Need some front heater inspiration!

RatCamper

G'day. I've been trying to think of a way of adding a front heater for ages and keep drawing a blank. There are a few things that bother me a little. here' s a small list:

*Location - Where can I put a core and fan.

*Air source - Recirculated or fresh. If so where from?

*What stays and what goes - Which parts of the heating system can I live without.

*Replumb the air or leave it - Should I try pushing hot air from the bottom of the upright tube or do something else.

*Try to be fancy? - I've had ideas of putting it remotely and replumbing around the frame rail rad somehow. including putting it under the back seat with the other heater, or elsewhere entirely.

My current heater lives under the back seat but I'd really like to put one up front too. I don't want anything electrical in the stone guard area because it is likely to be underwater at some point.

Here's my current heater. Old photo but still relevant.

Obonobo · Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 7:10 am Post subject:

I hooked up a Polo heater to the totem..but that does give you some electrics there.

_________________
Greetings from Sietze
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Driving a '75 Bay with a EJ22 '93 and 091 6-rib box.

And it's a long time since it looked anything like this!

RatCamper · Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 12:33 pm Post subject:

Is that a left hand drive vehicle? I need to take the guard off again to see what I have in the way of options.If I recall RHD is a bit messy under there.

I have also been considering putting a heater under the back seat near the other one and using that corrugated plastic tubing to route it under the floor to the original plumbing. Down side is it'd mean cutting a big hole.

Obonobo · Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 12:50 pm Post subject:

Yes, its a leftie. What I saw *somewhere* (I think it's on this forum) is the front heater somewhere between the rails further back, hooked up to the ducting there. There's a bit more space there.
_________________
Greetings from Sietze
-------
Driving a '75 Bay with a EJ22 '93 and 091 6-rib box.

And it's a long time since it looked anything like this!

RatCamper · Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 10:13 pm Post subject:

jp · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 12:28 pm Post subject:

You should have room to put it in the cab area, this is the ford one that I had in my van initially bit of a quick and dirty solution but banged the heat out. It did require removal of totem and some 'massaging' of the airbox.

My latest set up is much like Obonobo's so probably not suit you due to the fan being there thus electrics.

(Ignore bike rad behind that is for chargecooler)

Not too inspirational I'm afraid.
_________________
1971 Devon Bay with 1800 Ford Turbo Diesel Engine (wip)
1983 VW Golf GTI Campaign
1979 Mini 1275 GT
2013 Scirocco TDI GT

Obonobo · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 12:42 pm Post subject:

Posting other people's solutions, I liked this one as well, made by rabbitboy:

If you are willing to sacrifice some glove compartment space you could even tuck it behind the dash completely.
_________________
Greetings from Sietze
-------
Driving a '75 Bay with a EJ22 '93 and 091 6-rib box.

And it's a long time since it looked anything like this!

Superleggo · Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 9:22 pm Post subject: heater

Hi

Mine is RHD Bay. I managed to graft a poto heater into the original heater tubebehind the first cross member. It just misses all te original underfloor cable and finkages. Only 60mm below the rail height.

Here is a link for interest. only need onw wire for the fan if you hide the fan speed resister under the dash. ( you need to remove it to get enought space to get it to fit).

http://www.vwkd.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=3525&start=60