TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:32 pm

Here is another couple that could possibly work great.

1975 Ford Granada 5.0 with A/C - 8" x 6" x 2" - 5/8" inlet/outlet (might be too thick, but I don't think so) - $29.79 at Rockauto

1998 Ford Mustang 4.6/3.8 - 7-1/16" x 6-1/16 x 1-1/4 - 5/8" inlet/outlet (might be too thin, but should be able to be mae to work) - $37.79 at Rockauto

For anybody who wants to spend the time looking for a other alternatives, check out this site:

http://www.transpro.com/catalog?searcher%5Byear%5D...les=SEARCH

You can check out the dimensions of thousands of heater cores and other things.

If you happen to look at the Vanagon heater core dimensions, they only list the rear core, not the front.

The dimensions of the Vanagon front heater core are:

17-1/4" (including end tanks, but not including inlet/outlet tubes) x 6-3/16" x 1-15/16" - 5/8" inlet/outlet

That length above is the actual overall length, but I am pretty sure that the dimensions listed on that site are the actual core dimensions, so the end tanks are not taken into consideration nor are the inlet/outlet tubes.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:00 pm

Oooo, Ahhh!
I like yours even better Chris! Very nice. I'm working with mine obviously, but if I had to do it from scratch I'd rather have the inlet/outlet tubes more to one side. Very good.
.
(p.s., some other time I'll post the NLA motor mount replacement I found for 6 bucks, last asking price for genuine was $200- Ha!)

Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:36 pm

Terry kay is going to murder all of you. :lol:

looks like I got some hackin to do in my dash, these babies are going to do the trick!

thanks dude

Tue Nov 10, 2009 8:54 pm

Just a bump for a great post!!

Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:00 pm

purplepeopleeater wrote: Terry kay is going to murder all of you. :lol:

Too Funny!

I was thinking the exact same thing!

Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:06 pm

No you guys--whatever trips your trigger.

If you have the time to do some chopping, filling, re-arranging--go for it.

Me, myself and I would much rather get that heater box outa the dash, clean it up, reseal the heater door's, install a new moter, and drop in a dirct fit high flow VW vanagon spec'ed core and be done with it for another 20 some years.

If the front heater box was an easy to get to item--I agree with you.
Whatever kinda, sorta fits would be OK with me too.

The penelty is too overbearing to be hoping that an also may work core is the answer.
I for one would surely hate the thought of doing the job twice after I found out a Citroen , or a Trabat front core super glued in the heater box didn't crank out the required BTU's.

I wish you heating engineer's all the luck in your supplimentary heater core endeavor.

Wed Nov 11, 2009 6:08 am

Thanks T.K.,
I appreciate the ingenuity that you and Ken have had in getting replacement cores made. For those who have more money than time, or shops who want to provide the best repair for a customer who has the money, yours fill a need.
Having an alternative that works for 1/10 th of the cost for DIY'rs is important too, especially in these times. Thank you for not flaming us.
My headgasket went bad so I'll be changing that on Sunday, If all goes well I'll let you know how the heater works next week.

Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:59 pm

I got the heater back in, just in time for a blast of cold and snow this weekend. It works fine.
It is plenty hot enough for me, when cruising on the flats it is hot but I'm able to keep my hand over the defroster vent, though it is uncomfortable there. On a grade of any kind it gets too uncomfortably hot to keep my hand over it. Mark at Frey's in Boulder made me an offer I couldn't refuse on a new blower fan, so that is all happy now too (thanks). The only thing I'd do differently is check out the Grenada core, but I didn't know about that one at the time I bought "the probe".
It is so nice to have clean heat I can't tell you. I did pressure wash the core when I got it-something I'd reccomend. All of the soundproofing I did is really nice too. A good day.

Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:18 pm

Vanagonner: Any update on long-term effectiveness &/or concerns with this install? Inquiring minds...

Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:37 pm

Vanagonner wrote: I have had my Ford heater core in for a year now, it still works fine. *edit* it warms the van just fine, doesn't smell and doesn't leak. *edit*

This is from the newer thread.

In Search of the Perfect $50 Heater Core