Heater on a hot rod?

I got a Arvin in my 32 roadster.






The Mrs got one too in her 29A

 

A cheap and easy to find heater that SHOULD fit without too much trouble would be one from the dash of an old FJ40 Landcruiser.
In the original vehicle, outside air is taken thru an external fan and pumped into the heater unit via an air tube thru the firewall and along under the dash.
If you just needed a recirculating heater like most shown in this thread you could easily adapt a large muffin fan (or two smaller ones - easy two speed maybe?) from a computer store or surplus place to the top of the flat mounted core and do away with the external fan and tube.

The unit bolts directly to the firewall and both fluid pipes go out the right side of the heater, inside the vehicle, so you can use a 90* elbow to the firewall or even run the tubes out the floor.
If I get a chance tonight I'll measure my 40 heater and we'll see how it compares to an aftermarket heater.

Some Fj's also used an aditional round heater in the rear. It's free standing but might be a little fragile to mount sideways on the firewall...although it would work great under a seat!
The design mounted sideways could have the core slip out of place and into the central fan...but I guess you could always reinforce it against movement if you though it could work for you.

 

Resurrected! I don't like being cold either. I'm gonna try running PEX tubing underneath the floorboards on my '27 RPU. Just like radiant floor heating in some of the higher end homes. I don't see why it wouldn't work. I'll tie it into the turbo coolant lines of my 2.3 with some sort of solenoid valve plumbed inline to turn it on and off.

Note to self:
Check for any adverse reaction with PEX tubing to automotive coolant!

I'll let you know how it all works out.

 

vintage heaters are cool.

 

Thought I'd kick this thread up for those of you that froze your asses off on the way to and from the Pileup

Old heaters are H-O-T

 

HAHAHAHA you read my mind.

 

in the family hotrod (55 pontiac) it has heat,for the young ones. when its just me or the wife and i we take my (49 ford) no heat but it does have a blanket for the mrs...

 

those Arvin's are beautiful...PM me if you have one for sale

 

i am running a heater in my 1946 chevy pick-up it has a super deluxe. all my other old cars and trucks have heater to.thansk

 

Heaters are for trucks ,sedans ,coupes but In a roadster why bother

 

I bothered... Won't need it until I move back to the mainland!

 

Real Hot Rods are hot in summer and cold in da winter, don't need no stinking heaters, ha ha.

 

I was running my heater just this weekend. Getting chilly here in Maryland!!

 

I'm gonna use this Firestone heater in my 26T coupe, should look the nuts chromed

 

Chrome nuts are COOL!

 

I got this one for my build

 

Out here in Vegas we put heater cores under the cars and use them as a reserve cooling units

 

Thats only the 2nd one of seen of them, Very nice score.

 

So did you guys use the original heater core? I have always been leary of buying one at a swap meet. I am always afraid if it is a wierd shape It'll be shop trash.

 

Any radiator shop can check/fix the heater core. That's what I did.

 

I've done a couple of heaters, did one for my own car and a couple to sell. I did what I call Special High Intensity Testing and ran the garden hose through them to see if any water leaked out. none of the ones who passed the S.H.I.T. failed after.

I've also found that if there are no green or white crusty stains on the core it is still good

 

I've had lots of heaters and 99% of them the core has been fine, if its not any good i install a computer water radiator, they work great and cheap too

 

Here's mine, a new Vintage Air Heater, with an old swap meet cover with doors, that I modified and pop rivited to the plastic heater box of the Vintage Air unit.
HemiDeuce.

 

I need to start looking for one.

 

It was 28 degrees Sunday morning when we left for a rod run in my '34 Roadster. Yes it has a top and side curtains,but a heater?? Nah, I just handed the old lady a blanket and off we went !!!

 

No kidding i got it for 12 pound 50p ( $20 )

 

Lot's of Compression....that will build up heat.......Littleman

 

A little souther comfort and Lime

 

A buddy has one in his roadster. During the fall and winter he puts a top on his roadster and also uses side curtains for long trips out of state. His little heater keeps him toasty warm. I could however see your point if the car didn't have a top, etc.

 

I havent found the heater i want, but if i want to drive it until it snows up here, it would be nice.