Speedster Heat

As a "draw" to get you and your speedsters to Carlisle I'll do a 5 miniute seminar around the showfield of speedsters

"How to get decent heat in a Speedster"

I know the answer -- move to Miami.

Good one Erik

Hey Alan, I just pull the two little handles between the seats. I guess you must get your heat a different way on the 'other' coast.
Ron

Hey Alan,

If you're serious, you're on!! We'll also need a few minutes on how to keep the sun out of your eyes because we're planning to have no rain this year.

How to make good heat in a Speedster as it was done in 1957.



First you need a Speedster

Next you will need two wood sticks any sticks will do.

then you need to rub them together.

use fibers from under the seat this may help.

When fire starts turn the key you know have about 5 min of good heat before you have to get the hell out.

PS you will not have enough time to warm up the motor, so don't rev it to high, you may blow the motor.

Yup seriously, the proven method is to utlize the center tunel as the main heat "tube"..........details to follow.

Oh No ! sounds like Alan is on something. No, No, onto something.

Could you use the heat coming off the intercooler from a turbo to provide heat to the cab? All you would need is a fan and an air box with directional air flow. Could this work?

This may be another reason to put a turbo on it.

If you don't have a heater
You need a hot right-seater
forget the turbo
go with the slow blow
hey, what could be sweeter?

For those of you who have complained about heat and defrost in air cooled engines you may want to pick-up a copy of Hot VW Magazine.*

There is an advertisement appearing in Hot VW, nearly every month, for booster fans that are installed in the heater ducts which boost the velocity of the air in your ducts.

If it's a velocity problem this will help. If the ambiant temp is too cold to provide any heat you're S.O.L.

*Although many would like to ignore it, the 356 Speedster is the first cousin of the VW and Dr. Porsche used many of the same design techniques in the Porsche after he left Volkswagon, in fact the early Porsches used engines and many other parts produced in the VW plant. In fact, I believe the first year Porsche produced his own engine was in late '57. It was a three piece case rathe than the VW 2 piece design. (I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.)

A possible inexpensive option for defrosting may be one of these babies...Classic Car mag in UK rates it as a good buy.

www.completeautomobilist.co.uk/online/itm01022.htm

Brian

The VW heat as we know it is nothing short of a luke warm air teaser at best. With the original design,the outer heat channels worked, providing that all components must be in top notch condition with no metal surfaces exposed to ambient air.

Speedsters have metal and plastic pipe as the new improved design...not so great of an invention.
If you have correct German heater boxes you will have heat coming out of them that is hot! Junk Brazilian / Mexican heater boxes they are minus most if not all of the "fins" within the heater box and don't provide muct in the way of heat.

Since the Speedster doesn't have the factory VW heater channels, the "pipe" channels that are installed in most Speedsters to provided heat transfer, is exposed to the ambient air....... here's the fix!

As mentioned use ONLY German heater boxes ( A Must!)

Cut two 2" holes at the top of the rear portion of the tunnel section just into the individual Y's

Install a short 4" exhaust extension pipe into each of the two 2" holes you just cut and secure by welding or JB Weld.

Install a length of exhaust flex pipe from the heater box to this 2" exhaust pipe and secure it in place.

Wrap a quality exhaust insulation ( Header wrap etc.) around this pipe to isolate it from the ambient air temp, doing so will retain the heat.

You are now going to be using the center tunnel section of your Speedster to carry the heat forward into the drivers compartment. To put it in perspective, this is already somewhat "insulated" by being in the car and insulated by the carpeting.

3" rearward of where your right foot/heal sets when on the accelerator locate and cut a 1-3/4" hole 1/2"-1/4"" above the floor carpet. Important when cutting this hole, cut with a holesaw cutting angled forward so as to leave a 3/4" "flap" in the 9 o'clock position of the flap on the piece you are cutting so it can be bent into the tunnel section 75' or so this will help capture and redirect the heated air outward from the tunnel.

Purchase at a marine (boat)supply store the two stainless slotted vented "caps" that will be screwed into place over the 1 3/4" holes.

If you want to add defrost, cut a smaller hole on top of the tunnel section at the firwall add a nipple as mentioned above and run a length of flex hose from this up to a tee for the defroster dash vents.

There you have it great heat...I have done this a few of times and have gotten complaints...too damn hot in there !

Robert, I think the cold is finally getting to you!
Ron

Great post Alan, never thought of doing it quite that way. Keep up the good work. Eddie

Do any of these conversions have trouble with the Shift Rod/Bushing drying out and wearing prematurely? Just a thought.......otherwise I felt this was a pretty damn good idea.

gn

Alan that was great, thanks for the great information.

I wonder if you would get any grease smells into the comparment with the heater on. The shifter rod is lubed with grease.

Or maybe I could lube the rod with extra virgin olive oil and add a vowel onto the end of my name, you reckon?

If you please? on the next one you do Alan please take some pics of the rear secton mods, I want to see exactly how you do it. I may do a slighty different twist on it

Its eather that or buy Mr .O Blacks gas heater and just run a header,

BUT,I will be honest. I just don't like gas heaters

Barry, those two knobs I mentioned earlier are for the heater boxes. I don't have a gas heater. The larger 1 5/8" heater boxes, in conjunction with the big motor, puts out enough heat for me (even though the boxes are hollow). Kept me warm (top up) when driving in near freezing temperatures. An interesting sidebar is that my 911 pickup (2.7 Porsche, with stainless steel heater boxes) puts out so much heat I can't have the heat levers set on more than 1/2 open (at near freezing temperatures). Small cab and big motor means lots and lots of heat.
Ron

Thanks Ron, Down here In NC we don't have but 4 months of cold weather a year.I am present .Just saving up for a new engine build. But it may not be a T-4. Kiss

I have a nother question. Does anyone have a thermal liner in their roadster top? I have been looking at some of this new super shear space age stuff trying to pic a material. to hide inside the top, thickness being the main concern.

If not that I should go ahead and and make that hard top that will look like a soft top, and just put it on during the winter, I could insulate it to the exstream.

The heat conversion doesn't cause an oil smell.
maybe you are recalling this from a VW Beetle that had rotted out heater boxes. The exhaust would then mix with the heated air and travel up thru the heater channels..I actually saw blue oil smoke in a Beetle years ago!

Missed this question ...."Do any of these conversions have trouble with the Shift Rod/Bushing drying out and wearing prematurely?"
_______________

No problems encountered... The nylon shifter bushing is heat resistant to a temp far above the heated air supplied by the heater boxes.

I'll go over the install/conversion process at Carlisle....Alan

Alen we are a club and you have to be a good boy a share with the rest of the class. But if you want to come to Knotts we will have a beer for you. If not POST THE PICS!! paalezzzzz.

David,
I am only 3000 miles from Knotts.... the beer would have been good bait tactic... even though I am leaning toward Smirnoff Ice lately ummm as I type this...
I'll contact a friend in NJ that I did the heat conversion to on his VW chassis and have him take a digital pic or two.