Where to get fresh air for an alternative heater?
I don't want the elephant trunk, or air from the engine compartment. The earlier models I believe had a slot in the toe board just above the steering rack(?) - would this be a good place to take the air from? - any other ideas?
Heater Air Intake.
Re: Heater Air Intake.
I wouldn't consider retrofitting the slot in the toe board.
It is basically picking air up from above the gear box at the back of the engine, so I wouldn't really class it as fresh air.
I am blocking mine up.
The alternatives I was considering was either;
1) Freelander style vents on the wings, but although they seem to fit, the design of the wing curves froward round the lower A Pillar where the door hinges are.
or;
2) MGB style Chrome grille on the rear edge of the bonnet. Which almost certainly means the battery has to go elsewhere.
Sean.
It is basically picking air up from above the gear box at the back of the engine, so I wouldn't really class it as fresh air.
I am blocking mine up.
The alternatives I was considering was either;
1) Freelander style vents on the wings, but although they seem to fit, the design of the wing curves froward round the lower A Pillar where the door hinges are.
or;
2) MGB style Chrome grille on the rear edge of the bonnet. Which almost certainly means the battery has to go elsewhere.
Sean.
Re: Heater Air Intake.
Simplest solution would be a recirculating heater and crack the quaterlight open when needed. Or, if you are prepared to start cutting holes, run the elephants trunk under the wing like on a Mini. You could possibly use the Mini fitting to divert the air flow into the car and keep the engine bay looking original.
Ted the 1971 Bermuda Blue Traveller
'91 Mini Cooper
1971 Commer Auto-Sleeper
!969 Commer Jennings Roadranger
Re: Heater Air Intake.
It is basically picking air up from above the gear box at the back of the engine wrote: I don't think my '56 has a slot in the toe board but isn't it a slot in the Bulkhead Box section?
My box section has rotted out on the N/S end, but I often wondered what the 2" holes were for - Heater ventilation?
Would still be able to pull air in from the engine bay through the oval space for the exhaust pipe I suppose?
- Inner Wheel Arch.jpg (477.21 KiB) Viewed 90 times
Re: Heater Air Intake.
Possibly.
I haven't really looked for it from underneath, but from the inside it did appear as if it was going through into that box section.
I wasn't sure if the air came in round under the battery tray.
I could certainly smell mucky water when the radiator went.
I only removed the heater and thought about it after I had had the engine out and back in again.
My previous car, traveller and van which I had done much more work on, were all later key start models with the later heater and elephant trunk.
This is the hole from the inside with the dipswitch just below and to the right.
Sean.
I haven't really looked for it from underneath, but from the inside it did appear as if it was going through into that box section.
I wasn't sure if the air came in round under the battery tray.
I could certainly smell mucky water when the radiator went.
I only removed the heater and thought about it after I had had the engine out and back in again.
My previous car, traveller and van which I had done much more work on, were all later key start models with the later heater and elephant trunk.
This is the hole from the inside with the dipswitch just below and to the right.
- Heater Fresh Air Hole.JPG (306.24 KiB) Viewed 85 times
Re: Heater Air Intake.
- Rikards Zetec Conversion.jpg (44.36 KiB) Viewed 50 times
Re: Heater Air Intake.
That looks like a modified chassis for a larger engine/gearbox so I am not sure if that slot is always there.
It may be the original slot now exposed by cutting the front of the above bellhousing cross member back and the air normally gets to it through the holes already mentioned.
Whichever route it does take it isn't the cleanest of air.
Also if designing a new system if space permits a cabin air/pollen filter could be included. Most modern cars have them.
I suppose if using that slot was the tidiest you may be able to fit a filter housing down there or slightly to the passenger side which would be an improvement.
Making a couple of turns to divert the elephants trunk down the wing as Panky suggested could end up being a compromise on freeing up some engine bay room while not making the air duct totally invisible.
I think JLH did something similar some time ago to get round the carbs/injection on the Zetec.
Sean.
It may be the original slot now exposed by cutting the front of the above bellhousing cross member back and the air normally gets to it through the holes already mentioned.
Whichever route it does take it isn't the cleanest of air.
Also if designing a new system if space permits a cabin air/pollen filter could be included. Most modern cars have them.
I suppose if using that slot was the tidiest you may be able to fit a filter housing down there or slightly to the passenger side which would be an improvement.
Making a couple of turns to divert the elephants trunk down the wing as Panky suggested could end up being a compromise on freeing up some engine bay room while not making the air duct totally invisible.
I think JLH did something similar some time ago to get round the carbs/injection on the Zetec.
Sean.
Re: Heater Air Intake.
AH - my mistake - that is the hole in the floor with the front part of the box section removed prior to the modified piece being welded in for the Zetec!
So I believe my thoughts were correct and the heater of these year models did in fact breath through cross member being fed through the wheel arch areas.
So I believe my thoughts were correct and the heater of these year models did in fact breath through cross member being fed through the wheel arch areas.
Re: Heater Air Intake.
I think so.
As its sunny I did move my car so I could do some other work and there is a cavity under either side of the battery tray too.
They probably wanted an air intake not affected much by car speed.
The later system did seem to be much better and a few have modified them with later Mini items, but I believe that they are hard to come by now.
Mine isn't a daily driver so I am happy without a heater.
Sean.
As its sunny I did move my car so I could do some other work and there is a cavity under either side of the battery tray too.
They probably wanted an air intake not affected much by car speed.
The later system did seem to be much better and a few have modified them with later Mini items, but I believe that they are hard to come by now.
Mine isn't a daily driver so I am happy without a heater.
Sean.
Re: Heater Air Intake.
Scratching around Ray Newell's book I see that this air vent was installed from September 1958 as an addition to the round recirculatory heater unit. This intake was deleted once the later heater became standard fitting in 1964.