Under Dash Rebuild Share

[Inertialmass]

Here I'm sharing a little bit about my "new" 64 Thunderbird with AC.
I bought my first Thunderbird (1964) last summer 2024. The brakes were not very good, nothing related to heat or AC worked, and dash, and tail lights would randomly stop working, but it looked pretty nice and was growing on me. I did a four disc brake conversion (by ABS Power Brake) that included running all new brake lines, and new 8" dual booster with master cylinder. It worked really nicely, excellent stopping power and smoothness, but I didn't use it more than a couple times before my dash lights quit and tail lights quit again. So I decided to do some work I was planning on waiting until 2025 to do; remove the dash and replace, repair, rebuild, and test everything hidden by it. What a job! Holy smokes!
As I removed the dash, AC/heater box, steering column, and everything else except for the main wiring harness all I could think was will I be able to reassemble this thing? Not to brag or anything, but I have some skills when it comes to disassembly, reassembly, and repairs of many thing mechanical, but this seemed so complex it was a little daunting.
When I disassemble things such as this I use zip-lock baggies and paper notes to store small parts and fasteners and indicate what everything I remove is for. If I can leave a fastener where it goes I do. I take lots of photos for reference, and write a "connection log" for disconnected wiring.

Work I've done so far:

• Sandblasted front floorboards and exterior cowl area.
• Cut out notch in firewall for future access to hidden blower motor screw.
• Applied Interzinc 52 zinc-rich epoxy primer, Devoe 167 rust penetrating pre-primer (to crevices), Intergard 345 epoxy midcoat and Interthane 870 polyurethane topcoat to front floorboards and exterior cowl area.
• Pressure tested evaporator and connected hoses prior to disassembly of AC/heater box.
• Disassembled AC/heater box and sandblasted all steel parts of the box, the parking brake assembly, air ducts, brake pedal assembly and other items.
• Repaired cracked fiberglass on AC/heater box.
• Applied Devoe 167 rust penetrating pre-primer, Intergard 345 epoxy midcoat and Interthane 870 polyurethane topcoat to all sandblasted steel and fiberglass parts of AC/heater box.
• Tested all vacuum motors.
• Rebuilt AC/heater box using new vacuum motors where needed and convenient; made and installed new AC/heater box seals using urethane foam rubber (various thicknesses); Installed new speedometer and parking brake cables; applied Dynamat to firewall, tunnel, and front floorboards; applied fiberous padding covered with Dynamat to tunnel (over first layer of Dynamat); pressure tested evaporator and connected hoses after ressembly (prior to reinstallation); installed a pre-formed firewall insulation pad; installed interior cowl insulation; reinstalled air ducts to cowl, parking brake assembly and brake pedal assembly; disassembled, cleaned, repaired (the fiberglass brush holder plate I destroyed on disassembly), painted, reassembled, and tested blower motor.
• Prepared and repainted windshield frame.
• Installed new windshield and seal.

Work I'm about to do:

• Test, repair, and reattach the main wiring harness to firewall.
• Install a new Deutsch connector in firewall for misc. wiring needs.
• Install new silicone vacuum lines to AC/heater box (and then test controls).
• Design and build in vacuum line provisions for dealing with possibility of future failure of thermostatic control valve.
• Reinstall the (like new) AC/heater box.
• Begin work rebuilding dash, steering column assembly, and console.

There's much more than this summary can capture, but I'm pretty pleased with everything so far and look forward to getting it back on the road.