The rear blower motor is one of the '65 Sting Ray's hidden secrets. Located behind a carpeted panel on the left side of the cabin, the blower was first introduced on the '64 model. Connected by a duct to the b-pillar vent on the driver's side of the car, it was intended to remove hot air from the otherwise unventilated rear compartment, however it proved to be ineffective and was discontinued after the '65 model.
The blower has 3 speeds, with the speed control switch connected to a knob under the dash via a cable that runs along much the same path as the radio antenna cable. The knob looks just like the vent control knobs, so for years I thought it controlled the b-pillar vent, I wasn't aware that the blower had a speed control.
The speed control cable on the Red Rocket is broken, so I decided to remove the carpeted panel to take a look at what was going on inside.
The cardboard backing on the carpeted panel was in very poor condition, a previous repair had failed and the backing was now broken in the middle. I made a new backing board using 3mm PVC foam board, reusing the original metal eyelets to reinforce the mounting holes. I carefully glued the carpet to the new board using 3M High Tack spray adhesive. The original wire mesh screen at the rear of the blower motor cover was missing, so I made a new one using zinc-coated wire mesh.
I finally purchased a replacement Rear Blower Vent Cable from Zip Corvette. Replacing the cable requires removal of the blower cover panel, b-pillar trim panel and kick panel. The cable runs along the sill panel under a metal cover (hidden beneath the carpet) that also houses the radio antenna cable and the wiring loom for the rear of the car.
The replacement cable is quite a complex part, it includes the under-dash knob and bracket and the brackets to mount the cable end to the blower switch.
Once fitted, the new cable worked perfectly. It's now possible to control the blower motor speed using the under-dash knob.
The replacement Rear Blower Vent Cable I purchased from Zip Corvette broke the second time I used it! That was a waste of US$139.00. I complained to Zip, and they sent me a replacement — I think I'll keep it in stock for now and see if I can come up with a fix for the broken one. The point of failure is exactly the same as the old cable I replaced, the hard plastic cable sheath just pulls out of the metal sleeve that connects it to the under-dash bracket. The rear blower motor is useless anyway, so I doubt I'll ever use the cable, it's more about knowing that everything on the car is correct and functional.
Top to Bottom: 1: The original backing board had been broken and (badly) repaired. I made a new backing board made from 3mm PVC foam board. 2: New wire mesh screen covering rear of the blower motor. Note the 3-position switch and cable. The cable is not correct (note the silicon sealer) and doesn't work. This will have to be replaced with the correct cable at a later date. 3: Finished restoration with screen and carpeted cover in place.
Top to Bottom: 1: The original backing board had been broken and (badly) repaired. I made a new backing board made from 3mm PVC foam board. 2: New wire mesh screen covering rear of the blower motor. Note the 3-position switch and cable. The cable is not correct (note the silicon sealer) and doesn't work. This will have to be replaced with the correct cable at a later date. 3: Finished restoration with screen and carpeted cover in place.
