Topic: 1969 Firewall Blower Motor Shield Question

[Vcode]

What is the correct position for the long finger?
I have seen the finger positioned near the motor and also pulled out away from the motor at various positions.
Does it matter?
If anybody has a photo of the correction position of the finger that would be great.

Thank you,
Dale.

[rockhouse66]

Dale - Here is mine.

[Brian Conway]

I think this might be an example of a ' various positions '.  I have not seen another with the finger in this position.  Don't know if it is assembly line or someone's personal adjustment.  Metuchen Sept 19, 1968.  Brian
I have added another picture that shows the finger location a little better.  The distance from the motor to the shield, at closest point, is about 1/4".

[J_Speegle]

Dale can we know when and where your car was built?   Saves time in not posting pictures from cars not related to yours

[Bob Gaines]

What is the correct position for the long finger?
I have seen the finger positioned near the motor and also pulled out away from the motor at various positions.
Does it matter?
If anybody has a photo of the correction position of the finger that would be great.

Thank you,
Dale.

Dale, the long finger was designed to be folded down on non air cars, straight out for A/C cars to further protect the hoses or nipped off  for A/C cars (reply #1).  With that said I have seen every mixed up combination intermittently mixed. Apparently the application was not understood by some line workers (maybe substitutes etc.) . I could not in good conscience with my judges cap on make a deduction given the mixing of shields. If you have the long finger I would fold it down like in reply #2  if it were my car because that is what the engineering intention was. This is a win win for you because in the real world there is no wrong answer as long as you got the correct 69/70 shield (compared to 67/68) and it is mounted properly (correct screws etc.) . Each configuration has been observed installed in a variety of applications disregarding engineering guidelines.

[Bob Gaines]

I assume with your avatar that you have non air . Power vent is the same in regards to the shield application.

[J_Speegle]

Another possibility is that your car had the shield removed at the plant as Ford had instructed. Seems some plants did this more often but it opens another wrinkle for builders and judges (if you choose to go that route) to deal with

[Vcode]

Guys thanks for posting the pictures and the responses.
My car is 5/14/69 Metuchen built - heater only.
The question I have was for finger like Brian's.
I have seen the finger pushed closer to the motor and also pulled farther out away from the motor.
Is Brian's shield finger is the right position to the motor?

Thanks,
Dale.



 

[J_Speegle]

Thanks - here is a collection of pictures from 69 NJ. Will share that NJ had the highest percentage of cars without them on cars that received them.

Sorry these are not all great pictures. Often have to enlarge poor quality pictures that were not focusing on the shields specifically

Hope this helps




9T1109xx



9T1494xx



9T1661xx



9T1675xx



9T21923xx

[Vcode]

Jeff -
Thanks for the pictures.
On the second picture the finger seems to be farther away from the motor than what's on Brian's car.
This is what I have been seeing.
There seems to be a lot of variation on these shields.

Dale.

[Bob Gaines]

Guys thanks for posting the pictures and the responses.
My car is 5/14/69 Metuchen built - heater only.
The question I have was for finger like Brian's.
I have seen the finger pushed closer to the motor and also pulled farther out away from the motor.
Is Brian's shield finger is the right position to the motor?

Thanks,
Dale.



 

Dale, as I tried to explain in my post #4 is that there is not really a wrong way because for what ever reason the shields were used on applications (A/C or heater only) that they were not intended to be used on. Let me say it another way, long finger straight out ,bent down finger ,no finger it didn't seem to matter . There was a intended use for each shield but many times it seemed like they put on what ever was handy. Not too many of them were removed (although they were suppose to ) to theorize that they were reusing previously taken off shields,  but who knows. The one for your car was "supposed" to be the bent over finger to more thoroughly protect the heater only motor . The other type long finger straight out or cut off finger were for A/C .  The expansion valve and the connecting hoses needed clearance . In fact the long finger (finger bent straight out ) could be the heater only version (one that was bent down) that was improvised at a needed moment and bent from folded down to straight out so as to clear and yet still protect the A/C expansion valve.  I hope this clarifys better.

[specialed]

dale i would use the short  (cutoff finger type) heater motor shield like jeffs first & third pictures for 69-70 non a/c big blocks as that's what I most of the time used.  Brians top picture with the bent long finger looks like it was added later since its missing the 2 small screws going into firewall & there are 2 factory indent dimples where those 2 small screws go.

[Vcode]

Dale, as I tried to explain in my post #4 is that there is not really a wrong way because for what ever reason the shields were used on applications (A/C or heater only) that they were not intended to be used on. Let me say it another way, long finger straight out ,bent down finger ,no finger it didn't seem to matter . There was a intended use for each shield but many times it seemed like they put on what ever was handy. Not too many of them were removed (although they were suppose to ) to theorize that they were reusing previously taken off shields,  but who knows. The one for your car was "supposed" to be the bent over finger to more thoroughly protect the heater only motor . The other type long finger straight out or cut off finger were for A/C .  The expansion valve and the connecting hoses needed clearance . In fact the long finger (finger bent straight out ) could be the heater only version (one that was bent down) that was improvised at a needed moment and bent from folded down to straight out so as to clear and yet still protect the A/C expansion valve.  I hope this clarifys better.

Thanks Bob - I understand.
The one I noticed is if the finger is bent down so that it is closer to the motor - it pushes the wires from the motor down.

Thanks again for the info.

[Vcode]

dale i would use the short  (cutoff finger type) heater motor shield like jeffs first & third pictures for 69-70 non a/c big blocks as that's what I most of the time used.  Brians top picture with the bent long finger looks like it was added later since its missing the 2 small screws going into firewall & there are 2 factory indent dimples where those 2 small screws go.

Ed,
I have noticed that too - a lot of heater only cars use the short shield.
Actually I have both shields. I picked these up back in the 90's.
I installed the short (cut off) one a couple of years ago. But since I also had the long finger one thought that would be a better on to use.
I don't think mine originally had the shield as mine doesn't have the smaller holes drilled and I will not be drilling any holes to add them

You guys have given me a good education on shields! 

Thanks,
Dale.

[Bob Gaines]

Ed,
I have noticed that too - a lot of heater only cars use the short shield.
Actually I have both shields. I picked these up back in the 90's.
I installed the short (cut off) one a couple of years ago. But since I also had the long finger one thought that would be a better on to use.
I don't think mine originally had the shield as mine doesn't have the smaller holes drilled and I will not be drilling any holes to add them

You guys have given me a good education on shields! 

Thanks,
Dale.

If you choose to not use a shield then I would suggest to mimic the way it would have looked - shield installed and then sound deadener applied then shield taken off = witness line of were it was at. I hope that makes sense.