QUOTE(horizontally-opposed @ Oct 16 2020, 10:42 AM)
I don't at all disagree that heat exchangers are effective—I enjoyed a set of SSIs on my Type IV for 20 years, and if anything they made too much heat. So I can see where they're heavenly in colder climes.
However, those pics of SSIs (which were exceptional quality...) do make me wonder about alternatives. I don't need much in the way of heat in my 914. I usually turned the heat down on cold days, and can see where heated seats and defrost would beenough. And...A/C is more and more appealing to me. I understand electric A/C systems for Emory's 356s are pretty good these days. Makes me wonder about such a system for a 914—because where I live, and for how I use my 914, a lack of A/C is the #1 thing that keeps me from taking the car on certain drives.
I've been driving my 914 with plain headers for several years now, and the times I was bummed it didn't have heat can be counted on one hand, maybe two—but I'd still like to add heat at some point.
Gas heater on the floor of the frunk you need a 3" tube welded into the gas tank so you can run the duct into the cab. A bit of creative ductwork to each corner and you can tie into the stock dash. The heater exhaust will require a pipe front to back and yes half dozen holes are needed to do the deed.
The diesel heaters will outperform SSI's,
If you look at the one factory 914/8, this is how it's done. There was a thread with a couple of fuzzy pics of the US owned 914/8 a year or so ago.
You can get the whole china copy kit of the espar diesel bunk heater for a couple hundred bucks, but would have to mount a small fuel tank (included). There's two copies, one is smaller than the other but more money, smaller might be easier to install.
Boat guys on YT tested them and say they're perfectly safe if installed correctly, but they couldn't get them to run right on gasoline, only on diesel (kerosene, heating oil, etc.)
Edit..
.doh...I bet I've already posted this info.