Yeah, I can relate to the $1,000 quote.

My first blower motor replacement was on a 1979 245DL, long before the brickboard was around. the dealer part was $105, and it came with instructions for conversion to the "new" type motor. Then there was the dealer quote of 5 hours labor, at $60 an hour, and I decided to go it alone at home.

Much longer than five hours, maybe 10 or 12.

New motor required carving off the three bosses inside the blower housing, and drilling a 5/8 inch hole in the bottom of the plenum, at its left-right center.
Fortunately I have a 90-degree drill attachment, and a 5/8 inch spade bit. What a mess and stress.

Access to it was via the dealer-supplied instructions. Piece by piece, take off glove box, cross rail, control panel, support legs, all duct work, instrument cluster, cross rail, center panel and vents, and THEN remember how all that stuff goes back together.

The old motor had no resistor, it was a variably-wound armature motor There was a new one in the parts box.


What I most remember now was the return to blessed air conditioning.


Good Luck,

Bpob

:>)