Mouse nest in heater box causes fire - 83 K20

[appyacres]

The old farm truck has been sitting all winter and with the oncoming spring weather, I thought I would fire up the beast and prep it for the season. A few pumps of the gas pedal and she fires right up and idles perfect! I walked around the corner of the shop to open the bay door and when it's open, I see a lot of smoke in the air. Strange?!? My truck doesn't smoke like that.

I walk around the corner and the cab is filled with smoke and it's boiling out the windows on both sides. I open the passenger door and see a string of fire across the entire lower dash. I run back into the shop and grab the fire extinguisher and get the fire out. The entire heater box is now melted to the rubber floor mat and the cab is covered with white powder. Oh happy Friday morning to you too!

As I finish blowing the cab out with the air hose I see a pissed off family of mice come out from under the dash and head under the seat. Seems they built a nest in the heater box and when I started the truck, the heat was on and the heater box resistor caught their little nest on fire.

Insurance was canceled a few years ago as I was restoring the truck a bit; new motor and paint plus a full fluid renew and brakes.

[cochino12]

time to upgrade to vintage air. Nice looking truck, what a drag. I haaate mice!!

[appyacres]

Any idea what model years use the same heater box as this truck? No AC just heat.

[Greenlee]

I second the Vintage Air recommendation. I just put one in my truck and both the heat and AC work really well.

[imjeff]

If it makes you feel better I know a guy who had a family of dead rats in his heater plenum...of his brand new truck. I can't describe the smell, but it would gag a maggot off a feces wagon. I'll third the vintage air. You owe it to yourself.

Jeff

[Rubble]

I'm pretty sure any non a/c square from 73-91 including burbs or blazers will work.