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Heat options for a 1973 Thing
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ente_kaefer
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Joined: August 22, 2013
Posts: 241
Location: St Louis, MO
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mondshine wrote:
"They build 'em good in Germany"
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I agree, 'Hergestellt in Deutschland' !!
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rrankin
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Joined: November 10, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Austin Texas
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been using heater boxes on my 74 for years now. I love it... car warms up pretty quick and I don't have the tubes installed that run to the front of the car.

For about 15 years I had no heat. I own a pair of heated socks, a 12v electric blanket and all the cold weather gear you can imagine and I live in Austin, TX!

That being said, I'd install a BN4 if I had a 73.
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'74 Thing [Fritz]
Austin, TX
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mondshine
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Joined: October 27, 2006
Posts: 2765
Location: The World's Motor Capital
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The heat in a '74 actually works pretty well as far as warming the interior.
Unlike Beetles, where the (often rusted) heat channels are at the floor perimeter, '74 Things use paper and foil hoses that run along the tunnel. All of the heat that "leaks" from the system remains inside the cabin.

The air coming from the ducts is very hot; too hot to hold your hand in front of it at ~3000 RPM. (If you've ever owned a Type 3, you know that the VW engineers designed a very sophisticated heating system that actually mixed cold air with the heated air to prevent melting your sneakers.)

The Thing's completely un-insulated body and top don't help much, but the major downfall of the '74 system is windshield defrosting. There just is not adequate air flow to the windshield, even at constant freeway speeds. Cold and damp weather and a breathing driver are a bad combination.

I've never owned a '73, but I have to believe that the BN4 fan, as close to the windshield as it is, would do a much better job.

My solution (in my '74) has been a small 12V fan for defogging the windshield in rainy conditions, but mostly Winter storage.
In fact, I am dropping my car off tomorrow, and I won't see it again 'til next May Crying or Very sad

Mike-
Good luck with your new BN4, Mondshine
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