Heater

1928Pickuppain

1928Pickuppain

Senior Member
SO I have been looking around for a heater so I dont freese my *** off on my 20 mile drive into work this winter. So far I looked at the maniflod heater and they are way to expencive and I hear they dont work so well. The other thing is one of thoughs new liquid heater cores that you run off the cooling system. at $250 or so thats out of my range. So what im thinking is its junk yard time. Ill go salvange a heater core off some old truck or well something and set it up in a wood box that funnels into a hose with electric fans in it, the hose will conect right into my stock heater vent in my floor the small fans will be ones from a computer as they only run about 3volts some 5 volts Ill hang the box under the pasenger side floor bord and have the other end of the box comeing up from under the seat so the heat can return into and reheat even hotter. Has any one done this before and what type of heater core did you use??
 
A few years ago I drove my old Tudor to work all winter. I rigged a 6v squirrel cage blower on the inside to pull the air over the manifold heater. I had a finned type manifold Autolite. It took about 2 blocks to get hot air. Worked good. Hot water requires a thermostat et. al.
Good luck.
 
Check Craigslist for "Model A Ford parts" someone in your area should have a parts pile that will have one in it. The manifold is usualy a couple of bucks,the cover you might find for 10-20 bucks. A Ottwall health heater works good also and its complete.
Both heaters will run you out of the truck in freezing weather.
 
If it's for your PU, a manifold heater and a lap blanket (to ward off drafts) should be more than adequate.
 
Have you spoken to fellow club members about the heat put out by their manifold heaters?
Mine puts out a ton of heat.
 
I put hot water heat in my 30' Tudor last fall & I love it, Total cost was about $50 to 60.00, but doing all the work myself. I bought a new heater core on e-bay for $10.00 & the lower water inlet with heater hose tap in it from Brattons as well as the top radiator hose section with the hose connection in it. The fan is a computer fan 5-8 volt & only about 1" thick & very quiet & efficient. I put mine under the drivers side for a few reasons (choke & GAV rod issues as well as fact that i'm more often than not by myself anyway). It all can be removed with no visible changes other than the two holes in the firewall to plug & paint. E-mail me if you want & I can send some photos & give you details on the right heater core & fan model. Took a whole weekend but it is really worth it, best thing I ever did for driving comfort, second best was the "new" Zenith Carb. Joe in PA PS: I did have a local tin shop make metal box to hold & mount the heater core, another $10.00.
 
JtownJoe said:
I put hot water heat in my 30' Tudor last fall & I love it, Total cost was about $50 to 60.00, but doing all the work myself. I bought a new heater core on e-bay for $10.00 & the lower water inlet with heater hose tap in it from Brattons as well as the top radiator hose section with the hose connection in it. The fan is a computer fan 5-8 volt & only about 1" thick & very quiet & efficient. I put mine under the drivers side for a few reasons (choke & GAV rod issues as well as fact that i'm more often than not by myself anyway). It all can be removed with no visible changes other than the two holes in the firewall to plug & paint. E-mail me if you want & I can send some photos & give you details on the right heater core & fan model. Took a whole weekend but it is really worth it, best thing I ever did for driving comfort, second best was the "new" Zenith Carb. Joe in PA PS: I did have a local tin shop make metal box to hold & mount the heater core, another $10.00.
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This sounds like the best idea. I would find a way to bring the hoses thru the floorboard to eliminate the firewall holes.

I drove an A as an only car in the 50's and when it really got cold the manifold heater was just a big hole letting in cold air.
 
We have an "Otwell Health Heater" on our '29 Briggs Leatherback and, frankly speaking, I can't see where a hot water heater could do any better...this damned Otwell will run you out of the car!

Of course, you have to cut a hole in the firewall and many don't like to do that. But, even in the '20's and '30's people had to cut the hole if they were going to install a heater...so I say it's "period correct" and don't worry about it. Also, you have to understand how the heater works, and use a piece of rolled-up metal to provide the ducting into the car. I use a piece of rolled-up aluminum flashing that's been cut-to-length and works quite well. Shoot...I've even heard of folks using an old green-bean can...seemed to work well, too. All in all, these are pretty simple heaters that will work with about anything used for a duct. (Without the ducting they're just a hole in the firewall...is that what you did, Jerry...?)

Hope this helps. I'd be interested in seeing a photo of any hot water heater installations though...just out of curiosity. Who knows...but someone's hot water heater installation may make me change my mind...I dunno. All I can say is our Otwell works wonderfully for us...but, I'd like to see what others have done.

Stay warm...we do quite nicely.
 
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I find the old Autolite manifold heater in my pickup works almost too good, If it's really cold out, have the duct door closed, after one or two minutes, open 'er up and with the little deflection plate on the door, you'll have more heat you can stand. Have you tried Bert's in Co.?? I'll bet he'll sell you a complete set up for cheap money. He's a good guy. The water heaters seem good too, but I just wonder about the "lost" footroom in an A.
 
