Topic: 65 Heater Motor

[jwc66k]

Never seen friction tape used. One of the current beliefs is that the tape held the short wires to the motor as it was inserted through the hole in the firewall

I found friction tape on the blower motor on a San Jose build May 67 Fastback. The car was found in a field in West Oakland and restored to daily driver standards. I used 2 inch wide cut to 1 inch 50 plus year old friction tape I got from my father's junk that was used by the US Navy at NAS Moffett. It passed Jeff's inspection in the last MCA event at Concord.
Jim

[midlife]

Doesn't make sense to me to hold the wires in place while inserting the motor housing through the firewall, as the wires exit the end of the motor housing.  With the wires taped to the sides, either the plugs themselves were taped, in which case the wires could catch on the housing, or if only the wires were taped, the bullet plugs would catch on the housing.  IIRC, it's a fairly tight fit through the firewall hole.

[CharlesTurner]

I also don't believe the tape was to hold the wires.  If that was the case, we'd have seen at least some early service replacements with the wires held to the tape and some ripped tape on original cars.  I believe the tape is there to help keep moisture out of the motor.

[jwc66k]

I never considered the tape to be a wire installation aid. I assumed it was as Charles stated, a moisture barrier, a flimisy moisture barrier. Keep this in mind when you look at a 60's vintage car - the mentality of the auto manufacturers then was a two year turn, everybody buying a new car every two years, ergo, cars were designed to last a short period of time, and the parts and materials used reflected that. Reliability was not a selling point.
Jim 

[Texas Swede]

I got the tape from Jack and have a question. How many laps around the motor should i mount the tape?
Somebody suggested 2-3 laps but is that correct, or should it be one lap?
Texas Swede

[CharlesTurner]

I got the tape from Jack and have a question. How many laps around the motor should i mount the tape?
Somebody suggested 2-3 laps but is that correct, or should it be one lap?
Texas Swede

Normally see about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 laps around.

[Texas Swede]

Thanks Charles,
Texas Swede

[Texas Swede]

Put the tape from DeadNutsOn on my heater motor. Was very tricky when the motor is in the car
but finally I was able to get it there and it looks real good. Thanks for all the help I got.
You guys are the best.
Texas Swede

[66RavenGTCoupeAgain]

Great info here. So am I right in saying that the tape is 1" wide? Was it painted or left natural?

[Bossbill]

On something like a concours car, I have spray painted 1" wide masking tape and wrapped it around the motor.  For the T-bred stuff, I would use an NOS motor like in the picture above that has the original tape.

Semi-gloss or satin black spray paint, nothing fancy.  Few light coats just to cover.  The stuff Jack sells looks nice though.

Mid: I suppose it was just a little something extra to keep moisture from getting inside the motor.  The motor housing separates at that joint.

[66RavenGTCoupeAgain]

Thanks!

[CharlesTurner]

I've found black masking tape, 1" wide.  Easier than having to paint regular masking tape.

Some of the NOS heater fans have a grayish look to the tape, but this varies.

[J_Speegle]

Some of the NOS heater fans have a grayish look to the tape, but this varies.

May just be age or long term reaction between different underlying products (metal verses the tape)

Have notice it too on ones stored away in boxes