Using heat from engine....

[xb-60]

Cold day here in Adelaide....depths of winter....just chewing the fat....thoughts wandered to possibilities of using engine heat (without using a conventional heat exchanger aka "a heater") to warm the car's footwells.
I don't have room for a heater.

Any novel or interesting ideas on how to use heat generated by the engine without being gassed? I'm thinking - probably not.

Cheers,
Glen

[Alfa02]

Hi Glen, good luck with your quest I have a heater in the 289 JCF car, installed in the passenger foot well. Last year Brent & I went on a 100mile tour in late Sep. starting to get cold here, by that time of the year (30-40 degree F). By the end of the day, Brent's right foot was warm We had the top on and side curtain's closed, it was somewhat warm, at least you couldn't see your breath. I would say the engine heat helped too. Just part of the fun of owning our Snakes Cheers TommyRot.

[Michael C Henry]

I had the shifter boot off and it would be great, for my right hand. I installed a Vintage Air heater- defroster unit in my 84 EM, before they came with cable controls for coolant flow valve and air shutter. They tried to be all fancy with vacuum controls I used another cable actuated coolant flow valve, pull on-open and pull off-closed variations are available. I chose pull on -open so cable would be inward when the heater was not in use. Vintage Air now has a cable control lever available for conversion. I will order it when ordering something else, as the cheapest was about $34 plus another $10 shipping if purchased alone. The Vintage Air unit is small my installation just uses air from under dash as I didn't incorporate any outside air supply. For the defrost they come with two ducts that fit under the dash I bought two of the Stainless Steel formed dash vents and made a pair of aluminum "U" bracket to uses two screws through each t vent , dash, and the duct they supply. The kit comes wit a lot of extra pieces that you may not use.. It's a Cobra. a soft top starts getting things better. I wish I had a heater and side curtains in the 56 Bristol I drove as a daily driver when I first moved to Tacoma WA, in 75

[olddog]

Model T and Model A Fords used a cast iron bolt on ram air system that bolted to the exhaust manifold. The air came from the engine compartment and was less than ideal.

The Old Volkswagen being an air cooled engine, used air from the cooling. Again the air was less than ideal, especially if there was a gasket leaking oil.

On the other hand, when a heater core leaks antifreeze, it too is less than ideal, but that doesn't happen often.

So in short, if you picked up clean outside air and routed it through a well designed, mechanically sound, iron or steel chamber, clean warm air from the exhaust waste heat could be allowed to flow into the cockpit. I would suggest an air filter. A blower would allow heated air flow without the car needing to move.

[Ron61]

Do you remember the heat tubes that they used on some of the 60s cars? They were just tin tubes that ran from the exhaust manifolds to the air cleaner and sent heat into them to supposedly make things work better. I always took them off of my cars but maybe something like that with a flex hose that you could route to your footwell would put out a little heat. But it wouldn't be very efficient.

Ron

[RUFdriver]

Build something similar to a heat exchanger box as used on Porsche air cooled motors. Basically a stainless steel box built around the exhaust pipes , the heated air piped into the cabin.

[Gaz64]

Glen,

Can you use a 12v heater?

Here is a fairly compact ceramic heater:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-Heat...AAAOSwai1Z6Xsd

Gary

[patrickt]

Just take up smoking. A good Camel or Lucky Strike will warm you right up.

[xb-60]

Thanks for the responses.
It sounds like my best solution might be a motorcycle lap-rug

Cheers!
Glen

[twobjshelbys]

My car had a heater - a Roush 427IR mounted right behind the firewall. Never failed to keep both passenger's and driver's feet very toasty warm.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

My car had a heater - a Roush 427IR mounted right behind the firewall. Never failed to keep both passenger's and driver's feet very toasty warm.

...and it works year-round too

[Michael C Henry]

Are we talking about a replica Cobra?

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by Michael C Henry

Are we talking about a replica Cobra?

Well, they told me it was a real one, but...



...I think it's a replica


Cheers!
Glen

[Michael C Henry]

My car came with wrapped header pipes . They had so many cracks had to just break down and make new headers. New headers, collector, and mufflers. are all ceramic coated now in and out. I have the heat shield on foot boxes near the headers that I remade . Every thing seems OK, even in winter did I mention that the shifter boot missing can keep your right hand warm. So far I haven't used the Vintage Air heater yet. I plan on buying the cable shutter conversion and move the controls out in the open. Manifold heat seems like an exercise in futility when you a\already do have hot coolant . Notice not many Cobra guys are coming from personal experience?

[Jaydee]

Glen,

Can you use a 12v heater?

Here is a fairly compact ceramic heater:

I used two of those to pass inspection for a demister. They put out as much heat as a constipated flea.

What about running some copper pipes inside a tube with holes aiming down and a fan at one end and run the engine coolant through the copper.
JD

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by Jaydee

I used two of those to pass inspection for a demister. They put out as much heat as a constipated flea.

What about running some copper pipes inside a tube with holes aiming down and a fan at one end and run the engine coolant through the copper.
JD

JD, yes I'm using the same type for my demisters which, as you say, are there only to pass registration.

Cheers,
Glen

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by Michael C Henry

...Notice not many Cobra guys are coming from personal experience?

I suspect that I'll have to assess the situation once I have the car on the road. That could mean that I need either more or less exhaust heat insulation for mild weather, and the car then doesn't get much winter use.
A fellow (local to me) Cobra owner mentioned last week that he was going to try electric seat heaters, similar to an electric blanket. That's possibly an easy fix.
I should mention that here in winter, the overnight minimums rarely drop down to freezing, so my 'problem' really is one of minor proportions.

Cheers
Glen

[Riverside racer]

The FIA should have non adj foot box cooling fed from the front . Possibly disconnect on top of footbox so heat from engine enters there and wear a bikers heated vest.
I retro fitted a 12v supply for modern conveniences (GPS and phone charger) which can be concealed in numerous locations
Best
Ross

[1985 CCX]

I just have glass footbox's and alloy floors, heat galore.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

I just have glass footbox's and alloy floors, heat galore.

I think you should be looking into air conditioning, Jeff