Project Drop It Like It’s Hot: Heater Box Restoration.

My order came today! I must take the box out of the scout, but I have all the necessary pieces. There are no updates yet, but I plan on working on this project this fall. Luckily, the boys at Anything Scout have a GREAT video showing the process. I will update with pictures as I get going.

Project Cost $350 Bucks

Update: 11/23/24

If you have your truck sandblasted, this thing will have to be removed and cleaned anyway, so I decided to refurb my unit with new parts while I had it out.

I finally removed the Scout II’s heat coil and blower. Actually, it was Reed who pulled it, and I picked it up last week when I went to review bodywork. First, I disassemble the blower case and disassemble the blower from the cage. It was super easy. The sheet metal screws were not rusted out or stuck. It was about 15 screws or so. I took them out and soaked them in WD40 while working on the other components.

As you can see from the pictures above, everything was in pretty good shape, considering this truck is 52 years old. The left image shows the new motor that I will be installing. I might as well do it while the enclosure is open. I would be super ticked off if I got this out and apart and the motor stopped. At $72, it was a simple decision.

After I got everything out, I hit things with a wire brush to remove all the extra rust and dirt. I then used some Rust Dissolver on the stuck-on stuff. After 10 – 20 soaking, I washed off the parts, dried them well, and started using an etching primer.

After 3 coats of primer it was time to hit it with the final three coats of paint. I am using midnight blue under the hood with everything that I touch and refurb. It is dark but stands out a little in the engine bay, and I like how it looks.

I will need to add some foam around the blower exit door, which seals against the firewall. It was a pretty easy project. It took all day because of the metal prep, multiple primer sprays, and the final spray. Refurbishing the unit takes about six hours (including wait time).

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