How to install a heater valve

[1930artdeco]

So I got my heater core out for a rebuild/replacement. Found out I have what is called a ‘dole’ style heater control valve. I would like to replace it with a valve that is inline and inside the engine compartment. How do I do that? Obviously I need a new core (either have mine modified and rebuilt or a new early mustang one) but I don’t have a vacuum set up for the port to open or close the valve. Does someone have pics or a description I can work off of. Better yet, what parts did you use.

Thanks,

Mike

[yblock57]

This is the same setup in Dad's '57 Fairlane. The valve fastens directly to the core and has a 'cricket' vacuum valve that controls water flow. It's a really simple setup and works just fine in his car. I've replaced the core and valve and both are available new. I don't believe the cricket valve is reproduced, but are easy to find NOS on eBay. I'm sure someone on here will have a schematic or something from the shop manual. Unfortunately, I don't have the shop manual (or car) with me right now. Good luck.

[58Yeoman]

I have a weird water control valve in my 58 Chevy, and if it fails, I'm going to put a valve inline from a 67 Ford F100, cable controlled. From Rock Auto, it's a little over $7. Is this what you had in mind?

https://tinyurl.com/2p9a7h88

[1930artdeco]

58, yes that is where I was headed and thanks for idea. I just need to figure out what cables I have and where they go. Who knows what they did to this car…..

[Daves55Sedan]

'54/55/56/57, Fomoco offered one of two heater control systems in full-size cars. The cheapest of the two utilizes a vacuum water valve on the intake manifold with a bimetallic vacuum thermostat control valve located in the heater plenum adjacent to the heater core housing.
The second, and IMO the finest is the system that utilizes a capillary-tube thermostat water control valve mounted on the inside of the firewall above the heater plenum (with it's capillary tube extending down into the heater plenum).
Both of those systems are fresh air heating systems and will work either with the heater blower motor on or off when the "Magic-Aire" heater control knobs are in the correct positions (whereby the right airduct is opened by the mechanical cable connected to the "heat" lever on the controls).
There was a third and distinctly different system used for trucks and also used in some southern cars (most of which had no heating system from the factory), but if a customer requested his new car had heating, the factory would ship a F-100 recirculating heater to the dealer and they would install it at the local dealer. This was pretty rare, but I have seen a few of these. When used with a car, the recirculating heater was totally divorced from the fresh-air intake and relied completely upon air inside the car.
None of these had an engine compartment heater control valve.
There is a good illustration of the heater control system for the vacuum type on page 266 of the '56 Ford car shop manual.
Once upon a time, I owned a '57 Custom 300 with the capillary type control system which was identical to the capillary system in my '55 Fairlane.

[KULTULZ]

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Below is an ILL from the PARTS MANUAL -



A more concise ILL is found in the WSM along with all descriptive material(s).

IMO ...

It would be easier to repair the unit rather than attempting modify.