Model A hot water heater installation
 

Hello all,
I purchased a brand new A-18480 (6v) hot water heater for my 1930 Tudor from Snyder's Antique Auto Parts. It seemed to be a good heater with a really interesting variable speed rheostat control, but I could not figure out how to make it fit in my car. It would not fit on the passenger side because of the gas line and carb control/choke. It kind of fit on the drivers side just to the right of the steering column, but my feet hit it when I hit the brake.
I called Snyder's and they did not have any examples of someone making this heater work, but they said people had made them work...so they knew there was a solution. I searched the internet, but could not find any examples.

After playing with several ideas i figures out a way to make the heater fit into the passenger compartment on the passenger side. The first difficult challenge I faced were fabricating a new gas line to run around the heater because the first bend was so tight and so close to the fitting it was hard to do with normal tools. The second challenge I faced was changing the choke rod to a choke cable that would hook up to a stock Zenith carb and still look stock. The rest of the problems were the standard problems of wiring and routing of hoses.

I am attaching some pictures to show how it looks after installation. Overall it seems like a decent unit, but the fan is a bit noisy when running full speed.

I live in Michigan and Winter is coming and it will get very cold soon....

I can post more pictures and explanations if anyone has questions.

Re: Model A hot water heater installation
 

Interesting. Can you still adjust the GAV?

Are you using a thermostat?

.

Re: Model A hot water heater installation
 

Hello,
My cooling system works well and I have a firewall insulator on my car so I run a nice warm 180 degree thermostat year round. The engine can run warm and efficient without cooking the passengers in the summer, and hopefully keep the passengers warm on those cold Michigan fall/winter mornings.
Since it is just a cable running to the choke I am no longer able to adjust the GAV on the carburetor. My car always ran the best when the adjustment was turned out about a half of a turn. When I hooked up the cable I marked it so it would be fixed in that position when I hooked up the cable. It seems to be running great.

Re: Model A hot water heater installation
 

When looking for a heater for an A many people forget about or never knew about the SouthWind gas heater. Heaters and parts are available on the WEB. They'll drive you out of the car, I've been told.
Paul in CT

Re: Model A hot water heater installation
 

What are we looking at at the top right of the 3rd picture?

Re: Model A hot water heater installation
 

I am kinda playing with the same issue with a customer's car now. Does anyone have any original literature showing a Haydees or Southwind heater installed on a Model-A? I am struggling to believe they suggested for the installer to fabricate a new fuel line, and new choke rod, and to relocate the hand brake.

Re: Model A hot water heater installation
 

I see.

Is the thermostat in the upper hose up by the radiator neck? On the radiator side of where you are taking the hot water out for the heater?

My S/W Town Sedan was driven by the previous owner and his family in the Chicago area for many years. He installed a hot water heater inside the car on the passenger side. He had a thermostat in the upper hose. He also installed a small 12 volt electric pump to push the hot water through the heater core. I guess the car's water pump was not enough for him.

I took it out in Texas because we did not need the heat.

.

Re: Model A hot water heater installation
 

In the upper right of the third picture it shows where the hot water lines run through the firewall.

Re: Model A hot water heater installation
 

The thermostat is in the upper hose by the radiator neck. The water inlet has a special pick up to help direct water into the heater. There seems to be plenty of water circulating through the heater because it gets hot right away and seem to stay hot as I am driving. It was in the upper 30s this morning and heat started coming out after about a half mile and the car warmed up nicely, even with the fan running at the lowest speed on my way to work.