Old Subject revistited: Manifold Heater OR Hot Water??

[msmaron]

What say you all and lets see some pics...wondering which is the better way to go.....thanks all,!

[Gord. B by the bay]

Water is the way to go no engine fumes easy to maintain Gord B by the Bay

[msmaron]

Originally Posted by Gord. B by the bay

Water is the way to go no engine fumes easy to maintain Gord B by the Bay

GORD do you have one, ,can you send a pic of your setup??

[steve s]

Mark,
There was an earlier thread not too long ago with lots of pictures you might want to search down. You will want more of a blower than the engine fan if you're going to get heat into your backseat. If you just want to take the chill off the front seat, or maybe smoke the passenger's shoe sole, a manifold heater will suffice.

Here's mine, out of an old junkyard truck and painted up to match my interior.



Steve

[ford3]

water heater is the only way to, with water you can control the heat with a valve limiting the amount of hot water flowing thru the heater and a two speed fan, takes a little longer to get the heat inside the car, manifold heater are quick to get heat in the car fast, but no way to control the heat, full heat all the time, and as was said, they can get pretty smelly with exhaust fumes

[jmeckel]

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Both myself and my brother have the manifold heaters work good to take the chill off, not for -20, like we are getting tonight. There should be no exhaust fumes IF your manifold gaskets and the rest of your muffler system is good, and your manifold is not cracked.

[Chris in WNC]

I've had manifold heaters in 3 cars.
in north Florida they were sufficient for all,
in colder NC, the manifold heater keeps the Coupe warm, but the Town Sedan has too many cubic feet of cold.
in Illinois with a sedan, I'd recommend a hot water unit......

[29ModelA]

If you use a water heater you don't have to cut holes in the sheetmetal to route the hoses, you can cut the wood floor that is much more easily repaired.

With a manifold heater in most cases you will have to cut your firewall (if it didn't originally have a heater)

[SSsssteamer]

In the Pacific Nothwest for 50 years I have used the model A ford Manifold heater. In the winter months, it gets down to twenty degrees F here for weeks at a time. I have other models of early Ford cars with hot water heaters and they do not heat as well as the model A manifold heater. I like the Model A manifold heaters the best because they don't take up any room in the driver's compartment, they are a faster heat than the hot water heater, and they have always had more than enough heat for our Model A Fords. They don't have any extra hoses under the hood like the hot water heater does. When I was in the USMC in the early 1960's, I had to have my shoes spit shined all of the time. The manifold heater was so hot that I had to make sure that I kept my spit shined shoes away from the heater manifold door because it would melt the shoe polish right off my shoes. I have three model A Fords and I have a manifold heater in everyone of them. I would not change.

[Ed in Maine]

I have never had a Model A with a heater. I didn't want to cut up a firewall and I don't like the look of the hoses in the engine compartment. That's just me. But most importantly, if I drive for over an hour without the windshield cracked a bit, I get a headache. I'm sure it is carbon monoxide poisoning, just a slight amount. I don't think you can get an absolute tight seal at either the manifold or at the exhaust clamp. That is why in the early days you brought a lap blanket with you! Ed

[J Franklin]

Any Model A Ford can and should have a tight seal at the manifold and exhaust pipe connections. If yours doesn't it should be repaired.

[MikeK]

There is a THIRD alternative. A "South Wind", Junior model, totally enclosed combustion gasoline heater. 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.

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 less than two minutes from a cold engine, no flame (it's internal in a vacuum, not an external open flame).

The advantages- 1)Heat in TWO minutes from a cold start. A manifiold heater takes about seven minutes, hot water at least 15 to full output, which is only luke warm unless you run a 180+ thermostat. 2)LOTS of heat output. 3)6 Volt internal fan. 4)There are no bulky, ugly external water hoses or special exhaust manifold. The underhood installation looks "period".

The disadvantages: 1)Used ones are often missing the carb fittings and need rebuilding. You really need to find a complete NOS unit or a properly rebuilt unit. 2)Like most heaters, the necessity to cut a hole in the firewall. 3) Idle may not be as smooth, as you are sucking in the heater exhaust. You may need to readjust the idle mixture screw winter/summer for best idle.

