Heater box experience with prdesignsf

[Shawn Piper]

I finally got my heater box back from PRDesignSF (https://prdesignsf.com) and I wanted to share my experience here since it was a good one. My car is a 1969 model year. Its currently going through a full restoration. The heater box had a frozen motor, cracks and breaks in the plastic, a broken cable and lots of rust / dirt... it was in bad shape.

 

I contacted Brendan Pramono at PRDesignSF about restoring my heater box.  I sent him the box and he disassembled it for me.  The metal parts were returned to me and I had them blasted and re-plated.  The plating shop ended up being disreputable and disappeared on me for a several months (long story). Brendan was a total saint and didn't pressure me while I went through the hell of trying to get my parts back and have them plated somewhere else.  

 

I sent back the re-plated parts and Brendan rebuilt my heater box. Took about a month to complete the work despite all the COVID19 stuff.   He pressure tested the core and removed the rust, upgraded my heater valve to a new version (since mine cant be rebuilt), added new foam and grommets throughout, new cables, and addressed the cracks.  He also added a new motor but used my old fan blade, which was zinc plated.   Total cost including shipping was $1239, minus the plating.  

 

It was expensive but the heater box looks fantastic and I couldn't be happier. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Shawn Piper

[lowniss37]

looks super clean

[Half Moon tii]

Did you have the control bracket plated?  I am doing the same right now and not sure how to deal with the rusty controls.

[Shawn Piper]

Yeah I had pretty much everything plated except the electrical board. 
 

 

[wojo]

My experience ended up similarly good last year.  I posted about it after Brendan bailed me out when Fed Ex Ground delivered the package with the heater box to someone else and it was never found.  I was in a panic and Fed Ex was worthless in trying to help find it.  In the end, prdesign got a nicely refurbished box to me.  My cost was in the same range.  Now if we can just get the paint finished so it can be installed back in the car!!!

[zambo]

I'm wondering what paint Brendan uses on his refurbed boxes - its looks obviously well prepped, but the top finish is still very smooth. He's just a little too far to send mine to unfortunately.

Edited March 31, 2020 by zambo

[Shawn Piper]

He's using SEM Satin Black #15243

[zambo]

Thanks Shawn.

[zambo]

As a follow up in this for people that may have painted plastics like this in the past. I’ve had good experience with VHY Vinyl dye. But I notice the SEM product appears to be more of a flexi paint. For those that perhaps know, is that a reasonable description of the two product. The dye doesn’t really cover any marks, scuffs, etc.