The Ford Barn

buzz882 · 10-25-2015, 03:03 PM

what are these 2 holes for on a 37 ford drivers side firewall?

ford38v8 · 10-25-2015, 03:12 PM

Buzz, Your car used to have a radio. It was mounted above the steering shaft behind the firewall, using those two holes with large washers. The controls were located in the center of the dash, and connected to the main unit by a flex cable.

PS~ Looks like you have a hot air heater, complete with a defroster. Those heaters are very hard to find, and work like a champ!

V8COOPMAN · 10-25-2015, 03:14 PM

I "call" your two holes and raise ya that piece of exhaust pipe.......what the heck is that all about? DD

petehoovie · 10-25-2015, 03:15 PM

Buzz,

What is that 'pipe' going into the vertical part of your firewall?....

37 Coupe · 10-25-2015, 03:16 PM

Hot air heater defroster ducts?

ford38v8 · 10-25-2015, 03:20 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

Hot air heater defroster ducts?

Yes.

DavidG · 10-25-2015, 03:50 PM

I wonder how many people died when the heater exchanger rusted out and CO mixed with the fresh air? My cabriolet had one since new and I retained it with a NOS heat exchanger and the unique cross over and inlet pipes, which proved to be a real challenge to find as Alan suggests. Notwithstanding, it is completely sealed off internally.

Note all the HVAC components in the photo below.

scooder · 10-25-2015, 04:08 PM

Probably the same amount "killed" by the southwind heater. Somewhere around None, not someone's friend of a friends cousins friend at another school on the other coast.
Similar concept heat exchanger system on the VW bug, these things rot out on the outside a long long time before the guts of the exchanger, so if it works at all its safe, then it deteriorates into not working at all (Cus the un important bit rots away) so you change it if you have a want for heat and half a brain.
I believe the Ford heat exchanger has the same built in safety, i.e. The first bit to rot is the un important part, rendering it useless long before the important stuff gets compromised.
That's the way I understand it.
Martin.

DavidG · 10-25-2015, 05:32 PM

If someone is dumb enough to run into a parade and kill four people and injure nearly fifty others, they're dumb enough not to put two and two together when their manifold heater stops working (if they had one).

Oh, by the way, you can look it up, but the number of people killed by VW gasoline heaters (the German Southwind) is way more than zero. I witnessed one that resulted from what was otherwise a survivable accident.

buzz882 · 10-25-2015, 05:37 PM

thanks for the info, I do have the radio also just wasnt going to use it,

jimTN · 10-26-2015, 07:48 AM

I would like to know how a SW heater killed someone. It works with suction that pulls gas from the carb to the heater where it is fired and pulls the exhaust back into the intake. If the suction stops, the heater stops. It just will not work with a vac leak.

scooder · 10-26-2015, 08:24 AM

Jim your correct on the proper southwind, Any leak will stop it working. A good fail safe.
The bad VW bug ones work differently, not 100percent certain, but I think the German built heaters are a different make, eisbursher (sp?) I don't know much at all about these ones.
Martin.

rotorwrench · 10-26-2015, 09:09 AM

Aircraft used several types of combustion heaters. Many were much larger to accommodate the larger cabin areas. The VW heater was much like the aircraft type and was made by Eberspacher. In Aviation types, maintenance had to be done on regular basis and CO detectors had to be installed. Most folks will remember what happened to Ricky Nelson in the DC-3 fire. Some had to have there own fuel pump so the fuel system maintenance was critical.

Fire and fumes are both an equal concern in aviation applications. Automotive applications generally were less in relation to fatality statistics. Many of the cars that used them were drafty compared to modern vehicles. Most times, a person would end up with a head ache from the CO. Fires were rare but not unheard of. Fatal accidents were likely from folks passing out if the old car wasn't drafty enough. A leaky fuel line caused plenty of cars to burn up back in the day too.

The Borg Warner Southwind was likely the most reliable unit made back then but I don't think it was the only one available. Most were aftermarket designs.

JSeery · 10-26-2015, 09:51 AM

I drove a 41 with a Southwind in high school, that was by far the best heater I have ever had in a car! Instant heat!!!!

