Re: Greg B's 1951 200

Posted by HH56 On 2014/11/24 20:05:16

The heater levers are dual stage with two bowden cables on each lever. The upper portion of travel controls the air vents and the bottom half controls either the temp valve or windshield/floor flapper. Depending on what portion is not working it could be a rusted or kinked bowden cable or jammed flapper. The cables are easy to disconnect and remove so that would be where I would start on the no movement problem. The rubber in the vent tube flappers are usually worthless by now and will need to be changed. You can buy new cut to fit from Steele but most of us just cut a new one out of flat sheet rubber. The old staples holding the flappers together will probably not be reusable but pop rivets or screws are not seen and substitute nicely.

The lights issue sounds like the circuit breaker mounted to headlight switch is cycling. That usually happens because of a short. It will keep cycling as long as there is power to the circuit and a short or until the breaker finally dies. Since there is a fairly long time before it first cycles there is a slim possibility the amp capacity has weakened over the years and lights are drawing more than breaker can handle now. You can get a universal 30amp stud terminal type I (self resetting) breaker at most parts stores. There may be a mounting flange on the universal breaker you will have to remove but otherwise a stud terminal breaker will mount in the location.

Headlight switch breaker protects dash, head, parking, tail and license lamps. Typical place to check for any shorts is where wiring goes thru a hole in the body and pay particular attention to the trough in the trunk floor just below the trunk lid where wires cross over to the right side and one or two drop down and out for license light. There have also been reports of the dimmer switch acting up so another possibility.

On the flasher, if it is the plug in type you can get a modern replacement 535 at parts stores. While it will work the flashers, there have been reports it may not work the signal indicator in speedo. It uses a transistor for that signal function and because of the Packard positive ground the transistor may not trigger. You may have to get the original Tung-Sol or a proper replacement from one of the vendors.