What's on this dash?

jrw429 · 2012-05-31 00:24

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/classic-car/1957-Ford-Station+Wagon+Series-394823.xhtml

I don't recognize this dash. It has a clock to the far right, then the radio delete. And then some sort of round knob where the heater controls "ought" to be. Anyone know what that is?

Also, is that a manual choke under the dash to the right of the steering wheel? Is that original?

Tom S · 2012-05-31 03:32

Quote from: jrw429 on 2012-05-31 00:24..And then some sort of round knob where the heater controls "ought" to be. Anyone know what that is?
Also, is that a manual choke under the dash to the right of the steering wheel? Is that original?

No clue on that round knob @ the heater control location, very weird. But the one below the dash is for engaging the overdrive.
Here's one from a 1956, or maybe earlier, Ford.

Wish I'd kept my '56 Tudor Wagon 3 speed with overdrive after seeing what became of it after I sold it.

I think it finally went to a better home though. Never got my T-bird valve covers & those chrome reverse wheels back. My fault.

Crappy pic. Got a bunch of good ones but they are slides.

glen b henderson · 2012-05-31 05:46

This is the dealer installed heater. It just used a rotary on/off switch with fan speed control.

JPotter57 · 2012-05-31 08:13

I was about to say that Glen, one of my parts cars had that dealer installed heater, I kept all of that stuff, plate and switch/cable. Probably not worth anything, but I have it to put in something if I ever need to.

Partsman · 2012-05-31 09:37

That is actually a recirculating heater. It does not have a fresh air intake. They were on some cars from cold weather areas such as Montanna North Dakota and other northern states. The warm air was recycled in the passenger compartment because in really cold weather it took a long time to warm up interior. I have seen several of these when I was working for Ford dealers. Driving down the road no air ran through the heater. They were not dealer installed but ordered from the factory with this option. Not very common.

robhaerr · 2012-05-31 10:33

That car is at Wayne Carini's shop...the guy who does Chasing Classic Cars on the Discovery Channel Velocity.

I like that show...there was an episode that showed him buying that car at auction about 2 years ago...surprised he hasn't sold it yet.

57AGIN · 2012-05-31 14:43

Glen, James, Partsman & JRW429:

Here are a couple of photos of the dealer installed heater set up in 57 AGIN. The control knob in 57 AGIN was moved from its original location down to where the cigarette lighter used to go. It is a two speed setup and when you pull out on the knob it directs the air to defrost the front window (very high tech) lol. My car was constructed in the San Pedro, CA Ford plant and I can't recall whether it receives fresh air input from the cowl or not. Rick may be able to elaborate on that. So I'm not sure if this is the same type of heater Partsman is talking about, it sure could be???

RICH MUISE · 2012-05-31 16:06

Bob..your setup is like mine...no fresh air intake. That cowl plate you had chromed is where part of the factory heater that draws air from the cowl would have drawn it's air from.
Rich

Tom S · 2012-05-31 16:24

Quote from: Partsman on 2012-05-31 09:37That is actually a recirculating heater. It does not have a fresh air intake.

I have seen people wonder why their windows are fogging up when they should be defrosting. In newer cars that have a selector that lets you pick between recirculating the air inside the car or fresh outside air the selector accidently gets changed to recirculating & the air picks up moisture from snow drug in on people's feet & the defrost don't work worth a damn.

SkylinerRon · 2012-06-06 01:06

The knob under the dash is the choke (6cyl) because of the optional cigar lighter (on a Custom) is in the dash bezel.
Regards,
Ron.

Tom S · 2012-06-06 01:21

Quote from: SkylinerRon on 2012-06-06 01:06The knob under the dash is the choke (6cyl) ...

No way that's the choke. Like I said in the 2nd post it's for the overdrive. Look at the writing on the handle, way too long to say 'Choke'. And it is a V8 car with overdrive, not a six.

bossguy · 2012-06-07 09:45

We had this discussion on the Edsel site a couple of months ago, and you guys have covered all the bases. I was looking for a heater core for my sons 59 Edsel. I came up with one for a "recirculating" heater and the retired parts guy that owns Miller Obsolete in Binghampton, Ny didn't know what that was. I've been doing ford parts for 45 years and never saw one in person. The Owner of the Edsel site set us all straight with the recirc. heater. All Edsels came with the fresh air heater. Like Partsman said if your clothes are wet or theres a water leak the interior is fogbound.

gasman826 · 2012-06-07 18:31

X2. You don't want one except to take the chill off in the desert. You will need to carry a bath towel called defogger. All you can do is wipe the inside of the windows.

RICH MUISE · 2012-06-07 21:23

drove my car with the dealer installed, recirculating heater for a year in the Colorado mountains...can't remember ever having an excessive problem with humidity..but of course Colorado is dry climate anyway.

gasman826 · 2012-06-08 07:57

Michigan "Winter Wonderland"...wonder were you're going to land in the winter 'cause you can't see where you're going. Or maybe we're just in a fog all the time.

Those heaters are very popular. I've sold several of them. They are self contained and fit almost any application with a flat firewall. They will do a good job of taking off the chill on those early and late season tours.

News:

What's on this dash?