10-25-2015, 03:12 PM	#2
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,683	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall Buzz, Your car used to have a radio. It was mounted above the steering shaft behind the firewall, using those two holes with large washers. The controls were located in the center of the dash, and connected to the main unit by a flex cable. PS~ Looks like you have a hot air heater, complete with a defroster. Those heaters are very hard to find, and work like a champ! __________________ Alan

10-25-2015, 03:14 PM	#3
V8COOPMAN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON Posts: 11,130	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall I "call" your two holes and raise ya that piece of exhaust pipe.......what the heck is that all about? DD __________________ *Click Links Below* __ ▼ *'35-'36 W/8BA & MECHANICAL FAN* *T5 W/TORQUE TUBE*

10-25-2015, 03:15 PM	#4
petehoovie Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 8,536	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall Buzz, What is that 'pipe' going into the vertical part of your firewall?.... __________________ The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... *"Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!"* "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0

10-25-2015, 03:16 PM	#5
37 Coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,836	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall Hot air heater defroster ducts? __________________ "Never complain,never explain"... Henry Ford II

10-25-2015, 04:08 PM	#8
scooder Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,593	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall Probably the same amount "killed" by the southwind heater. Somewhere around None, not someone's friend of a friends cousins friend at another school on the other coast. Similar concept heat exchanger system on the VW bug, these things rot out on the outside a long long time before the guts of the exchanger, so if it works at all its safe, then it deteriorates into not working at all (Cus the un important bit rots away) so you change it if you have a want for heat and half a brain. I believe the Ford heat exchanger has the same built in safety, i.e. The first bit to rot is the un important part, rendering it useless long before the important stuff gets compromised. That's the way I understand it. Martin.

10-25-2015, 05:32 PM	#9
DavidG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: southeastern Michigan Posts: 10,136	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall If someone is dumb enough to run into a parade and kill four people and injure nearly fifty others, they're dumb enough not to put two and two together when their manifold heater stops working (if they had one). Oh, by the way, you can look it up, but the number of people killed by VW gasoline heaters (the German Southwind) is way more than zero. I witnessed one that resulted from what was otherwise a survivable accident. Last edited by DavidG; 10-25-2015 at 05:37 PM. Reason: delete

10-25-2015, 05:37 PM	#10
buzz882 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 23	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall thanks for the info, I do have the radio also just wasnt going to use it,

10-26-2015, 07:48 AM	#11
jimTN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Powell, TN Posts: 2,517	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall I would like to know how a SW heater killed someone. It works with suction that pulls gas from the carb to the heater where it is fired and pulls the exhaust back into the intake. If the suction stops, the heater stops. It just will not work with a vac leak.

10-26-2015, 08:24 AM	#12
scooder Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,593	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall Jim your correct on the proper southwind, Any leak will stop it working. A good fail safe. The bad VW bug ones work differently, not 100percent certain, but I think the German built heaters are a different make, eisbursher (sp?) I don't know much at all about these ones. Martin.

10-26-2015, 09:09 AM	#13
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,518	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall Aircraft used several types of combustion heaters. Many were much larger to accommodate the larger cabin areas. The VW heater was much like the aircraft type and was made by Eberspacher. In Aviation types, maintenance had to be done on regular basis and CO detectors had to be installed. Most folks will remember what happened to Ricky Nelson in the DC-3 fire. Some had to have there own fuel pump so the fuel system maintenance was critical. Fire and fumes are both an equal concern in aviation applications. Automotive applications generally were less in relation to fatality statistics. Many of the cars that used them were drafty compared to modern vehicles. Most times, a person would end up with a head ache from the CO. Fires were rare but not unheard of. Fatal accidents were likely from folks passing out if the old car wasn't drafty enough. A leaky fuel line caused plenty of cars to burn up back in the day too. The Borg Warner Southwind was likely the most reliable unit made back then but I don't think it was the only one available. Most were aftermarket designs.

10-26-2015, 09:51 AM	#14
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: What are these holes for 37 Ford firewall I drove a 41 with a Southwind in high school, that was by far the best heater I have ever had in a car! Instant heat!!!!