Hello all, I have a 1956 Chrysler Imperial, and it has under the hood a instant heat system. I have looked around on the web and not found much about the system, and have been told the system is rare. I have most of the major components and such, the hose was really chewed up and is gone now. You should be able to see it in the picture of the engine bay. What are your guys thoughts on it?
Looks like a gasoline heater that would work on the same principle as an SW Southwind. They were popular in air cooled vehicles and light aircraft and seem to have a pretty good safety record, but I would personally not feel comfortable running one.
I put one in an old VW coupe I had. Hit the switch and there was a loud KAPOW followed by a flame coming out the front heel well. But other than that it heated really well.
It is a Southwind by the decal. If you’re going to PebblyBeach I’d restore it along with that AC compressor….. otherwise sell both or box up for the next owner. As for value…contact the Chrysler Or Chrysler Imperial owners group or ***ociation……The first guy wanting it will Low Ball you.
The majority of people will find it interesting but won't be bidders. But you only have to find that one guy that has to have it. As George Gobel would say, "I don't expect that there are many of them kind no more".
It could be one of those propane heaters that were on the market. The regulator doesn't seem right to me for liquid fuel. Personally, I would use it for yard art or something. On second glance the thing I thought was a regulator is probably a fuel pump, driven by one of the fan shafts. With the Mopar sticker on it, it should be listed in one of their optional equipment catalogs.
Lots of info out there. I’m sure it was a fast and effective heater at one time, but after the parts have gone unused for fifty or more years… well, I’d at least go through each component before using it again. https://www.web.imperialclub.info/Repair/Accessories/56gasheater/index.htm
On that note, I do have a system in the back of the car. I have poked around and found out that it is called an air temp evaporator. What do you all think of something like this? I have seen that it is more common than the instant heat, but also considered a safer luxury. Lol. Thank you all for your quick responses, it helps me out a lot.
That is the evaporator for the air conditioning. In the early 50's many were installed under the rear package tray rather than under the dash. Airtemp was Chrysler's brand name for their HVAC division products.
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