What heater did you guys use in your hot rods??

I'm running the same setup in my 39 Pontiac (original heater). I really like the old heaters, and if you look around you can sometimes find them cheap at the swap meets, and some are really showpieces. If I had the room, I'd be tempted to start collecting them.

 

My first heater was one from Mr. Forties. What a piece of total **** and it was $250. The heater core was way too small and the day I took it out, the tube broke off in my hand from the core. Don't buy one!

It's ONLY saving grace was that it had a nice computer style fan in it. So I put it in this after having the core tested. It keeps me nice and toasty if it's not too cold out. My weather stripping on the doors all needs replaced, so that will make a huge difference I'm sure.

 

Did anyone try to build their own? I always thought it would be a good idea to go to a parts house and get a heater core from some car that is popular like a Mustang, Corvette or whatever, so that you could always get a replacement in the future. You would have to look at a bunch of different cars to find one that was the right size, shape ect. The same for a fan motor, switch ect. The housing could be made from some alum. or stainless cake pans and some s**** metal.

Or would it be easier to put modern guts in a old housing?

 

Hat and gloves with the wife sitting pretty close.

 

I picked up this really cool Arvin Heater that I'm gonna use in my '32 Coupe. Looks pretty cool, I'll try to get a picture of it.

- Brian

 

a friend gave me a heater out of a '46 ford P/U. It's in almost perfect condition and perfect size. I haven't installed it yet. Only issue is it's 6 volt.

 

I use the same kind as NITROFC and Plowboy. It works pretty well. Good enough for what i use it for anyways.

 

A friend gave me a heater from a 1937 Chevy for my AV8 roadster. I had it re-cored for about $90 and it does the trick. Below 25 degrees, I have to keep my gloves on.

 

Oh, check out what Rolf used on his red coupe. Its pretty cool.

 

I used one from Southern Rods, it's about the size of a shoebox and throws plenty of heat for the cabin on the 40.

 

I moved from Indiana to SE Alabama, we don't need no steenkin heaters

 

For that beat, look up the old Stewart Warner heaters that fit on the drive shaft tunnel. Lil helmet lookin gas burnin beasts that use the vacuum of the engine & a feed line off the carbs float bowl. I dont have the info off the top of my head, but there are a couple places that sell them refurbished & tested.
Here's what one looks like on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/40s-Old-Car-Gas-Heater-Stewart-Warner_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ34197QQihZ018QQitemZ280057506906QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Eberspacher & Stewart Warner made gas powered units that kicked out some serious heat. The compact pod lookin ones from the 70's work real well and some models are still in production, very relaible & safe way to heat without tapping into your engine.
Eberspacher makes a super compact gas fired heater, either gasoline or diesel (diesel is MUCH safer, just need a little tank for the fuel). They are totaly self contained and kick out a ton of heat & you dont have to wait for it to warm up either. Pretty compact unit, can be mounted inside the dash, in the back under the seat, wherever you have room and dont mind the fit.
They used to use these in VW's and a few older cars, they are still used in big trucks & heavy machinery for auxilary heat or for heating the sleepr cab when the engine is off.
Here's one on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/EBERSPACHER-DILC-COMPACT-12-volt-DIESEL-HEATER_W0QQitemZ220058068441QQihZ012QQcategoryZ15263QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

.32 s&w ya dirty coppas

 

Thats some funny DO-DO but I bet it works .

 

Ratstar, I like that one. What year/model Ford did that come out of?

 

I will second this idea to use one from an older Japanese pickup. They are small, self contained, and mount real nice on the flat firewall.

The other idea using an underdash A/C converted for heat is good thinking!

 

Thanks fellas.

 

Ever look at all the heaters in school buses

 

The words heater and hot rod shouldn't be in the same sentence..... although ,at 61, there's some days I wish I had one in my roadster. The most *****in heater is a "Hadees". They're chrome,small and really art deco-ish.......Oh yeah, and expensive.....................Mike

P.S.....If anyone has a primo one for sale, e-mail me.. hemifarris@aol.com thanks

 

I like to see Vintage heaters and you can pick them up from Ebay for peanuts.

Here's a couple i recently renovated and used. I had to put modern 12v motors in them but it was a pretty straight forward job.

We need heaters here in the UK as even in the summer it can be cold when on the move.

Before



After (This one is diecast and just polished, Stay's shiny no problem)



Before



After (Chromed but not painted, Will be Green Flake)



Steve.

 

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