Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

We seem to be getting a lot of 47 Custom questions these days, so I'll add to the trend.

Mine is getting close to graduation from the restorer's shop -- and I can hardly wait. But I got this question from the '47 today:

"the heater control in the front must be on high in order for the rear heater control to work. In other words, the control in the back receives it's voltage from the front control, and when the front control is on a low position, the rear control has this low voltage and thus the rear cannot be on high when the front is on low."

Does anyone know if this is normal?

I guess I should checked the owners manual, which I will after I hit submit.

I believe the typical connection if equipped with dash and the underseat heater was both heaters in parallel and only one switch controlled them. If the owner wanted to separate them, an optional switch was sometimes installed in the dash if there was an unused slot say in the fog or electromatic switch position. If nothing was available then one of the earlier screw on type switches was placed under the dash edge for the underseat heater.

If you already have separate controls I would treat it as such and take the power for the second heater from ignition switch via a separate fused feed.

My 47 Custom Clipper sedan is not at home now, but if memory serves me correctly the heater-defroster unit under the instrument panel in my car is controlled by the "Defroster" switch and the under seat heater is controlled by the "Heater" switch. There is a lever on the front of the under panel unit to direct the heated air to the defroster outlets or into the lower level of the passenger compartment. These switches are on the RH side and include other switches for fog lights and Electromatic Clutch; although the clutch switch is a blank. One can also check the owner's manual to see what it says. Does this help?

(o[]o)

I think you may be right about the switches and maybe that is the stock configuration. There is another unit available but I don't know what year it was originally for. A friend has one on his 47 and it is wired the way I mentioned.

Unfortunately the manuals are less than spectacular on the switch identification. Doesn't mention much on the whole right side group. The heater is only referred to in the fact book by pointing to the accessory section. Didn't see a proper reference to defroster at all. Unlike the owners manual, there is a decent picture of the switches in the acc catalog but not much info.

The unit Bob has looks very much like the dash mounted defroster/footwarmer unit you just mentioned but it has a small motor and blower assembly mounted to the top of the case. The bottom front area has a small door but don't think it has the 2 side pointing doors. Just don't remember on those.

The heater switch turns on the internal fan which blows heated air thru the bottom of the case. In Bob's car, a round hang on switch mounted to the right of ashtray to kind of complement the OD knob turns the underseat heater on. It is obviously an add on. For a defroster, that dash switch turns on the small motor blower assy which sucks heated air thru the top of heater case and out to the windshield.

I'd be very curious as to what year(s) had the extra little blower on top and pictures if anyone has some. It doesn't show in the 46 acc catalog. That does show the footwarmer/defroster setup, underseat setup and a third heater that says it has a built in defroster which appears to be configured like the prewar units but no other info.

As far as the heater accessories, curiously, that acc catalog shows a knob which says "Cooling". I wonder if that took the place of the one for the heater vent system that used to be labeled "Fresh Air"

Does this help?
Wes

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Thanks for photo but that appears to be the standard unit -- what Packard called the defroster/footwarmer.

What Bob had was more like this deluxe heater but I don't remember if it had the side doors -- just the bottom one. It's been a long time since I saw it so maybe it was a louvre or slot instead of a door. He also had the standard underseat heater.

On his dash unit, a motor which drove an ordinary fan was in back for the heater section. Instead of the two defroster outlets out the back shown on this deluxe there was a small blower assy mounted flat on the top of the box and drawing heated air up. The second motor was on the top driving the wheel section below and entire assy screwed to the case. IIRC it had the outlets pointing one out each side. I think the whole assy on top of the box was maybe an extra 4 inches or so tall and 3/4 as wide but with outlets included was maybe as wide as the case.

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My under dash unit is shaped like the one Wes pictured.

(o[]o)

So is mine and that appears to be the standard dash unit with the deluxe as optional for 21st. That's why I was curious what years the one I described was offered. So far haven't found a picture in any of the acc catalogs I have and now beginning to wonder if it was Packard or dealer supplied.