gasoline car heaters

[stormy]

I have heard of gasoline fired heaters in some automobiles of the1930-40 era.Hard to imagine this really happened.Is this a Tall Tale or moreWhen I was a Boy Story???

[Bird]

Stormy, I'm not sure, but I think that was true.

[Inspector507]

The early VW Beetles had gas heaters as well.....50's era

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] I don't want to lead you to believe that I am old as dirt, but I learned to drive in a 35 Ford pickup with the vaunted, SOUTH WIND heater in it. There was a small steel line that connected to the fuel line that went from the fuel pump to that famous Stromberg 97 carb. I have no idea how the heater worked, but there was no waiting.....you got heat and you got it NOW! When I was in college, my Dad bought a beat 1960 Corvair real cheap for the younger kids to knock around in because it had experienced an engine fire.....practically an everyday occurrence for Corvairs......and IT also had a gas heater up front. A small steel line ran from the engine compartment delivering gasoline under pressure from the discharge side of the fuel pump to the heater. Atop the heater itself was an IGNITION COIL, similar to the one on the engine. There was a little exhaust pipe under the car to take the heater fumes away. It was INSTANT HEAT Buddy.....real nice on frosty mornings. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[stormy]

CJ Dave--- Thanks for the great info.Happy Holidays--Stormy

[Pat]

Stormy, Recall the VW Thing, AKA Kubelwagen? They frequently had gasoline heaters. I don't recall the web site but there is a site for these cars and their heaters, and repair and replacement of same is a topic that gets sdiscussed.

HEY EGON!!! Don't you guys up there in the frozen north still install those things sometimes? I think they are still available.

Thank yoiu GOOGLE!!!

Go here ====> http://www.espar.com/htm/airheat.htm

These ESPAR heaters are available in gasoline or diesel in automotive or boating versions. The Espar is the one I couldn't remember. It has a good reputation.

Hope this helps... When memory fails... there is always GOOGLE!

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[egon]

The later versions of the beetle had the gas heater. Haven't seen one in years.

Large trucks may use circulating propane heaters for the cab/sleeper and engine coolant at truck stops on cold winter nights. Most just leave them run.

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[NSbound]

I had a 1961 (or 1963) VW squareback (aka station wagon) that had a gas heater. Drove it to University for 2 or 3 years before I managed to blow up the engine (looked in the rearview mirror and couldn't imagine how it got so foggy outside, so quickly - it wasn't fog, it was smoke from the blown engine!!).

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Some buddies from CA bought a slew of used equipment when the consortium sold out the construction company that built the Alaska pipeline. Those construction pickups and trucks had some sort of gasoline heater in them. The regular heaters were there as well, but I think the water supply to them went into this little boiler instead of from the engine, either THAT or the little boiler heated the water for the engine and the heater. It's been a while since I saw the setup. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] They made the mistake of shipping some of what they bought by rail. Each time the train stopped the thieves looted the equipment; dismounting welders, tires and wheels, transmissions, you name it. They got a picked over carcass and a huge bill from the railroad at the destination. [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] The stuff that was barged down came through fine. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[Pat]

Egon, I can certainly vouch for the "let 'er run" philosophy. Seems whenever I am out in a motorhome or my pickup camper and stop at a rest stop I am always surrounded by big rigs who let their engines idle ALL NIGHT.

I can remember sleeping on a steel catwalk next to a running diesel generator in the soft support shelter powering a MinuteMan missile silo but I had been up around the clock. I manage to get some sleep surounded by big rigs but it isn't THAT good.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]