Couple of questions

**InkedForLife** · April 1st, 2010, 02:08 PM

Couple of quick questions;
The steering wheel on my 65 Ranchero is, I think, beyond hope. I want to keep the steering wheel as stock looking as possible, mainly because I haven't found an aftermarket wheel I like. None of the usual vendors has a repop wheel for the 64-65, but most of them do for the 63 and earlier. Will that wheel work on my steering column? I like the three spoke better than the two spoke anyway, so if it fits, that would be the way to go.
In reinstalling the heater box, there is about a 2" gap betwen the pass side inlet and the box itself. I got the rebuild kit from Dearborn and there is a rubber seal that stretches over the lip on the box, but it is quite a stretch, and there is no corresponding lip on the inlet. Am I missing something here?

As always, any and all help/suggestions are greatly appreciated

Troy

**Jeff W** · April 1st, 2010, 05:16 PM

RE: heater - Sounds like the little upside-down top hat is missing. This is the corresponding lip you are looking for. It attaches to the hole in the cowl with two spring-loaded clips. I just installed mine so I can't easily take a picture. It is basically a 6" diameter tube about 2" long tube with a flange welded on the top side. Round flat gasket seals between this flange and the cowl.

I'll try for a photo when I get home if no one else has replied by then.

**Luva65wagon** · April 1st, 2010, 07:54 PM

You might want to look at Mustang steering wheels to see if they'll work. They may have the same splines, etc. I've not tried, but looking in my NPD catalog, it sure looks pretty close to what mine looks like. They're about $200 there. I buy a lot of parts for my Falcon from the NPD (National Parts Depot) Mustang Catalog because there are a lot of common parts and the same part there is often 50% cheaper than the same part in a Falcon catalog. Quality has been great.

And was the flange missing on the heater box or on the upper cowl (under the dash). There should be a flange coming down and one going up and there is a rubber bellows sort of thing with huge spring clamps (like those dreadful spring-loaded heater hose clamps you can never grab hold of and open -- just bigger) and you stretch this over both sides. The one going up is part of the heater box and the one coming down is sheet metal and is also going up into the cowl to act as a dam to keep water from coming into the car from the cowl vent.... which is where most of the water does make it into the car when this rusts out. Again, another part the same as in a Mustang, but cheaper.

**Jeff W** · April 1st, 2010, 08:48 PM

It's kind of hard to orientate yourself with this picture, it's taken through the glove box door. This is my home made boot (bike inner-tube and 6" clamps) I used the original metal flange that was remaining after my rubber boot rotted away.

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I just did some checking and apparently the new boot/seal includes this flange. The seal is about $50 from FalconParts.com and does not include the two clips to snap it to the cowl.

I have attached a picture from the vendors website - Depending on the kit you have - you may just need the two clips... clip shown below.

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Joe'sfalcon has some good shots of this in practice - Go to the "Cooling, Heating, AC" section:

http://www.joesfalcon.com/

**InkedForLife** · April 2nd, 2010, 11:01 PM

Jeff and Roger,
That sound you heard earlier today was my palm connecting with my face. During the tear down, I had Ziploc bagged and labeled all the parts/fasteners/clips/etc. as well as separating out all the parts that were going to require paint. Going thru the stash of painted parts today, I found the flange as well as the clips. Looking back, I believe the rubber part had completely disappeared by the time of tear down. I will get one on order first thing Monday. Is there a source for the clips, if I'm replacing the flange, it would seem to make sense to replace the clips as well.

Roger,
I like the look of that steering wheel, I will be giving NPD a call on Monday to see if it will fit on the Ranchero. It's always nice to find a new source for parts.

Thanks
Troy

**Jeff W** · April 3rd, 2010, 05:42 PM

Falconparts.com has them for $1.50 each. I'm sure other vendors have them also-

Category: HEATER
Product ID: 373920S
Description: This is the retaining clip for the heater to cowl seal. Two each are required.

Price: $1.50