Has anyone tried making a heater for their Seven? I'm not thinking of one using cooling water, but a simple arrangement that I saw on a Ford Pop over fifty years ago.
This was a simple funnel attached to the back of the radiator matrix, over about the top third, with a large diameter pipe going through the bulkhead to deliver a trickle of warm air and de-frost the passengers.
I know it's been said that you are never cold in a Seven, and while driving I agree, but passengers do complain about the cold.
It seems easy enough to make, so has anyone tried?
Whoever said that has never driven a sports Seven in winter!
Personally I put a good deal of effort into choosing suitable apparel, and wouldn't modify the car for something which is likely not that effective nor used often. I have been known to use a hot water bottle.
I bought a proprietary one which attached a rectangular 'funnel' to the top near side corner of the radiator and connected to a 2" tube running down to a large hole in the firewall. On the cabin inside was a caged 6v fan with a rotating on off shutter. It came attached to a Ruby radiator which I left with the bearded wizard to save postage costs.
Its puny efforts are seldom required in Queensland, luckily.
Although I have not fitted a heater to my Ruby (I seldom use it in the winter if at all.) However I can see the advantages if you do. I would think it would be a simple plumbing job to tee off from both radiator hoses and put in a heater from a small car such as a mini. The fan would be a little slow however on a6volt system.
John Mason.
Would you believe it "Her who must be obeyed" refers to my Ruby as the toy.
Geoff Roe rigged up a rudimentary heater when we competed in a JOGLE run ( 22 hours 7 mins ) in his open 2-seater Special. It was so cold / wet / windy over the journey that it was completely ineffective!
For goodness sake — carry a good rug which you can tuck in at the sides and have a hot water bottle underneath it if you want luxury. As for the radiator, use it to top up the hot water bottle!
Our 1929 fabric saloon is quite cosy in winter.
There is a thermostat in the top hose so the engine gets up to a good temperature. There is no cover over the gearbox so warm air from the engine comes in to the cabin. There are no vents in the radiator sides to waste the heat.
Above about 45 mph the cold air overcomes the warm air coming into the car.
The down side is that it gets too hot in summer so the gerbox is covere in carpet to exclude the hot air.
(10-03-2023, 11:22 AM)andrew34ruby Wrote: I know it's been said that you are never cold in a Seven, and while driving I agree, but passengers do complain about the cold.
I’m tempted to say “ get different passengers” .
I do think the clue is in the clothes you wear. Both Liz and I have lined trousers, thermal vests and on one occasion thermal long johns. However I prefer to go “topless” (that is with the hood down before I get smutty comments) but Liz likes the hood up especially when it rains.
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