Electric heater, anyone using one?

[mtrain2000]

I was talking to a friend of mine who owns five old Shelbys, and we were discussing the upcoming colder weather in the months to come.

He mentioned that he hated fooling with heater cores, and that is when a light went off in my head.

I just recently installed a new 200amp alt so I should be able to install a pretty decent size electric heater in my Cobra. This way I can still have room under the dash as the electric heater can be located just about anywhere [I was actually thinking about putting it between, and behind the seats.

Anyone actually doing this?

Also, what about a conventional unit from another small car like a MG Midget?

[KevinW]

OK, so you will need about 50 amps or so to be sure you can power everything else on the car, so 150 amps x 12 gives you 1.8kW, which might be OK.

.... but, you'd better make sure you have some way of upping the wiring, as you will need some proper battery cable style copper wire to connect that mother direct to the alternator, or you're gonna get a single use flame-based heater ! ...... sounds like a bonfire waiting to happen.

i looked at an electric solution for a long time, and drew a blank. If you can get a 24V battery system there are elec heaters for crane/truck/coach cabins. Or you can use one of these totally useless 12V fan heaters found in camper vans and atach to the defrost vents.

I first used an old triumph spitfire heater (from ebay), which is very slim, and then changed my mind, and modded the whole arrangement to fit one of these:

http://www.t7design.co.uk/index.php?...64ca520d8e2890

[mtrain2000]

Don't they make an electric heater for old Volkswagen's. IIRC, there was a guy who I used to work with that had an old bug he used for going hunting.

He put some kinda electric heater it, and said it was great.

I agree that you would want at least a 4 gauge wire from the alt, along with a good high amp breaker.

Here was the type heater I was thinking about.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-12-Volt-...item337fc9591d

I used to have to use a very small portable home space heater while I worked a job. The vehicle I had to use didn't have any type of heat so I would bring the small space heater, and plug it into any available connection, and it worked great even on 15 deg F nights.

[KevinW]

Im no VW expert, but i have seen a heater that somehow piped hot air from an air jacket around the engine into the cabin, as Beetles dont have any coolant...I think ???
I dont know about US regs, but in the UK we are not permitted to pipe free-flowing hot air from the engine compartment direct into the cabin/cockpit (fumes etc I guess).

[mtrain2000]

Kevin do you have any pictures of how you mounted, and modded the heater in your link?

Thanks.

[mtrain2000]

Another idea is to use/make a heater like the old 55-57 Thunderbirds.

The heater motor, and fan was under the hood on the fender [I used to own a few of these], which freed up a lot of space so that basically the ducting went through the fire wall into a small heater core box, with provisions for the ducts.

Here is the only picture I was able to find. Look at the inside rear of the passenger side engine bay. You can see the blower motor in its housing going into the firewall.

Google Image Result for http://cthst.com/vanguardmotorsales///FH318470-56sm.jpg

[itstock]

Heating your core is much more effective than heat barely blowing on you with an open roof. Heated seats and a heated jacket work perfect, or just the heated seats for 50 degree weather. Of course it can get a bit chillier then a hat and gloves are a nice touch.

[Mastiff107]

The old VW heaters were gas heaters, except for the two hoses that came off of the fan shroud and dumped into the passenger compartment. It may be just me but my feet are sitting on a 190 degree engine and my ass next to a 190 degree transmission. I'm in no real danger of hypothermia.

[Robert McLinden]

That's correct and the gas heaters were an option. The stock heater was a shroud arrangement, much like the aircraft guys use. You didn't get much heat and virtually no defrosting from the stock units. We just got used to being cold. You know the old VW's only had 32 hp, you can't expect too much.

[Albie]

Heated seats, a warm jacket, hat and gloves. If it gets much below 40F and the sun isn't out, a lap blanket helps keep the warmth in. I can't imagine any cockpit heater could beat that.

[Frank Messina]

Unless you have a top, a heater is mostly a psychological benefit for the passenger, especially at highway speeds.

Frank

[Gofastoldguy]

Jeeze...no one mentioned the Corvair hot air ducts or the gas heater!! Am I that old?

[Dwight]

I have a heater in my Cobra and use it a lot.

Most of our guys have heaters. I've installed several in Cobras.

I been told that you need to match your battery and alternator. To large of an alternator and you just boil the water out of the battery.


Dwight

Hi Performance Air Hot Rod Heater

[COBRA427]

I plan to buy motorcycle apparel with built in heating elements, just plug it into an electrical connector under the dash or on the trans tunnel. They have them in jackets or gloves, pants, or whatever. They will definitely keep you warm, and you won't need a big bulky jacket.

[Jaydee]

I am planning on using a 12 volt hairdryer just to satisfy registration, but it puts out as much hot air as a constipated flea. How much air gets blown around the cabin? not having driven a convertible for a long time? Would you get enough heat if you used smaller hoses then 3/4, say 1/2 or less?
Is a heater only beneficial if you have a soft top?
JD

[fordracing65]

A big cube 600hp FE under the hood is all the heater you need...

[mdross1]

We never had any problems with heat or defrost in our air cooled Beetles and they did offer gas powered heaters.

When building our car found that an MG B heater defrost combo was almost a bolt in. Also installed the inline coolant shutoff for summer running.

During the cooler temps with top on and side screens except for defrost almost do not need heater.The engine and exhaust heat does a remarkable job in our car at least.