Screen for warm air side

[RestoreThemAll]

I know that I shouldn't ask why with these cars...why does the cold air intake have a screen on the air hose (behind the grill) but the warm air side doesn't?

While I'm working on the body paint my son is fine tuning and tying up loose ends. Whats the best way to add a screen to the warm side, similar to the cold side?

Dale

 

[HealeyRick]

Easy. Bugs have a straight shot on the cold air side, they get chewed up by the heater blower on the warm air side.

 

[Keoke]

easy. Bugs have a straight shot on the cold air side, they get chewed up by the heater blower on the warm air side.

yep--Rick--lol

 

[RestoreThemAll]

So if I don't want critters of all sizes in my air ducts is there a best solution?

 

[HealeyRick]

You could probably stretch some window screen over the metal duct, slip the corrugated ducting over it and trim the excess.

 

[steveg]

You could probably stretch some window screen over the metal duct, slip the corrugated ducting over it and trim the excess.

No metal duct on the heater side. You'd need to make an insert out of, say, flashing and stretch the screen over that.

 

[RestoreThemAll]

That should work Rick.

I was also looking at the parts catalogs. The cold air flange air intake (screws to the firewall) with a wire mesh screen glued to it might work.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

Dale, if your worried about bugs entering the hot air duct then you're better off placing the screen at the intake at the front of the duct and not right before it enters the cockpit. It would be much harder to clean the collection of bugs from the flange on the firewall.

 

[steveg]

I've had my heater out a couple of times over the last few years. Didn't see any insects or parts of same in the core fins. A little dust was all.

 

[RestoreThemAll]

Rob, I was planning on installing at the radiator opening, not the firewall.

Dale

 

[RestoreThemAll]

Steve, would mice or bugs get in during storage?
Dale

 

[John Turney]

Steve, would mice or bugs get in during storage?
Dale

The one time I had mice, they preferred the wiring.

 

[steveg]

Steve, would mice or bugs get in during storage?
Dale

Storage - what's that?

PS - If you were worried about mice, 1/4" or 1/2" hardware cloth would keep them out and not restrict the airflow that much.

 

[HealeyRick]

Steve, would mice or bugs get in during storage?
Dale

My radio is installed on the bottom of the heater box:

Today, I had to drop the bottom plate of the heater box to get to the back of the radio to install an auxiliary cable that will allow me to play tunes from my iPhone through the car radio. As soon as I dropped it down, I saw a goodly supply of chewed acorns. I had cleaned the box out a few years ago and also at that time found mouse nests in the steel heater ducts running across the front of the car. So the little s.o.b.s are getting in there somehow, most probably through the hot air vent. Rather have them hanging out there than in the wiring or upholstery, though.
t

 

[Rob Glasgow]

Chewed acorns? I'll see that and raise you some bird seed. I think Donald Healey must have had a soft spot for little critters, so he designed a warm spot for them to gather.

 

[RestoreThemAll]

I ordered and received parts meant for the cold air at the fire wall. See attached pics. They are not attached to the car yet. I haven't decided how I'll install yet.

 

[RDKeysor]

I have no screens on either hose and haven't had any issues with material blowing into the car. Since I am in North Florida and have my heater tap shut off, I chose to disconnect the hoses on both sides of the heater fan, telescoped them together, disconnected the hose where it enters the heater in the cockpit, and now get cool (that's relative, of course) air directed over the cargo shelf and toward the driver when underway. I probably should confess that one of the hoses at the heater want was already disconnected, and I was aware of the problems owners had reinstalling it. So what the heck. I have rarely had the top on this car since I drove it down from Virginia in a January five or six years ago, and the unused side curtains are stashed away in their case awaiting the day when this car might be sold to a buyer in colder climes. Haven't even had occasion to look at them. To date I haven't found any members expressing interest in the heater bypass I created.

 

[RestoreThemAll]

I did install the screen that I mentioned earlier in this thread. I decided to put the clamp on the outside of the frame so that it would have more area to clamp to. It doesn't look too bad given that it's completely out of sight.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Couldn't you just drill three (3) holes in that bulkhead, and bolt the flange onto the inside, sandwiching the screen in between? It would look far more like it was intended to be assembled that way, and the clamp would be inside (and more protected from the elements, at least direct road-spray) when the time comes to replace the hose...

While not 100% genuine, as hardly anything on my car is, instead or the paper & wire duct, I elected to use Neoprene rubber air duct, figuring it to be more durable and to last longer.

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3620

A bit of the cold-air duct is visible behind the air filter box.

And the other cold air duct on the opposite side.

(heater box resides in the attic of my SW Florida garage__where it does the most good)

 

[RestoreThemAll]

Hey Randy. Yes, I could drill and mount the flange the way that you describe. I might just do that.

I used a heavy rubber hose for air intake lines. It will outlast the car, and me too. I also pulled the squirrel cage fan apart and changed out the motor with a new AC Delco. With everything sealed up tight I really get some air movement.