"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

Where to get one- Here's one source for a proper rebuilt unit if you don't want to cruise ebay or fleas. LINK

[DGNY]

When I was in High School., we drove the '31 A Tudor and had enough heat from the manifold heater, tho we also used a NOS electric suction cup defroster that Dad had squirreled away in front of driver [sorry - don't recall how we hooked it up]. Important also in cold weather to put some cardboard in front of, say 1/2 the radiator. Talking 0 and below some days.

[msmaron]

Originally Posted by MikeK

There is a THIRD alternative. A "South Wind", Junior model, totally enclosed combustion gasoline heater.
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 less than two minutes from a cold engine, no flame (it's internal in a vacuum, not an external open flame).

Mike did you have it in the Model A?? if so did it take up a lot of room?? this looks great!

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by msmaron

Mike did you have it in the Model A?? if so did it take up a lot of room?? this looks great!

Had it in a '53 Buick straight 8. They definitely take up some room. Google some pix to see. Found the NOS/NIB one at Hershey several years ago. Probably a bit invasive for a front seat passenger in an A, but so is a hot water job. Would take some planning, installation tech skill, and requires some maintenance. Read the manual. For no room taken up, K.I.S.S. install, and zero maintenance go with a waffle manifold type.

[J Franklin]

How about having a flame burning under the gasoline tank and fittings?

[Barry B./ Ma.]

Originally Posted by J Franklin

How about having a flame burning under the gasoline tank and fittings?

Boy that's a scary thought isn't it. If you can find a Hadees water heater that would be the way to go. My brother had one in his 30 coupe, it was quite efficient The Hadees was narrow and made for the Model A. I have one upstairs in the garage and may use it in my 29 coupe someday.

[Terry in KB]

My Mother-in-law had a 1966?? Volkswagon Station Wagon that had a factory installed gas heater. Did not take up much room. Really gave off the heat!

[Pat Martone]

I have an Autolite heater set-up and like it very much, but I feel a hot water or gasoline-powered heater would warm-up a Sedan a little better.

I looked into the South Wind gas heaters, but after speaking to the company, I determined they were way too big to fit in the Model A and it would take too much of the limited front seat passenger legroom away from the passenger. (My wife is very tall and she thinks the Model A front seat area is too cramped as it is.)

[msmaron]

Originally Posted by Barry B./ Ma.

Boy that's a scary thought isn't it. If you can find a Hadees water heater that would be the way to go. My brother had one in his 30 coupe, it was quite efficient The Hadees was narrow and made for the Model A. I have one upstairs in the garage and may use it in my 29 coupe someday.

Found one and its great. Thanks for the tip...

[Pat Martone]

I would love to see some photos of what a Hadees water heater for a Model A looks like. All the water (and gasoline) heaters I have seen so far are just too big, but I wonder if the Hadees is much smaller.
Thanks.

[Barry B./ Ma.]

Pat, I hope someone else can supply a picture, I can't. It's a nice looking unit, about 7" wide x 8" high with a plated front panel and 2 adjustable swivelling shutters. If I remember right it's narrow enough to fit to the right of the choke rod.

[eagle]

I have one in my VW bug. It has a "bit" of a manifold leak... Works good if your lookin to commit suicide... No, actually just ends up with a little black residue on your shoes, it will heat to no end.

[msmaron]

Originally Posted by Pat Martone

I would love to see some photos of what a Hadees water heater for a Model A looks like. All the water (and gasoline) heaters I have seen so far are just too big, but I wonder if the Hadees is much smaller.
Thanks.

Pat i am hoping for the same thing..ANYONE out there have a picture in a model A...seems like a real nice unit!

[BarracudaBoy]

71,643 people can't be wrong!!.... Well...maybe they can, but not likely!

[msmaron]

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Originally Posted by BarracudaBoy

71,643 people can't be wrong!!.... Well...maybe they can, but not likely!

This goes back to the Manifold heater.....