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If the heater boxes are otherwise still good, I'd take them to a muffler shop to have pipe extensions and flanges welded on. Take the car and whatever muffler/header you want to use so they can get the proper fit and clock the flanges correctly. The aftermarket boxes either don't have the internal fins or they have fewer fins (Dansk) so don't provide as much heat as the stock ones.
Check out some from CIP; I believe they also offer high performance versions (larger diameter tubing but with no aluminum elements inside). If you live in a warmer climate those might work fine for you. I got the Dansk but they are flanged. These CSP's have the regular ends:
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDe...1%2D255%2D100%2D038L
On the other hand, if you don't want a larger diameter these have the aluminum elements inside:
Pitch the heater boxes and go with seat heaters. They will keep you warmer and you wont smell like your engine...... Or install an electric after market heater system in the rear of the car and duct it into the stock heater chanels
oh ya - i agree with Kevin. i have a sidewinder (no heater boxes) and 4 heated seat elements (2 on each seat)
we can cruise at night in the fall with a blanket on our laps (and gloves. keeps your body niiiiice and warm.
i don't ever use my gas heater either
Pitch the heater boxes and go with seat heaters.
This from the guy who lives in California. 
I only use the heat from my heater boxes when the top is up. When the top is down and the temperature is on the cool side, I use my seat heaters.
I'm hesitant to pitch my heater boxes, because even though the heat coming through the 'empty' big heater boxes is on the lukewarm side, it still makes the cabin tolerable when the temperature drops.
There are a ton of electric heaters on the market that you can hook into your existing heater channels and warm the interior not only more effectively but also without that engine smell.
Here is a link to one.
http://www.my12voltstore.com/1...ater_p/sd12-4000.htm
You gotta know the market because you don't know who might want what. It's part of what I do....
There are a ton of electric heaters on the market that you can hook into your existing heater channels and warm the interior not only more effectively but also without that engine smell.
Here is a link to one.
http://www.my12voltstore.com/1...ater_p/sd12-4000.htm
You gotta know the market because you don't know who might want what. It's part of what I do....
And that market is "socal winter". The 1600 BTU/hr from that heater wouldn't do jack for winter driving around here. Raising the cabin temp by 10-20 degrees doesn't cut it when it's 10*F outside.
To compare, a water-cooled car's heater is around 12000-20000 BTU/hr. A BN4 heater can put out up to 15000 BTU/hr.
Something like that would be perfect for my needs here in Charleston. If it's below freezing I'll take the BMW, but for chilly drives to Saturday Cars & Coffee, perhaps with a little condensation on the windshield, this would be perfect.
Who is using an electric heater right now? How do you like it?
If your top seals the cabin too much and you recirculate the air, you will fog up anyway. The only way is to bring fresh air in and heat it, but the moist air in the cabin needs to be displaced back outside......
My top and side curtains don't seal very well, which is why the gas heater with defroster ducts to the windshield works so well. Just gotta figure out how to "throttle" it with a thermostat of some kind. It is either ON or off.
