Brrrr! A Cold Run

Bob Bidonde

Bob Bidonde

Well-known member
Yesterday morning (Friday the 13th) I ran my Victoria for 40 miles at 49 to 53 MPH on major Long Island roads with outside temperatures of 29F to 31F. It was a club run to deliver toys for tots. The engine's temperature oscillated between 140F & 160F, so the 160F thermostat in the engine was busy cycling open & close. I was on the road before 10am in rush hour traffic. The car ran wonderful, and no modern car or truck gave me trouble.
There is no heater in my Victoria yet. The Car has heated seat covers, but they failed after one season of use. I bought a clamp-on manifold heater from my great friend Bob Bader of Bobby's Model A Parts, but I am having nightmares about drilling a hole in the firewall of my Victoria. My strategy is to duct the warm air into a register on the front floorboard instead of putting an ugly hole in the firewall.
Stay warm my friends, but keep your Model A on the road so long as there is no salt.
 
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Bob:

Please don’t cut the firewall!

It’s your car now, but someday it will be someone else’s. There only original once.

Enjoy that nice car.
 
HOT WATER HEATER ! No big nasty holes in the firewall ! My A came with a Ottwell heater that works very well, but I wouldn’t put one on !
 
if you can help it, do not cut a hole in the firewall. I did in my Victoria and will not do it again. I found some real cool heater manifolds. the one I put in our 4 door comes in the through the toe board. the wife feet get too hot. the one pictured is in our Cabriolet, I ran the vent back in the floorboard to the center cross member.
 

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My car came with the ugly hole. The manifold heater I have doesn’t work very well but at least I didn’t have to make the mod myself. The aluminum “valves” didn’t fi through the hole so I had to machine he OD down, essentially remove the draft off of the casting, to make the part fit proper in the hole. The heater in the pictures looks awesome.
 
I like that duct in the floorboard idea better than cutting a hole in the firewall.
Our '29 Tudor came out of Wisconsin it had a hot water heater. That thing worked great!
Can you imagine today, buying a new car, and there was no heater or defroster? Our grandparents were some pretty tough folks back then:)
 
Jeff/Illinois said:
I like that duct in the floorboard idea better than cutting a hole in the firewall.
Our '29 Tudor came out of Wisconsin it had a hot water heater. That thing worked great!
Can you imagine today, buying a new car, and there was no heater or defroster? Our grandparents were some pretty tough folks back then:)
Click to expand...

If we modify our cars past a certain level, (like engine power increased by more than 25%) they have to be inspected by an Automotive Engineer to see that they comply with modern standards. They look at things like collapsible steering column, seat belts, and the heater/demister (mandatory) must have a two speed fan. Other things are such as two speed (min) wipers, windscreen washers (not easy on a Model A), turn indicators, two tail/stop lights and brakes like a modern car. They test the brakes with an accelerometer and do a series of crash stops and the (I think) 6th stop must be a certain G acceleration and waaay better than standard Model A brakes are capable of doing'
I think the rules are crazy but the legislators don't listen to me.
Can you imagine having to have heater and demister in your Model A?
 
Jeff/Illinois said:
I like that duct in the floorboard idea better than cutting a hole in the firewall.
Our '29 Tudor came out of Wisconsin it had a hot water heater. That thing worked great!
Can you imagine today, buying a new car, and there was no heater or defroster? Our grandparents were some pretty tough folks back then:)
Click to expand...
My '31 came to me with a hot water heater (the "Ha-Dees"). I use it maybe twice a year in the early morning, but by mid-morning I find I have to shut the water valve as it becomes too hot inside. Living in California, I would not install one if I did not already have it. If I ever have occasion to repaint the firewall I'll likely pull the heater and weld up the openings before doing so.

My dad had British sports cars in the 1950s. I remember looking at the window stickers and seeing the heater as an accessory. Back then it was quite common to see ads for used cars with "R/H" in them, meaning the car had radio and heater. Nowadays we take that for granted. In fact, I'm not sure I've seen a new modern car without air conditioning in quite a while, even the extreme econoboxes.

My '30 came from Wisconsin to me with about 95K original miles. No heater, in fact judging by the lack of rust I'd be surprised if it was ever driven in winter.
 
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