1948-1952 truck recirculating heater location?

Vanspeed

Vanspeed

Well-known member
Hi guys,
Have a restored standard recirculating heater for a ‘49 F-1. The truck had a heater it in that was directly in the center under the dash and very crudely installed. I see the knockouts for the fresh air heater next to the battery. That heater has vertical inlet and outlet. The standard has horizontal and that would put the hoses coming out over the battery? Also there are no knockouts anywhere that I can see for the standard heater. Can somebody tell me where the standard heater would have been installed? Last pic shows the vertical knockouts along the side of the battery. Any help appreciated as I can’t find any info or photos showing where this heater mounts.
 

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Vanspeed said:
Hi guys,
Have a restored standard recirculating heater for a ‘49 F-1. The truck had a heater it in that was directly in the center under the dash and very crudely installed. I see the knockouts for the fresh air heater next to the battery. That heater has vertical inlet and outlet. The standard has horizontal and that would put the hoses coming out over the battery? Also there are no knockouts anywhere that I can see for the standard heater. Can somebody tell me where the standard heater would have been installed? Last pic shows the vertical knockouts along the side of the battery. Any help appreciated as I can’t find any info or photos showing where this heater mounts.
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I don't think that is the correct recirculating heater. I have an original 1949 Ford accessories catalog and the recirculating heater it shows is like the one pictured below.
 

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I assume the one in my 49 Mercury truck is original and as i remember it the heater is more to the right of centre. If I can remember I'll take a picture of the setup.
 
That heater is the same as the onn in my 1952 F1. The 2 brass tubes go thru the firewall and the 3 bolts go thru the firewall as well and hold the heater to the cab side of the firewall. The heater core faces up. The brass tubes are to recirculate the hot coolant fluid. I have pictures-send a PM with your phone #-- and I will email. JR
 
Ok got the pictures. I did not check for a name on it but Harrison was a big name in aftermarket heaters here back then. I've even got one labelled Firestone in the 39 Deluxe.
 

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jetrod said:
That heater is the same as the onn in my 1952 F1. The 2 brass tubes go thru the firewall and the 3 bolts go thru the firewall as well and hold the heater to the cab side of the firewall. The heater core faces up. The brass tubes are to recirculate the hot coolant fluid. I have pictures-send a PM with your phone #-- and I will email. JR
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Thanks. I understand how it mounts but if I mount in the same area as a fresh air heater the tubes come right out on top of the battery. The fresh air heater has the tubes to the side of the battery. I have been told by numerous people that this is indeed for a ‘48-‘52. Do you have pics of where your is mounted?
 
RalphG said:
Ok got the pictures. I did not check for a name on it but Harrison was a big name in aftermarket heaters here back then. I've even got one labelled Firestone in the 39 Deluxe.
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From what I have been reading there was a Firestone that had the 3 doors and others that had three doors but they were older units. Then there was the one I have pictured above. I can mount it but I don’t like the idea of the hoses coming out directly above the battery. Seems like an odd spot to me.
 
The pipes on the heater in post #3 come out on the left side just like the one in post#7. Here are a couple more pictures that may help.
 

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Bob C said:
The pipes on the heater in post #3 come out on the left side just like the one in post#7. Here are a couple more pictures that may help.
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Yeah I understand where the 3 door recirculating heaters and fresh air heaters come through as I believe they both have the vertical tubes that come out next to the battery. I guess my question is I have been told by numerous people that the style I posted in post 1 is indeed for the 49-52 truck. It was basically the cheapest heater you could get. The tubes come out horizontally though. Does anybody have a picture of a heater that looks like the one I posted installed in a truck?
 
While you have been clear that others have told you that yours is a 48-52 unit, that just doesn't make sense. The block style Ford came later - like mid 1950s - when the tailgate embossing changed from script style.

You may be trying to fit a 'newer' unit into an older truck and are having the difficulty you've described.
 
FortyNiner said:
While you have been clear that others have told you that yours is a 48-52 unit, that just doesn't make sense. The block style Ford came later - like mid 1950s - when the tailgate embossing changed from script style.

You may be trying to fit a 'newer' unit into an older truck and are having the difficulty you've described.
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You may be right. Even Brassworks has a pic on their website for a replacement heater core and it says standard 48-52. Kinda bummed I have been mislead by so many people.
 

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Your heater is exactly like the one in my '52 F7 except my defrosted hoses are more of a 45 degree where yours look to be 90 degree. The other difference is that on the F 7 the battery is under the cab behind the rt running board. Interior box & Fotd letters are same.
 

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Cecil/WV said:
Your heater is exactly like the one in my '52 F7 except my defrosted hoses are more of a 45 degree where yours look to be 90 degree. The other difference is that on the F 7 the battery is under the cab behind the rt running board. Interior box & Fotd letters are same.
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Vanspeed said:
You may be right. Even Brassworks has a pic on their website for a replacement heater core and it says standard 48-52. Kinda bummed I have been mislead by so many people.
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Ford 1948-1952 Standard Recirculating Heater Core
 
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