Heat in a baja?

[69 DEWD]

I have a '69 bug I decided to turn into a baja. The heat system seems to be all good so I figured I'd keep it and buy a new tri-mil bobtail exhaust to accommodate. Today while bored I was thumbing through the Idiot manual and it said all tins and deck lid seals had to be in place for the heater to work and carbon monoxide not to infiltrate the car. What? Will stock heat not work on an open backed baja bug?
I live in No. Ca. and mostly will be driving in fair weather but just thought it would be a luxury item for the wife and kids and nice for those early morning fishing trips.
I have the engine ready to go back in just need a new exhaust, want to order this week so looking for any input.
Thanks.

[YDBD]

It will work, but there is the slight chance of CO2 getting into the fan shroud from the exhaust, especially at slow speeds and stopped with engine idling. The fan is pulling in air from in front of the engine, and exhaust when not moving goes where the wind blows can make it's way forward. It still happens in a completely sealed bug too with the louvers on or above the deck lid.

Just be smart about it and keep a window open or shut the heat when stopped.
_________________
'56 pan Dune Buggy since '69
don't live in the past...but when I did:
'67 bug
'64 baja
'60 dune buggy
'73 Personenkraftwagen Type 182 "Thing"

[69 DEWD]

Thanks!
How much heat can I expect though? Is it worth it?
Would I rather have the have the extra power of a no heater boxes header?

[YDBD]

Depends on your fan shroud and if everything is there it should work...well as good as a '69 bug heater system.

Heaterboxes don't take away that much, if any power of a stock motor as they are just J tubes wrapped with the heater part.

I think it's worth it as it takes the bite out of the cold in the bug.
_________________
'56 pan Dune Buggy since '69
don't live in the past...but when I did:
'67 bug
'64 baja
'60 dune buggy
'73 Personenkraftwagen Type 182 "Thing"

[Multi69s]

I noticed you mentioned The Idiots manual. Well that is exactly what it is. There is no friggen way, that the exhaust from a Tri Mill is going to be sucked into the heating system, unless you are stuck on the I5 bumper to bumper, then you "might get a whiff. I have ran heater boxes (custom) on my 2010cc Baja for the last ten years. It has been ran on the street, the Mojave desert, Pismo dunes, etc. I am still alive, plus my copilot (wife), has the nose of a bloodhound. If there had been any exhaust fumes in the cabin, she would have let me know.
_________________
69 road Bug 2110
73 Squareback - 2L, T4, Automatic W/ AC
Gone, but many fond memories 69 Baja Bug 2010 - 5 Rib Bus Transaxle
Gone but not forgotten 72 Baja Bug 2010
My builds
T4 into Squareback http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=458944&highlight=
Auto Trans Rebuild http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=516066&highlight=
AC in Squareback https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=

[69 DEWD]

Excellent! Thanks.
As far as heat goes, adequate?

[B Ramsey]

[69 DEWD]

Thanks for the insight guys. Think I'll go ahead as planned and keep the heat.👍👍

[dustymojave]

My Baja still has heater boxes on it. It's provided heat in weather as low as -6° here in the Mojave Desert. The only time I've ever noticed exhaust fumes inside with the heater on was when the car was stopped with a strong tail wind. I've smelled the same in warm weather with the car windows open.

But it IS important for the system to not have air leaks. And booster fans would be good. I have considered adding them to my car. Probably marine ducted fans. I've also considered a re-circulation system taking air out of the back of the cabin with fans at the firewall blowing through flex ducts over the fan shroud and down to the heater boxes. You DO need to add in a little fresh air too. But that's rarely a problem in a Baja Bug
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[69 DEWD]

Thanks Dusty.
I spent 4 years off and on in the '80's at 29 Palms. Every time I see your posts it reminds me of those days. Mojave dessert probably the hottest and coldest place I've ever been.

[dustymojave]

Hottest weather I've ever experienced was at Cuddeback Dry Lake on the Edwards Air Force Base gunnery range a little north of my home. 115° at midnite. And the 1st day I raced my motorcycle in the desert. That -6° at home was the coldest Ive encountered including up in the high Sierras skiing on 20' of snow. Although I did match it once when building a home at 7,000' in the Sierras. It was -3° at my home the morning before that though.

That morning at -6° it took a while to warm up the engine, then it took 3 miles of driving to warm up the trans oil enough to get it into 4th gear. But I could feel the warmth from the heater before I left the house.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[dirtkeeper]

The idiots manual is probably refering to if the Sheetmetal isn’t on the exhaust air, co2 could get sucked up by the fan and blown through the heater system. But other wise the only time you get smell is when you have holes in your heater boxes and you have oil dripping on them .

[dustymojave]

Yeah, actually the Idiot's book is talking about a stock full-body Bug. In that case, (including Class 11 style Bugs), the cooling fan is sucking air from the engine compartment. Any leak in the engine tin allows air, including bad air, to be sucked into the engine compartment and thus into the fan that feeds the heater boxes, then into the cockpit.

OTOH, A Baja Bug has the engine compartment open to outdoor air, and while exhaust fumes CAN be drawn into the fan, it will be dramatically diluted and not an issue.

One point to keep in mind is that the VW heating system should ALWAYS use air under pressure passing through the heater box portion of it. That way, if the heater boxes or other ducting have an air leak, it will be air leaking (blowing) OUT, rather than leaking (sucking) in. So if you add booster fans inside the car to improve air flow, make sure that behind the fire wall with all fans on, you have positive air pressure inside all parts of the heater system.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[69 DEWD]

Thanks again for all the great info guys. In years past I've owned 2 Baja bugs and 2 square backs with no heat and just got used to wearing a jacket and keeping a spare towel for wiping fogged up windows. All part of the VW experience. Be nice to have some heat this time around.

[Bakerby]

We bought a buddy propane heater and bypassed the tip over sensor, very easy to do, and now have a very warm car with instant heat. Just strap it in passenger seat or back seat and away we go. Not to worried about co2 as there are plenty of air leaks in our baja.