1957 Chevrolet 210 - What happens when you make vague plans for Hot Rod Power Tour 2025

In reply to johndej :

Yep, still have a challenge car in the mix too....

..anyone want to sponsor me full time? lol

a_florida_man said:

In reply to johndej :

Yep, still have a challenge car in the mix too....

..anyone want to sponsor me full time? lol

I guess that' s a 'no'... lol

Now this is a cool project! looking forward to more

This car has the base model heater.

The fan runs at 3 speeds.On high speed the blower switch is a straight 12v pass through.

For medium and low the resistors are mounted on the switch. The switch needs an overhaul and the resistors are shot.

No one makes this switch anymore that I can find. 
 

So I cleaned the switch up and did a few internal and external repairs to get the switch functionally restored . I removed the resistors and drilled out the rivits that had held them to the switch. Now I have an on off switch for high speed at least. 
 

This weekend I'll find a place to mount this newer blower resistor in the heater air flow and I'll wire it to the three posts on the switch for low and medium speeds.

At least now I can fill another hole in the dash and have deluxe switch controlled heat!

That is Dee berkeleying Luxe, my friend!

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Thanks Angry!

BTW what's your opinion on dual circuit master cylinders?

As per my failure earlier in the thread, do we give them too much credit over single pots?

I know Im just that much more committed to mechanical e-brakes now as a result, personally.

a_florida_man said:

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

BTW what's your opinion on dual circuit master cylinders?

As per my failure earlier in the thread, do we give them too much credit over single pots?

My opinion is that they are significantly safer than single circuit MCs, and it's definitely worth the effort to change over a car from single to dual.

Your failure is unusual, but not impossible.

Man I love this build. Part restoration, part hot rod, 100% cool.

So this cold weather is good for one thing... temp gauge calibration!

Here is 160 degrees...

Next I'll run a 195 t stat and see where that lands.

I did a little parts catalog research last night, and I found that the deluxe and base model heater systems use the same fan motor. So with that in mind, I checked out the deluxe blower resistor. Its an external unit, like the newer one I was going to use, except that it is smaller and has only two resistors for the medium and low speeds. So by using this resistor, i'll have a smaller install foot print and ill likely have the correct changes in speed since these resistors should be the same as the old ones that were on the original switch.

In reply to a_florida_man :

I litterally replaced the heater fan switch in my buddy's '55 210 last week. I found a NOS on ebay. Was listed for a '55 Chevy truck but was the exact same switch.

Thanks for the tip!!
 

I found one on eBay as well last night... like you said for a 50s truck.

Looks like it would work. Since half of the switch housing is ceramic I'd assume that the resistors are inside. 
 

But at $60 and being several days to a week away in delivery time I figured I'd see my version through.

Besides I think there's a reason they gave up on putting the resistors on or in the switch... and I'm more concerned with function over precise restoration. As long as it looks about stock and functions I'm happy.

Just a note on the "backup" brake function in a dual circuit system, European legislation says that with one circuit out of order, the system should be able to give half of the deceleration that is demanded with both circuits in operation. I suppouse US standards are in the same ballpark.

The "issue" is that the deceleration demands in general are low. For a car that is 5,8 m/s2 with cold brakes from 80 km/h (and 490 N pedal force), so 2,9 m/s2 is the limit with one circuit.

Pretty much any car (even say a 1930's Ford with hydraulic brakes and diagonals) with get around 8 m/s2 when everything is working, so in reality, you may be down to 35% of the braking capacity. 

5,8 m/s2 represents 42,5 meters to stop from 80 km/h, 8 m/s2 is 30,8 meters and 2,9 m/s2 is 85 meters. Hence maybe the feeling of "no brakes" when a circuit fails (even if the components work as intended). 

I tend to see it as "it gives you a chance to choose what to hit at a lower speed"

When my brakes failed I had 0 m/s2 deceleration, and the pedal pressure of whatever the return spring was offering!

In hindsight the complete lack of brakes after the hard line failure was a combination of master cylinder failure and some air in the rear system that did bleed out with the new mc.

So admittedly if my brake system had been properly up to snuff (no chance of rear system air and a master cylinder with much less wear) I would have had something.

So, to your point about the design expectations of a failed system ( great info by the way), when you couple that with a 20yr or older not perfect but seemingly functional system, that just pushes me to emphasize the  maintenance of highly functional emergency mechanical brakes.

And I don't think a lot of folks ensure that mechanical emergency brakes are a priority.

I was really glad I did get that part right.

Fuel mileage has been a little on the OPEC side and I'd been wondering just how richly jetted a stock holley might be.

Then this tuning opportunity presented itself.

It appears that it's just the sender gasket. Amazon to the rescue!

These are the things that get in the maintenance que when you wake an old one up.

Honestly I'm sorta happy to see it all things considered because the gas mileage has been bad... like bad power valve bad. lol

Blower resistor arrived!

I installed it in this duct work right at the blower outlet before the floor / defrost split.

A step drill bit and two rivets later...

This should keep the resistors cool so that they will last. 
 

The final assembly...

And with that, the three speeds of heat have been restored !