Gas Heater.

Where is the best place to put a gas heater? My car is in the build process so I can still put it wherever the best place is....


Thanks,
Ben

Ben, I don't know if this is much help but try ebay, there was a
guy who sold "restored/rebuilt" gas heaters, if I remember
about $400 [don't qoute me], good luck.

Ben, George Brown (a forum member) is the best person to talk to about gas heater in replicas, since he is having one installed in his new IM. Henry did show me George's car, in it's early stage, and the setup for the gas heater looked really neat. I believe the heater was in the trunk, with heater vents into the cab.
Ron

Thanks guys, I find them pretty regular on ebay but I thought I hear someone say they put thiers between the rear wall and the engine bay. Is this a safe spot?

How many of you have heated car seats, and do you find they warm you up enough on cold days that the poor heat is not an issue?
Ron

IMO buying an older "restored" gas heater may be asking for problems. Porsche fitted Ebersbacher gas heaters as options on 356's and as standard on some Carreras (those Carreras didn't have heat exchanger exhaust systems). Usually they were fitted in the trunk, and fires with these units were not uncommon.

The new Espar heat-exchanger units are more compact, lighter, and much safer.

Installation is a matter of finding room for the unit that will allow servicing it when necessary, isolating the sound (they are a bit noisy), and allowing safe and functional plumbing for fuel intake, hot exhaust outlet, and warm cabin air ducting.

I differ a bit with George here, though I never fault someone for putting safety first.

The early gas heaters may be problematic. But I am certain the heaters offered as options by VW two decades later are improved safety-wise with built in features.

No one can ever accuse Jake or Shad Laws of ever cutting corners, they put the best of everything on their cars, and both have reconditioned gas heaters on their vehicles.

Erik, my '67 SR sedan and '73 type 181 both had factory gas heaters. These units were fairly large and relatively inefficient but did warm the car up quickly with only a faint odor overtone. These heaters were quite common in VW's sold up north or in Canada so there are a lot of them around in junkyards; fires in gas heater equipped VW's were also not uncommon.

Safety is a personal choice - if someone wants to trust a rebuilt 30 some-odd year old gas heater that wasn't that safe when new, that's their choice. I prefer to use the the newer, better designed version.

I agree with your concern George, though I stand by the last paragraph of my earlier post.

I agree with George, the gas heaters are quite a bit different and safer if they are of the new variety.....I wouldn't risk my car for the price, and the new one will run much more efficient with less smell.

Perhaps VW gas heaters have been made safer ?
Years ago during a cold winter night , I was sitting at an all night dinner in NJ There 30 ' right out in the front, I saw a VW beetle with a gas heater get hit head on...driver and passenger didn't fare so well................

Alan M

I think getting head on in a beetle with or without a gas heater is not a good thing. Tell us the outcome of the wreck and what effect did the gas heater have. I think as Paul Harvry says, "And now the rest of the story".Bruce

So who here has actual experience with the new style of heater? I guess I am trying to decide if I should stick with heater boxes or not..

Thanks,
Ben

Ben, I don't have any "new" experience. But where are you located?
I was wondering what the is the low temp cutoff for speedster
touring?

Ben, I have experience with the diesel Espars in yachts; the gas Espar is simply a varation of the diesel heater. I should have some first-hand experience with the gas Espar in my new car sometime next month.
(Message Edited 9/25/2003 10:42:47 AM)

Bruce

The "rest of the story" wasn't pleasant, both occupants were trapped and the car burned I can only assume that the tank ruptured, it was reported in the local news paper ( we all know how "accurate" they can be ) that the gas heater was a contributing factor

Alan M

Sorry, been out of town. I am located in southern Missouri. Though I do not plan to use the speedster in the dead of winter, I would like to use it during 40F degree weather. This would extend the season a month on either end of the summer. Those of you with heater boxes, how's your heat?

Thanks,
Ben

My car has heater boxes, and throws out a good amount of heat. I would think that at 40F, heat should be fine. I also have a three speed fan under the dash, which sometimes gets the cabin too warm.