I had one in The Thing I had as a kid.
Way cool.
All I remember is the cool way it sounded when it came on.

The car I'm rustoring now will be my rest of my working life daily driver.
I've have thoughts of putting one in that car. I would probably go with a new one. Quite a bit better ignitors and safety features on the newer stuff.

Not so much the heat here in PDX. It's moisture when the heavens open up. If you run errands in the rain. Every time you stop and start you get that moisture on the windshield.

I wonder if this would be comparable to the Eberspacher BL1C?
http://www.heatso.com/eberspacher-airtroni...2kw-heater-kit/

I plan on getting a gas heater too? I'm building a 2316cc and will be loosing my heat! I think a gas heater will be a little tricky to install but once done it will be sweet. I have a picture of factory installed gas heater I'll post when I get home tonight.

Wondering which would be more favorable, gas, or diesel?

I've thought of doing this. Diesel bunk heaters are cheap on craigslist, but you will need to add a small tank for fuel. Built to heat a whole truck bunk I bet they throw more heat than you need.

I think Webasto became Eberspacher. Do some cyber research. They have quite a few models. They're used for heating big rigs when they're shut down for the night.
I also saw Aase Sales had Webasto heaters in their latest magazine ads.

Electric

Have you found an electric heater that actually will heat our cars?

It will heat it perfectly....in southern California

Yeah, adequate in So Cal

The main issue with electric is having enough power. The way to calculate how much amperage you need is the wattage divided by voltage. A 300 watt heater takes 25 amps to run. A 600 watt would need 50 amps. A 1000 watt needs 83 amps, so you'll need a bigger alternator than the stock one. That's why I recommended one of Pete Newman's alternators in a post above.

Like what section do you look for it under?

I installed an eberspacher diesel heater in a small tugboat wheelhouse years ago. Easily more cubic ft than a 914. It would bake you. I think the trick would be to get the right size diesel tank so that you only had to fill it up when you filled the car. I realize there are a lot of varibles but I'd go for overkill in cold weather.

Not that it will defrost your windshield, but you can get an electric jacket or vest normally used for motorcycles and help fend off the cold

I'm guessing here, but with different sizes, even the small compact one would most likely be plenty, but the size of the main body must be around 12" X 5" X 5"?

If the main body was mounted in the cowl area, then that leaves me to figure out where to dump the exhaust from that point, but was wondering if a person could dump it out on where the tubing for heat used to come up by the speaker grille, and force it out that way? Would probably be better to have the heat source as close to the cab as possible?

If I put it in the front trunk, I can dump the exhaust out the bottom of the front trunk where the radiator ventilates, but then have to find a way to plumb it up to the cowl area, and I don't really want to start cutting holes any more than I have to.

I'm wondering if it was mounted in the engine bay, if I could use the old pipes that the heat exchangers used to plumb the heat to the cab, but then might loose some heat the further it has to travel.

Let's not forget seat heaters. I bought a set off eBay pretty cheap. That's what I'm doing first and for certain. I'm sure they were under $60 a pair and heated seats are awesome for a tired old back like mine.

I see that the Webasto 2000 uses either gas or diesel. So, if you have carbs you already have a gas line from the tank that you can tap into. Either for a front or rear installation.

The engine compartment is pretty crowded, access to everything, including a heater, would be tough - but an installation in the rear trunk might work.

I have headers, so no heat. I put two 50 cfpm computer fans on each side of the car and pump air from the engine bay to the cabin, with pickup hoses near the center of the case. There is enough air flow to warm the car in town, but engine bay turbulence at higher speeds takes a lot of the warmth away. Should work fine with one of these heaters.

"Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly less dense than air. It is toxic to humans when encountered in concentrations above about 35 ppm."

I worry about carbon monoxide from the OEM air-cooled (or more appropriately air-heated) systems. I also hate the smell of the burning oil odor that comes from the engine compartment on any air-cooled VW or Porsche, and wonder just how much CO makes it into the cabin.

I think it would be wise to test, even with a battery-operated CO tester designed for home applications, just to see if it triggers the unit

Are they available anywhere?

I certainly hope someone may actually see the gas heater in a 914 and not only the pictures posted above.

Before getting heat exchangers, I purchased an Eberspacher gas heater off eBay with the hope of installing it, but eventually the heat exchangers just seemed like less work. I do carry small battery powered CO detectors in my cars just to be safe. Private plane pilots also carry CO detectors for the same purpose.

Was it a gas or diesel, and do you still have it?

It's still sitting in my garage, but I haven't fired it up in a few years. It is a gas fired heater from an old VW I think.

I never fired the Webasto that was in my SWB 911. I was installed in the 'smuggler's box, so it was sort of isolated a bit more from the front trunk area. I removed it and plan to restore it, but not sure if I will actually use it

Curious, has anybody ever heard of or experienced first-hand any negative aspects of one of these gas-fired heaters?

Waiting to hear back from them, but was wondering what the VAT stands for?

That is a British company, based in London. The value added tax (vat) is something around 20%, but we don't have to pay it since we are outside the EU. You may have to pay some customs fees for importing it.

They are supposed to get back with me with a more cost effective gas burner that will be better suited for it, and no charges to USA.

I love the modern Espar heaters.. I had one in my double cab and if I ever really start "driving" my 356 I'll install one in it as well. They fire up and have clean, instant heat.

The only time I have had one not burn completely clean was when using premium fuel on a really cold day, the heater can't light off the higher octane as well.

Its the only way to go for real heat, really fast.

how difficult is the install of a modern heater? has anyone here published a step by step for modern heaters? I can find a few modern ones at reasonable prices (Eberspacher B4) what are the limitations or drawbacks of using these types in a 914?

