Southwind

[1931 flamingo]

Looking for installation instructions for a southwind gas heater for a model A And any of the parts needed. Anyone?
Paul in CT Anyone have one installed? If not, is anyone using a hot water heater in their A and what make, other than the overpriced one from the vendors. Thanks in advance.
Paul in CT

[Big John]

I would recommend a hot water heater or a manifold type heater... Gas heaters are dangerous, especially being right under the gas tank...A bit of common sense here....John.....

[Jim Brierley]

I had a South Wind in my '41 Buick in high school, it was great! Fire danger? Maybe but a very slim chance. Sorry I don't have any instructions but I would suggest searching the web for them.

[Bill Lee/Virginia]

I have a hot water heater in my Cabriolet. I do not know the make, it is from the 30/40s era. I selected it from a pile at a local junkyard and paid $20 for it. I ran the water hoses thru the hole already in the cowl for an exhaust manifold heater. Bratton's/Snyders' and other major Model A parts distributors sell the heater hook-up kits and misc parts to install water heaters in your A. I use a 180F thermostat and have to run the heater on the low speed and even have to turn it off at times.
Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula

[Tom Wesenberg]

You can use almost any heater core from any junk car or truck, then just put a fan behind the core to push the air through. There are many sizes of fans and heater cores to pick from. Some junk yards pull the heater cores and radiators to sell the brass seperately from the steel. Most of the new cores are probably made of aluminum. Just find the size that you need then look for a pancake fan or what whatever fits nicely behind it.

If you can find heaters from cars of the 30's or 40's many of them are in nice boxes, but that still might be too large to fit nicely in the interior of your Model A.

You could also put the heater core and fan under the floorboard and blow the hot air through a grate in the wood. That would probably be my choice. Someone was selling a hot air heater that wrapped around the exhaust and ducted through a floor grate. I don't know if it's still being made, but you can make one yourself if you are handy with tools.

[Special Coupe Frank]

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I am leary of Southwind heaters to begin with, and would be REALLY hesitant to mount one underneath a cowl-mounted gas-tank...

I doubt there are any "second chances" with such a rig...

I like Tom's suggestion... with a little industriousness and imagination, one could make-up a nice hot-water heater box & fan to go in the floor, and even provide for fresh-air intake...

I haven't spent too much time figuring-out the heater puzzle, as there isn't much drive-time here between "first frost" and "first salt"...

I may put the Auto-lite box back in the manifold "Waffle" and let that blow some air through the small holes already in the firewall.

[MikeK]

"Mr 42" on the H.A.M.B. posted a link to the manual. He has every page, including the loose mounting templates. It's post #15 in this thread, go there and click the link in his post!: Southwind Heaters Thread

I have two, including one N.I.B., but currently do not have one installed. I REMOVED the first one from a car I sold because I liked it so much. Heat in 1 min from a cold engine, no flame (it's internal in a vacuum, not an external open flame). Used ones are often missing the carb fittings. Stewart Warner sold over 3 million of them, Southwind division is still in business and makes commercial vehicle and aircraft cabin fuel heaters. They were safe and reliable. The disadvantages: 1) Like most heaters, the necessity to cut a hole in the firewall. 2) Idle will not be as smooth, as you are sucking in the heater exhaust.

[1931 flamingo]

Thanks for all the responses!
Paul in CT

[Benson]

Southwind heaters were also used in aircooled VWs prior to about 1973 when VW switched to water cooled engines. That might be a source if the heaters will fit.

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Thanks for all the responses!
Paul in CT

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Benson

Southwind heaters were also used in aircooled VWs prior to about 1973 when VW switched to water cooled engines. That might be a source if the heaters will fit.

1960 Corvairs also used a gas heater, but it would be too large for the Model A's.

[pgerhardt]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Looking for installation instructions for a southwind gas heater for a model A And any of the parts needed. Anyone?
Paul in CT Anyone have one installed? If not, is anyone using a hot water heater in their A and what make, other than the overpriced one from the vendors. Thanks in advance.
Paul in CT

I ran a south wind in my 1936 4-door sedan (It was my winter old ford. The picture shows it in its "nobby" snow tires.) It kept it toasty warm.

I have a whole box of NOS Southwind parts including an installation manual. It is all yours if you want it. I am in Danbury CT. It is only an hour drive from New Britian. I know because I made that trip many times (both my kids graduated from Central). I'll also be at the car show at the goshen fairgrounds next sunday.

[spdway1]

Paul, Buy a blanket, LOL.

[SteveB31]

Google search southwind heater. There is a guy that all he does is sell them and sell the parts to use them. The web address is www.southwindheater.com.

[Afordman31]

I have a Southwind in my 1940 Ford and it works really good. The owners manual say's to pull out the knob all the way to start the heater, then if it gets to hot to push in the knob half way, then if its still to hot in your car to open a window. Once the heater is up to full operating temperature and you shut it off it has to cool down in order to get it started again, that's why they say to open a window.
As far as the heater being unsafe as I have heard many say, I don't believe it. It has a safety valve on it that has a bi-metal flat spring and if it gets to hot the spring relaxes and the heater is snuffed out. Note Part # 94067 is the safety valve in the picture.
I researched these back in the 80's and have many different heaters and parts.
The installation charts in the Southwind books start for the Fords in 1934
The vacuum kit is installed under the carburetor which is a down draft, so I don't think you would be able to hook one up to a Model A.
Afordman31

[Barry B./ Ma.]

Paul, I have a Hadees hot water heater I would sell. The Hadees was made for the Model A, I think the 30/31 because the cab was wider than 28/29. My brother bought a Hadees in Hershey for his 30 coupe and it worked well.

[1931 flamingo]

Thanks guys,but I'm contemplating selling my "baby" and moving to a V8 (more leg room) and the "mystique" is wearing off.
Pgerhardt: I appreciate the offer.
Barry: I remember the Hadees, you showed it to me one time.
Spdway1: HAHA

Paul