Heat alternative?

[alman72]

they were never standard. they were an option. this convo is about weak heat from the stock(minus an extra heater) in very cold conditions. Sure the guys with the bonus heat are warmer, but not all busses had it.

[Slip356]

I’m pretty sure all Canadian Westys had gasoline heaters as standard. My 78 Westy has the underbody eber—- BA 6 as stock from the factory. The Germans knew it gets cold in much of Canada.

[alman72]

maybe they were ordered that way, but it is an m-code option. I could be totally wrong, but I am pretty sure this was the case.

[ImAddicted]

We had VWs growing up until they went WC, only one had a gas heater, the 412, and this was in northern NH. My Boston-delivered ‘79 Bay doesn’t have one. My northern VT delivered ‘70 Westy doesn’t have one. Maybe 60 miles north got them by default but we didn’t.
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1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR

[notchboy]

Most Canadian VWs from 1965 on had an Eberspacher installed as part of their standard kit. US-spec did not have them and were a rare and expensive option. In the States, most times we saw Eberspachers were on Canadian transplants, Tourist delivery or US servicemen transfers. Other than that if anyone else had a gas heater in the States, it was a Stewart Warner most likely.
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[mr matt]

[oprn]

I don't recall ever seeing a VW from about '68 and on without one or without evidence that it had one at one time. The exception to that was one '73 Beetle that had a swing axle (another rare thing in the late Beetles here) but there was a sticker on the door post that said "Made in Mexico" so someone brought it into the Canada after the fact.

Some of the early '60s Beetles (not all) had one that mounted over top the transaxle, was tied into the regular heat ducts and depended on the engine fan to move air through them. They had a bad reputation for causing fires.

Gas heater aside if you guys were to get your stock heating system back in good condition with all the ductwork leak free, adjust the control cables as it should be and insulation in place you would be amazed at how well it really works. No, it won't be as good as a modern water pumper but it will be adequate for sure.

[Abscate]

There are 30-50 deaths and about 10x more injuries from CO poisoning from propane heaters used in tents, campers, and RVs every year.

Don’t use your experience to date as a proxy for understanding the issue
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.ssS!

[ImAddicted]

[Whaanga]

[quote=]

Besides the 'creative' Paul Bunyan - Pot Belly stove, the replacement seats are probably well within current safety standards.

[/quote]
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Late 1973 Bay w/a transplanted 914 Engine

[Abscate]

You could get splinters fro those fold down armrests if they aren’t carefully sanded, or at least wrapped in cello tape.
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.ssS!

[orwell84]

I can’t blame anyone for looking for alternatives rather than rebuilding the stock heating system. In the northeast the heat provided could not be described as comfortable. It may have been ok off the showroom floor, but I doubt it would take long for rust to jam up the flapper boxes, create gaps in all that tin sheet metal and fiddly widgets. My grandmother owned my bus from 79-90. The heater boxes were replaced twice, the last time in the late eighties. When I got in 1990, the heater boxers were already rusted through and the main heater tube was a bag of rust scabs. She had all the work done at the dealership. I’m sure they hated that bus.

[Whaanga]

This heat discussion got me thinking. My parents had the local VW dealer install a gas fired heater in their 1970 bus. It was installed on the passenger side in the front of the car and it was turned by pulling and twisting a white knob.
It purred along and in combination with the stock system, it kept us warm in the cold Utah winters.

Our old green bus is long gone but my dad kept the owners manual. He also included the registration and instructions from the heat system. It was built by the Stewart- Warner corporation. I’ve included the documentation here:

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Late 1973 Bay w/a transplanted 914 Engine

[orwell84]

In the late 90’s I installed an Eberspacher BN4 in my bus using the factory ducting. It works well and keeps me warm while driving in a light jacket down to about 30*. It took some time to clean it up, learn how it worked and maintain it. I don’t drive in the winter so it’s been enough. I am also restoring my stock system just out of curiosity and for the sake of originality.

[RalphWiggam]

I have a booster fan up front in my bus. I think it was a kit you could buy back in the 80s or 90s. It works very well.

Aside from that, has anyone looked into fittING a better blower back in the engine compartment?

Here is mine. I took it apart and cleaned it and it works just fine, but the output is not great. I don't think it would be hard to replace it with something more modern with more airflow.

[Wildthings]

[notchboy]

[notchboy]

Despite this thread being relatively ancient, people have moved on. This thread is kinda a spin your wheels kinda thing.

Get with the times' people.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
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[orwell84]

[RalphWiggam]