A recent cold day drive has got me thinking this Is a must to squeeze an extra few months out of the driving season.

I'd install it right in the engine bay or rear trunk and pipe it through the existing heater channels in the longs.
The tank can be either the front or rear trunk.

Drawback is cost. They're darn tootin expensive!

Jake: Do post pics of the install.

So, four options for six conversions or sixes that lost their HEs:
1. No heat (where I'm at right now)
2. Heat exchangers, factory or aftermarket
3. Gas heater
4. Heated seats, heated vests (LOL!), hair dryers in the front trunk to defrost (LOL?)

I've got heating elements in my seats that need to be hooked up, but wonder about defrost—and my feet—on cold days.

One thing I never liked about my 914-4 SSIs was the heat bleed on hot days, even after installing new diverters. There was always at least some heat coming through. Not nice in a black vinyl interior. A gas heater or some sort of electric heat would negate that problem...not to mention the CO problem.

pete

The factory heat exchangers bolt right in. The gas heater, not so much.

And...price for NOS factory heaters? The Dansk alternative were big dollars, and had some serious issues that makes one wary. Used factory exchangers, which are also $,$$$ in varying condition, may have CO problems. Hard to tell, harder to justify buying.

None of the aftermarket HEs are attractive to me, personally.

Gas heater seems problematic to me. Basic needs in warmer climes seem to be body heat (heated seats?) and defrost/foot warmers (minor electric heat?).

Thoughts?

pete

New Espar D2 airtronic is about a grand, so that's about a 1/3 of the cost of the new /6 heat exchangers. I see complete systems on Kijiji/Craigslist for half that price.

I have seen them, there's nothing to them, hardest part would be the fab up on a fuel tank.

-Yea I was looking at a used gas airtronic on ebay for reasonable amount just wondering the difficulty level for install. If anyone has successfully tamed this dragon please post the how to.

-I don't know about you but after a couple seasons with headers and no heat Im screaming for a real solution (read; not electric heated clothing)

I am in the NE though. A real solution could extend my season 2+ months

If it does not rain this weekend, I will see how the heater I have fits in the front trunk.

edit...Ouch....lowest price on on eBay is $450 with shipping for same exact model.
edit again I just placed an order on ebay for a a 12vdc to 24vdc power supply.

What kind of heater is that? I can't make out the brand. Please keep us posted on your progress. I've been thinking of adding a gas heater for the last couple years. It never occurred to me to locate it in the rear trunk or in the engine bay. The rear trunk is appealing to me. Is your heater gas or diesel? Are you going to use a separate fuel tank? Mostly what you see on Ebay are diesel heaters because all the semi-trucks use them for heat. The gas heaters are not nearly as common.

Benmar is the brand, gasoline for fuel. I think it is too big for the rear trunk , but I could be wrong. Will try and snap pictures of it sitting in both front and rear.

If you have a type 4 engine then the stock heat exchangers are a real solution. Available, bolt on, reasonably priced and work great.
I have only ever seen one 914 with a working gas heater. Every year it is often talked about but almost never done.

Pictures as promised....pic 1 and 2 inside front trunk.

Last pic in the rear trunk, looks like it would fit with no real problems, I'd cut a hole in the trunk floor for the exhaust to gain another 2 inches of space. Rear lid would close like shown in the picture.

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I found the installation manual for mine...

Fuel: gasoline, diesel and JP-4

Weight: 10 pounds, figure another 10 pounds worth of stuff to install it (ducting and fuel pump...3psi to 15psi max)

Need to find a low pressure fuel pump now....
Hooked it up to 12VDC and thru magic, 24VDC popped up on the other side of the wires!

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It seems like a good spot to mount it would be in place of the battery. You could then just run the hose down the stock passenger side or get a "T" to connect both sides. I would be paranoid to put something combustible in the front trunk with the gas tank. Even though it looks like there was an aftermarket unit available for the front trunk. I am also curious if there is enough circulation in the rear trunk. Especially with the top back there and other personal crap.

Sounds logical to me

Update on this heater I've had for years!

No go with the 12vdc to 24vdc converter, it claims it is 10 amps yet it will barely run the fan.

I did get the heater to fire up using 2 12vdc car batteries in series, however after 5 minute run time it shut off. I smoked quite a bit out of the exhaust, could be due to age and from someone previously running a different fuel? (I used gas)

Decided not worth it and will be in the market for real heat exchangers to replace my patched up no name header.

HE’s are the way to go. Bolt up quickly and throw tons of heat. Do you need 1.7’s or 2.0

1.8 with a slightly hotter cam.

I have stock steel ones (1.7, 1.8) that you can have for free. a bunch of connector tubes, hanger and (probably) a cable and barrel nuts. I don't have flapper boxes. Have a good muffler to use until you buy a nice one. all for cost of shipping.
probably have a lever if you need one.
I can do a SS setup with everything but flapper boxes for $300 shipped.
Offer is good any time.

I also purchased the same heater as Mueller, and glad to see that it could fit in the car. Perhaps using two 12-24 volt converters could provide adequate wattage to run the fan. I also have a used B1L Eberspacherthat I was going to use with my headers, but eventually found some good heat exchangers so went that route. I remember that gas heaters do work quite well in heating the interior, but they’re not the easiest thing to fit safely.

Looking at a schematic I found online, the ignitor is actually 12vdc , they use a resistor to drop reduce the voltage so it might be possible to install a different fan and convert it to run entirely on 12vdc (I used a Mr Gasket carb fuel pump ran off of 12vdc)

One thread I found about these heaters mention ditching the stock ignitor and using a car cigarette lighter element. I'm at the point now that I really don't feel that comfortable modifying something that burns raw fuel like these heaters!