How to heat seats not Porsche...., Don't let Speed Metal Army read this Options

[porbmw]

My teener project has been hijacked by something else that needs to get done, preferably by this summer.

But don't tell Speed....I told him that he'd have the first chance to laugh or otherwise critique it.

And the question here....pertains more to impending winter

The project is air-cooled...but for unstated reasons it won't be practical to get heat into the cabin via heat exchangers

And a gas heater seems to not be do-able, either......I have a good one from a VW bus, but it is just to large for fitment....

Any manufacturers of smaller gas heaters?????

Would be nice to have some heat in the cabin, would have preferred to have heat that could get to the windshield, but seem stymied re getting heat to the dash.

Anybody have any ideas re other sources of heat ....as a compromise....heated seats....or an electric heater........????

If heated seats any sources?????

Thanks

[GeorgeRud]

There are a bunch of seat heaters available (just Google seat heaters) that can be installed under the upholstery of your seats, but I've never found a better heat/defrost source than the heat exchangers.

The gas fired heaters (Eberspacher or Webasto) would be great, and worked well in VWs, boats, etc., but I've only see one photo of a heater mounted in a 914. Has anyone actually seen one in person?

[jmalone]

See Camp914 for heated seat kits

[Elliot Cannon]

This guy has them. Everyone scoffs at heated seats. Until they try them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) http://classiccarseats.com/

[bulitt]

Ebay for around 50$

[Nine_14]

There are a bunch of seat heaters available (just Google seat heaters) that can be installed under the upholstery of your seats, but I've never found a better heat/defrost source than the heat exchangers.

The gas fired heaters (Eberspacher or Webasto) would be great, and worked well in VWs, boats, etc., but I've only see one photo of a heater mounted in a 914. Has anyone actually seen one in person?

Gas fired heaters are the better choise, seat headers keep your backside warm, but the nose cold, gas fired heaters warm up the cabin.
But they are not cheep and the installation is allways a custom made product.

http://www.standheizungen-international.de...uftheizungen%22

[r_towle]

There are a couple current manufacturers that I know of: eberspacher and webasto. Both have websites: http://www.espar.com/htm/airheat.htm and http://www.webasto-thermo.com


Automotive Heater Technologies(Ark Marvis
a.k.a. Heaterman) 201-398-6363
www.hometown.aol.com/arkmarvis/heaterman.html
or email heaterman@nac.net


It seems that Ark may have retired a while ago....seems to have stopped posting on the samba around 2007.

I would suggest you go look on the samba for anyone else that may be rebuilding these heaters now, there may be a few that have decided to take this market on.

Rich

[speed metal army]

I thought i may have an idea about the mystery mobile.... Now im sure I dont! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[porbmw]

Thanks for the posts.

Will follow up on some of the sources.

Would love to get true heat n this thing, even though it won't see it won't see the road in winter months. But heated seats are not out of the question.

Project slowly progressing, should have it on the road SOMETIME this summer....

How about an update on the flares, Speed?????

THanks, all (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[aircooledtechguy]

For a gas heater, www.espar.com (which is the old Eberspacher) makes great air/air heaters in gas and diesel models. I've installed a BL1 in a VW bus and it is VERY compact in size and pumps out the BTUs.

I installed a set of carbon mat seat heaters that I got off eBay into my Squareback's 911 seats when I had them re-upholstered. Man, are they comfy and worth every penny of the $75 or so I spent on them. I won't be without seat heaters on any car I regularly drive in the future. My wife loves them too. . . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grouphug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[porbmw]

I have an Esperspacher from a bus....

It is huge...well, pretty big, and way bigger than I can use for this project

BUT

www.espar.com has some intriguing products...including electrical heaters. Will be very interesting.

I DO love heated seats...but will see if I can get the entire cabin toasty

[lonewolfe]

I am in the same predicament! I have purchased a seat heater kit off EBay as well but it's not installed yet. I really need real heat in the car. I have a big stroker being built and heater boxes kind of defeat the purpose of a performance motor. My girlfriend needs heat and I'm thinking of a gas heater. I've found Webasto's for about $1100 that run on gasoline. Most of the heaters sold in the US are diesel and designed for tractor trailer trucks or boats. Any of these are are going to take some fabrication to install. I've see a picture of a factory install from Europe and it was mounted in the front trunk on the drivers side inner fender. So, I know it can be done. Just time and lots of $$$!

[Chris914n6]

Is there something wrong with ceramic heaters?

[Chris914n6]

Gas heaters on samba

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1644954

[porbmw]

Is there something wrong with ceramic heaters?

I don't think there's anything wrong with ceramic....don't expect they can give a solid blast of hot air up onto the dash.....but at least would take the chill off the air.

}Have just considered ceramics in the last week or so....as a back up plan. Had thought finding a gas fired solution, in a smaller package, would have been a bit more available.

Still looking, will see

THanks for the inputs.

[porbmw]

Is there something wrong with ceramic heaters?

I don't think there's anything wrong with ceramic....don't expect they can give a solid blast of hot air up onto the dash.....but at least would take the chill off the air.

}Have just considered ceramics in the last week or so....as a back up plan. Had thought finding a gas fired solution, in a smaller package, would have been a bit more available.

Still looking, will see

THanks for the inputs.

[CptTripps]

Ebay for around 50$

That's what I did. Here are the ones I grabbed. Seriously easy to install.

eBay Heated Seats