Heating....Crazy idea?

... there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9b

Instead of routing the heat all the way to the front, route the heat directly to the bulkheads next to the seats.  You sacrifice defrost, but the heat is WAY better.  It's even better than my current water-cooled heat.  It's the cheapest, most effective way to improve your heat.

We need more info.

Do you currently have heater boxes that are inadequate, or are there no VW-style heater boxes at all?  If you have current heater boxes, a bunch of people have by-passed running heat through the outside frame rails and, instead, run the heater box outlets right into the center tunnel, with outlets up near your feet (I don't believe any of these have defrosters).  WAY more effective than running through the frame tubes.  Search on here or contact Al Merklin @Alan Merklin for modification info.

No one over here (US) will be familiar with the under-floor heating pads used in Europe on RV's and Caravans - we never see them here (although, they work well).  

Some folks have had limited luck with 12Volt Piezo-Electric (ceramic) heaters, but they suck a LOT of electrical power and are only mildly effective.

You want heat?  LOTS of heat?   Then go with a gasoline powered heater from the olden days of Volkswagen Beetle sedans.  The size you need is a B2 or BN2, no larger (the larger ones produce so much heat they'll drive you out).  I have documented, on here, how to get one running and get it installed into a Speedster.  

https://www.speedsterowners.com...ter-for-pearl-thread

Several others have done this, too.  One guy (Jack Crosby) has a modern version of an Eberspacher BN2 installed, an Eberspacher Airtronic B2, and he loves it BUT that'll cost you around $1000+  installed if you find one on sale (several times each year, but usually in the Spring).   The diesel and gasoline (Benzine) heaters are identical except for the fuel jet and fuel pump pulse rate, both easily changed.  Theybare widely sold all over Europe for large truck sleeper cabs.

That's pretty much the spectrum, cheapest to most expensive.  If yu have heater boxes already, then re-routing through the central tunnel is the way to go.

Gordon is our resident expert on gasoline heat options and has pretty much covered most of the other choices.

But there is one other variant of conventional VW heat that a lot of us have, simply because it's what Vintage Speedsters installs and many of us own their cars.

Rather than run the heater box outlets through the narrow frame rails, they feed into flexible plastic hoses (three-inch diameter, I think) just inside of the rocker panels. At the front footwells, the hoses connect to after market vents that are pretty easy (and cheap) to find. This also allows the option of installing defroster vents.

The volume and temperature of warm air reaching the cockpit this way is better than stock VW heat.

Thanks Gordon, thanks everyone! I have no heating at all. I'll explore the gasoline options!

thanks

j

Seat heater in seat cushion and seat back increase driving comfort too.  I've used Rostra ones but there are cheaper ones advertised on ebay.  They fit under the seat vinyl/leather.

Long underwear and gloves!

Up here in Canada I can drive pretty late in the year right up to the snow falls. My heat ducks terminate right behind each seats warming up the seat and sending hot air behind your legs under the seat. with the top on it keeps the inside pretty cozy. 

What Gordon said.

It seem odd to be writing about heat in a Speedster right now.  At 8 pm it was 90 here and we had planed to take the Speedster for ice cream but it's just to hot to enjoy the ride.

I have found myself in 40 degree temps for hours on end on some long trips.  Blowing smoke  with your breath because of the cold temps is just no fun.  Once going through Flagstaff in late April (I think) on the way to the great West Coast Speedster event it got so cold in driving snoow that Alice bailed out and got into Dusty's Cadillac SUV for the heat---which I wish I could have done also.  All this to say that freezing your tail off sure takes the fun away from the drive.

If I had the technical chops that Gordon possesses in spades, I'd have rebuilt a BN3 like he did but I got the same results with an Espar gasoline heater and recommend it highly.  I was ready for real heat on winterish trips and can recommend the Espar as trouble free and all the heat you can stand!  It is totally maintenance free, completely safe and never allows the smell of gasoline into the cabin.  In the Central part of the country my Speedster is a year round driver with the exception of the hottest part of summer, but that is an air conditioning topic and something I'll probably never have.

Hi John, 

Madmx72 used an Eberspacher fuel heater which looks like a cool install. Unfortunately Photobucket stops me posting any pics. As you know IVA test stops us using the heat exchangers for heating, but you still need some form of windshield demisting. I am fitting a heated screen. After I have passed the test will look at adding some traditional VW heating