[FC] FC Heating Feedback & Old technology irks Maine liberales

[David Houston]

Thanks for the feedback. I did block the front fresh air grille/vent by cutting a similar shaped 1" thick styrofoam and wrapping a foil/bubble pack material around it. I then attached this to the back of the grille with two plastic ties and screwed it back on. The 'chrome' material highlights the grille and is about 99% effective in blocking the cold air. Lastly, I cut a 42" x 15" piece of the 2" styrofoam and wrapped and old sleeping bag around it. This fit snuggly under the Dodge van, cloth bench seat, I replaced the old vinyl original.
The end result is a front compartment that holds the heat  and defrosts quickly and effectively. I can't emphasize how important it is to cover the defroster conduit under the front floorboard, so the hot air isn't lost.
I am totally sold on the air cooled power glide. Over the summer I removed and inspected it to see if anything might need replacement. It didn't. It appears to have been well maintained and probably rebuilt when the 1963 110 motor was installed. I have a 3.55, non-posi axle, which I checked as well. I was surprised to find out my van body is a 1961 and not a 1963. The prior owner died, but I contacted family members who forwarded paper work going back to 1961. Apparently, It had been in an accident in the mid-60's, junked,salvaged, and rebuilt with many structural & mechanical parts from 1963 vans.  When I pulled the rugs I could see the weld repairs. 
My FC camper has a road draft tube, but this other one doesn't. The damp cold winters cause these air cooled motors to create internal H2O condensation. I bypassed this problem by routing & extending the pcv hose so it extends below the engine just to the left of the muffler.  The end result is the warm motor has clean exhaust from the muffler, but the heating hose tube streams constant steam like an old locomotive on the cold days. It drives the Maine liberales ( think Federales/Mexico) crazy seeing that vapor pour out. 
BTW my '61 or '63 FC has  an 80 mph speedometer with 1,2,3,4 markings. Wouldn't this indicate it was a standard originally?