See my plan is to use to origonal Heater vent thing on the floor were the heat comes in and hang the heater core unit under the pasenger floor board like the battery is And then just have a retrn comeing uo inder the seat. and ill put a vent in the seat paneel or even louve it. ( my seats not origonal its hoput of a horce and buggy and i am in desperat need of A proper one im getting stabed my rusty springs while driveing.
 
I agree with the floor board scenario & tried it first but I found the water didn't circulate well enough into the heater core so I gave up & put 2 3/4" holes for the hose connections. The heater is invisible until you look below steering wheel level & the rocker is a very small 2 speed switch I put at the very top of the drivers kick panel. I can send a few photos via email if interested, just don't want to clutter up the forum for those that aren't.Joe
 
So i got the heater core out of the junk yard. I acttualy got locked in when they closed and dident know we were in the back. We had to Scale up a front end loader onto the roof of this 50 year old rusty hulk of a buss grab onto the bar that used to have barbed wire on it and swing though a hole in the fence i went first and my buddy passed me all the tools and the heater core then he did it. Not a sole was there so i ended up getting the part for free. Built the box, its about the same size as the battery. Im going to drill to holes on the sides and put two cast iron flanges on it to put my pipeing to and mounted my computer fan on the inside of eather hole one pushing out and one pulling in. my only concern is that idont know how the collent is going to circulate do you know of a small .5" inline pump at all or do you think the coolent will circulate just beouse of the negitve and positive preshure of the coolant system??
 
Bruce Rossiter said:
Am I the only idiot in the world that would have gone back the next day to pay for the part?
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No you're not. I once broke down on the freeway with kids in the van and had to walk about a mile and a half into a small town to get a fuel pump on a fourth of July weekend. It was Sunday morning and people were coming out of the church across the street as I lay on the ground geting a fuel pump off a truck in a used car lot that was closed. I left a blank check and a note of explanation in the mail box slot and waited for the check to clear and it was a total of $38.00 charge for new pump and labor to install back in their truck. The next time I was through town was the middle of November for deer hunting. I stopped in to thank them and apologize for raiding their lot while they were closed. They were happy to meet me and after talking for a couple of minutes I was on my way. This is the way I've always lived my life and feel I've benefited greatly from it. So no, you're not the only idiot in the world.
Glen
 
Freddie (Memphis) said:
We have an "Otwell Health Heater" on our '29 Briggs Leatherback and, frankly speaking, I can't see where a hot water heater could do any better...this damned Otwell will run you out of the car!

Of course, you have to cut a hole in the firewall and many don't like to do that. But, even in the '20's and '30's people had to cut the hole if they were going to install a heater...so I say it's "period correct" and don't worry about it. Also, you have to understand how the heater works, and use a piece of rolled-up metal to provide the ducting into the car. I use a piece of rolled-up aluminum flashing that's been cut-to-length and works quite well. Shoot...I've even heard of folks using an old green-bean can...seemed to work well, too. All in all, these are pretty simple heaters that will work with about anything used for a duct. (Without the ducting they're just a hole in the firewall...is that what you did, Jerry...?)

Hope this helps. I'd be interested in seeing a photo of any hot water heater installations though...just out of curiosity. Who knows...but someone's hot water heater installation may make me change my mind...I dunno. All I can say is our Otwell works wonderfully for us...but, I'd like to see what others have done.

Stay warm...we do quite nicely.
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I had a good connection to the firewall. Looking at your location I think we may have a different view of what cold is. My problem with the heater was at -10 to -20 and colder kinds of temperature. The more serious problem was lack of defrosters. Hard to see when you have to use the ice scraper on the inside of the windshield.
 
Yes, sir...I can see your dilema, Jerry...-10 or -20 is a tad bit colder than I would want to drive our "A" in. I was referring to +20 and up. Ten to twenty below is almost unheard of around these parts. We've seen -10 for a couple of nights in a row every now and then, but nothing like that for any length of time.

Of course...we've also seen temps over 100 for 20+ days in a row, the record being 108 one afternoon. We didn't drive Jippy car then either, by the way... :D

I have a better understanding of your problem now...and don't envy you, my friend. You keep that kinda cold up there...will ya? :rolleyes:
 
Glen in Hillman MI said:
...I lay on the ground geting a fuel pump off a truck in a used car lot that was closed. I left a blank check and a note of explanation in the mail box slot...
Glen
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Glen, I think my note would have listed my phone number so they could call me, then I would have mailed a check. Otherwise I'd have done as you did.

But if I got locked in the dismantler's yard because of the attendant's carelessness and had to climb the fence to get out with a heater core that would have cost...what, $3 at a pick-n-pull?...I would have figured they still owed me.

Joe
 
Ya around hear the averige december january day is 2-8 degrees. I called the place to tell them about the incidant and they told me they new we were back there and after dismantaling the entire dash and fire wall they wernt going to kick us out when we were so close but they wernt sticking around and figured weed find our way out. We were the first people sence last year to need a heater core so its not as if they would make any money on it any way. Almost done with the heater started started putting ll the fittings in last night and installed the fisrt fan.
 
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