BAWC Forums

Maybe I'm missing something totally obvious here, but if old VWs were air cooled, how did they circulate warm air into the passenger compartment, especially on frigid days?

if I remember I'll ask my buddy hes got about 12 vw's all different setups I'm sure he has one. He would know or just ask on vwvortex.com

exhaust gasses.

Hot exhaust passed through a "heater core" and a fan blew air over it. Some of the Bus's had independent gasoline heaters in them that fired up and ran like a furnace in your home.

Imagine how much it sucks when you get a leak in your heater box

[quote=""JagdStealth""]exhaust gasses.

Hot exhaust passed through a "heater core" and a fan blew air over it. Some of the Bus's had independent gasoline heaters in them that fired up and ran like a furnace in your home.

Imagine how much it sucks when you get a leak in your heater box [/quote]




heat exchangers around the exhaust.

Issues have been on my mind as I've been driving my Jeep truck with no heat in the cab, its gotten freezing!

I just finally got my heater core un-clogged, should have heat today.

You know thats an issue on electric car conversions, you need to integrate an electric heating element for the cab.

[quote=""JagdStealth""]Some of the Bus's had independent gasoline heaters in them that fired up and ran like a furnace in your home.
[/quote]


I was going to make a joke that they just lit a fire in the compartment somewhere.... guess the joke's on me because its true

[quote=""JagdStealth""]exhaust gasses.

Hot exhaust passed through a "heater core" and a fan blew air over it. Some of the Bus's had independent gasoline heaters in them that fired up and ran like a furnace in your home.

Imagine how much it sucks when you get a leak in your heater box [/quote]

Yup just like a single engine airplane.

I guess that makes sense. Another question on the same subject:

I know that those cars had to have a nominal operating temp, but how did they regulate (if at all) the temp when they could easily see a 100*F change in ambient depending on season and location?

(can you tell Jeff and I get bored on the way to work?)

I know an older guy who had an air cooled bug he drove to the mines every day. He took the passenger seat out and mounted a kerosene heater in its place.

[quote=""Gatecrasher""]...how did they circulate warm air into the passenger compartment, especially on frigid days?[/quote]

...they didn't.

An optional gas heater could be installed. I don't know if any came from the factory like that or if they all were aftermarket.

[quote=""thestealth""]...they didn't.

An optional gas heater could be installed. I don't know if any came from the factory like that or if they all were aftermarket.[/quote]

Yeah, the "heater box" didn't work very good so anyone who wanted to drive 'em in the cold would buy the kerosene heater

Heater boxes work fine when they're not leaking, I don't see why everyone bitches about them. If you're cold, just speed up

http://www.vw-resource.com/heat4.html

You live in SoCal man....try getting that thing warm when it's below -5 degrees