VINTAGE AIR HEATER air heater

dcapo · #1 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 06:36 AM

IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS INSTALLED A VINTAGE AIR HEATER IN THERE COBRA I COULD SURE USE SOME HINTS . IS IT BETTER TO RUN WATER LINES THRU THE TRANNY TUNNEL? ETC ETC. I HAVE A CR COBRA THANKS DCAPO

dscott · #2 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 07:48 AM

I put the Vintage unit in all the cars I build. It's a very easy install. I normally run the hoses through the right side of the firewall so they come out by the battery. This is where the manual tells you to run them for the old style heater. This way the hoses can be run along the right fender liner and keeps the engine cleaner looking. I have seen them run straight out of the firewall directly inline with the engine.
Don

dcapo · #3 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 07:53 AM

DSCOTT THANKS FOR INFO ONE MORE QUESTION DO I MOUNT HEATER OVER TRANNY OR MOUNT ON PASSINGER SIDE? DCAPO

petek · #4 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 08:09 AM

I ran the lines to my heater right over the engine using fake braided hose. Easy shot and it looks great. I mounted the heater on the tranny hump behind the dash using a couple of brackets I made up. The brackets bolt to the tranny tunnel and to the upper part of the inner liner.

dcapo · #5 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 08:47 AM

pete will i find any pics in your build site thanks also dv has agreed to paint my car as well as some other help it will be ready for fling 3 in 03 sorry i missed you at fling2 dcapo

rdorman · #6 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 09:20 AM

My Cobra did not have enough room behind the dash for the heater. What I ended up doing is having it mounted on top of the passenger side footbox and plumb the heat into the car. This way we lost no foot room and the heater all but tucks up under the fender so it isn't very noticiable. One of these days I will get around to running a fresh air duct from the front through the wheel well to the heater and then encase the unit in aluminum using AN bulkhead fittings where the water lines connect (purely for looks of course!). This will give it a bit of bad weather protection even though the only time the car see's rain is if I get caught.

dscott · #7 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 11:38 AM

There is plenty of room for the heater in the center of the firewall. As Petek said a couple of straight brackets from the top of the firewall to the floor is all you need.
Don

dcapo · #8 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 12:04 PM

DSCOTT I GUESS I WOULD MOUNT HEATER ALMOST LIKE DOING A RAD. DO YOU MOUNT HEATER AFTER OR BEFORE CARPETING? THANKS DCAPO

Jack21 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 04:35 PM

As usual, I did it the hard way, but everything fits including CR Deluxe dash accessories (sterio & instruments), and everything works.

Used Vintage air heater core, and blower, and installed in modified (very) CR box. Blower and core behind wiper motor above passenger side footwell. Air distribution box is over trans tunnel against the firewall.

Core is positioned so water lines go through firewall between passenger side valve cover, and battery. Manual water inlet valve, and cable control attach at core inlet at firewall. The way the CR manual has you run the lines out the right hand side of the foot box, I wouldn't want to be the one that has to replace those lines periodically.

No fresh air inlet, blower recirculates only. You can't button a Cobra up so tight that it needs a fresh air inlet.

I'm toasty when outside temp is 20 deg. Have shots of this if interested.

dscott · #10 (**permalink**) 07-02-2002, 07:23 AM

I install the heater before the carpet and the carpet pad. It sits close to the firewall so it's easy to cut the pad and carpet to go around it.
Don