Heater Core Resister

I made two new assemblies from scratch for a couple of buck each. You just need a honking big resistor in the 2.7 to 3.0 Ohm range (mine are the latter). I used ones rated at 50W, but you can probably get away with lower. I used some spade connectors and a piece of old circulit board I stripped the circuitry from for the flibreglass (using an orbital sander). Works just fine, so don't buy into the whole "I need to spend £30 on a so-called modern equivalent", or (wait for it) $475 + $12.50 shipping for NOS:
 
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MK2-ESCORT-RS1800-RS2000-MEXICO-MK1-RS-CAPRI-GEN-FORD-NOS-HEATER-MOTOR-RESISTOR-/322139136305?hash=item4b00fd2131:g:fq4AAOSwnFZXVVEH
 
The speed controller is, was, and always will be just a resistor; in the case of the old one a piece of NiCr wire, and in my case a ceramic resistor like this one (two for $2.92 delivered):
 
http://www.ebay.com.au/it...cf4:g:8HAAAOSwiONYN9bl
 
As they said during the war: "make do and mend".

It's not hard to make. Using the old one as a template, get a piece of old circuit board (mine came out of a washing machine) and strip it back to the bare fibreglass, or buy something called "Vero Board" at an electronics place like Jaycar and do the same. Cut it to the same size as the original one, and drill three holes in it to take the bare round end of a automotive spade connector. Make sure the holes are an interferance fit to the connector. Knock the mounting tabs off the resistor (if they have them, as my 50W ones do) otherwise it wont fit.  Solder some wire to the ends of the resistor (household electrical wire is good), and solder the other ends through the holes of the two spade connectors so that they support the resistor just above the board (too high and it will touch the fan).  Take another short piece of wire and connect across the top (resistor side) of two of the spade connectors (from the middle one to one along side). Voila - it's done. It's not pretty, but it works, and will likely never fail. Be sure to connect it correctly or otherwise you will only get one speed functioning. I'd have included a photo except that mine are both installed already. Hopefully you will get the idea if you look at your old one and compare my notes. If not, let me know and I'll draw something up.