Pickup heater unit

My brother has a 1979 pickup and the lever that switches between heat and defrost broke.  1979.  Old.  Hard to find parts for as many older vehicles have been crushed for scrap iron now that scrap iron prices are so high.   Back in North Dakota the only 1979 pickup he knew of for parts was in a Williston farmer's field, not in Minot.

I checked my favorite local salvage yard here in Kalispell and they had two 1979 pickups with heater units.  Monday I went there to buy one unit.  I found that both of their 1979 pickup heater units also had air conditioning and a lever for double fuel tanks.

Hmmm.. I don't think these units will work.  My dad bought pickups without frills and I needed a basic heater unit.  I looked around the salvage yard and found a 1975 pickup with a heater unit identical to my brother's pickup.  Apparently the 1975 - 1979 Ford pickups were very similar.

I bought the heater unit and associated cables for $35 and now my brother should have a good heater in his old pickup.  Which is a good thing as the long range weather forecast for North Dakota this December through February is for a much colder than normal winter - and a North Dakota winter is already plenty cold.