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Tips
Tips

Heaters Done, YEA!!!!!!!!!

Tinkerman

Darth Vader
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This heater started out, as most of them do, rusty and in need of a total refurbishing. Randy pointed out, when I asked a question on the forum, that Frank Angelini had a great heater refurb article on wiki pedia and kindly gave me a link to it. It was a step by step with lots of photos and was of immeasurable help in getting mine done. Frank was kind enough to answer some of my questions by email.
The one thing I did differently was, since I dont have a lathe, I cleaned up the comutator using an old drill press I have and a fingernail file cut to fit.
All I lack now is soldering the bullet connection and its ready to go under the dash.
Dale, I had one of those butane units tucked away in my hobby room that I had never used so all I need is some butane and I'm good to go.
Thanks to all of you for the help and the tips!
Tinkerman
 

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Dick - that looks GREAT. Congrats sir!

I remember doing the heater in my MGB several years ago; total pain in the rear. Worst part was pulling it out of the engine bay. I think it was welded in by a midget lying upside down on the engine with his legs braced on the front seats. (figure that one out ...)

Anyway - bravo. Well done!

Tom
PS - careful ... you'll start seeing other heaters arrive, pleading for similar work. :smile:
 
Dick did your heater have the SMITHS label on the cover that has the lids that open? It would have been near the vent tube. Kind of a triangle shape. I've only seen it once on a heater that was for sale on ebay. Nobody reproduces them that I can find. It's the only part missing from the two that I restored.
 
WOW very nice Dick!

If you get a large package in your mailbox, don't worry it will just be my heater and pleading 'Help please?' note!
 
Nice piece of work.

Now to anticipate the sad part: that heater will produce approximately the same effect, on a cool Tennessee evening, as breathing air out into your hands.
 
Perrymip said:
Nice piece of work.

Now to anticipate the sad part: that heater will produce approximately the same effect, on a cool Tennessee evening, as breathing air out into your hands.

I always thought it more like a little old lady breathing on your leg.
 
bgbassplyr said:
Perrymip said:
Nice piece of work.

Now to anticipate the sad part: that heater will produce approximately the same effect, on a cool Tennessee evening, as breathing air out into your hands.

I always thought it more like a little old lady breathing on your leg.

What are we talking about again?
 
mallard said:
Dick did your heater have the SMITHS label on the cover that has the lids that open? It would have been near the vent tube. Kind of a triangle shape. I've only seen it once on a heater that was for sale on ebay. Nobody reproduces them that I can find. It's the only part missing from the two that I restored.

Morning Keith, I actually have three heaters and all three have a space for that label but no label. Might have been a sticky label that 40 plus years of service caused them to drop off. You might PM Frank Angelini he might know something about them.

Tinkerman
 
Karl, I just don't know how to create a link, sorry. However, if you type "Smiths Heater - Restoration" into Google the first item to pop up is Franks report.

Tinkerman
 
Perry I just sent you a PM

Tinkerman
 
It it works as good as it looks your golden.
 
mallard said:
Dick did your heater have the SMITHS label on the cover that has the lids that open? It would have been near the vent tube. Kind of a triangle shape. I've only seen it once on a heater that was for sale on ebay. Nobody reproduces them that I can find. It's the only part missing from the two that I restored.



Keith

Is this the decal you're looking for?
I think they are still available. I found this at Stoneleigh a couple of years ago.

SmithsLabel.jpg
 
I think that is what I'm looking for. Never a good picture of the label so I'm not sure about the bottom. The shape is correct (which is kind of an odd shape) so it is most likely is. Thanks a ton for the information I will check it out. Thanks again Frank.
 
Thanks Frank, and Randy for the information. Expensive little sticker, but cheap compared to the total cost of restoration. Thanks again.
 
I don't know about anyone else but the space on my heater cover, where a small sticker might go, is 1' x 1/2" rectangle. The little label shown by Frank does not appear to be rectangular in shape. I have two other heaters and the space is the same on all three. I like the label though, might buy one just cause!

Tinkerman
 
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