with the Early Ford Store in San Dimas as they are advertising a 12 volt replacement motor for 41 to 56 Fords so I just called them only to be informed that the motor they advertise will not work in the 3 door heaters. They said they just found out there selves it wouldn't work. The existing motors for these heater have 2 studs coming out the back of the motor that connect to the motor to the frame and the shaft for the fan out the other end. The ones there selling have the shaft and the 2 mounting studs all coming out on just one end of the motor. Have any of you guy's ran into this problem using the 3 door heater? If so please tell me what you did for a motor. R
IMO... make a bracket and mount 2 computer fans, they are cheap, 12volt, quiet and reliable... they use very little juice... most rodders are not trying to melt an inch of ice off the windshield...
For an interim solution, just use the voltage drop, we used a resistor years ago, to have hot air available when you need it. Ours lasted for quite some time that way.
So... take the bolts out, one at a time and put them back in from the opposite end of the motor. What's hard about that?
So change the studs. The ones in your existing motor may work... but in any case you should be able to find or make new ones that could 'convert' it, or maybe even just swap the ones in it end-for-end. These motors are pretty universal, but they can't cover all variations so some creativity is sometimes needed. As long as the studs don't use a 12-24 thread (which is getting hard to find, so you might have to make those), finding threaded rod isn't hard.
I think you nailed it Steve. looks like cut the one set of studs off and it's a go. Thanks a bunch guy's. I love the HAMB.
When I did my 41 convertible, I went to a real auto parts store, with my old fan motor as an example. They got out a big book, and ordered one..
I converted the heater blower motor in my '46 Ford with a motor from Dennis Carpenter. PN B6A-18527-B. On the motor itself is Fasco, 12V, 2807-406-074.
I did one on a Ford F3 this past winter. It has studs out both ends and the shaft is 1/4" with a sleeve to work with a 5/16" wheel if you need. The part # is 35576. That's a 4 Seasons brand (division of Standard Motor Products). The pictures look identical to the motor Steve posted.
Not wanting to disagree with the "experts", but I use a voltage reducer that I sourced from Mac's, part number V12873. I've been using this reducer with a "3 door" 6 volt '41 Ford heater with a 3 speed reversing switch in my '40 for seven years. I live in the Great Lakes region, this heater gets used a lot.
Thank all you guy's for your impute. I called Napa and asked about there 655-1022 blower motor. They said they don't have one on the shelf but its in stock in LA and could be here in the morning for just a $36.00 charge. I picked it up yesterday, same physical size as the 6 volt motor with a longer fan shaft and 4 studs, 2 at each end. Cut off the 2 studs on the same end as the fan shaft. Shortened the shaft and it fits like a glove. Damn!!! the HAMB is the best Hot Rod/Kustom site on the internet.
The problem with using a resistor-type voltage reducer is it doesn't reduce the load. One reason for the change from 6V to 12V was to reduce the current (amps) needed to operate the devices. So a generator that produces 30 amps at 6V will output 180 watts. A 12V generator with the same 30 amp output will produce 360 watts, or double the power. This is a 'twofer'; The 'new' 12V items will draw roughly the same watts as the 6V stuff, so you now have more power available to operate additional electrical items. This is why early 'luxury' cars had hydraulically operated windows and other power accessories with engine-driven pumps; the 6V generators of the day simply couldn't put out enough power to use electric motors. So a 6V motor that draws say 10 amps when running will still draw the same 10 amps when running through the reducer, or 60 watts. But to reduce the voltage down to 6V, the reducer will also use 60 watts, so your total load doubles to 120 watts. On small current items like gauges or clocks, not a big deal. But bigger items will add up quickly and can seriously eat into charging system capacity. Not to mention the heat generated by the reducer, which can get hot enough to start fires if not installed safely.
Perfect answer Steve. It can help to know the reasoning behind a "you shouldn't do this" sort of answer. Your answer said it all very well.
I have a 3 door heater I've been wanting to redo for my coupe. The fan motor was my big hangup. This may have just given me the spark to get it done!!
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