Does anyone have an original or after market auxiliary heater
that mounts under the seat? The parts book shows a Model 51,
for Conventional and W200 crew only.
I am interested in how the water is plumbed and the general size.
Figure the dash heater might be limited at heating the back seat well
and should explore additional heating to keep the kiddies warm.
This reminds me of the system the three Senior Division's ( Imperial, Chrysler & De Soto ) used at one time with the unit and blower under the passenger side with air ducting on the toes/feet of the folks in the back seat ( in the senior vehicles very few rode in the middle).
An "T" was on the front portion of the heater hose ( near the fire-wall area for one hose and on the passenger side inner fender for the other ) with the hose secured to the frame with clamps bolting it firmly.
I have an 1947 De Soto and learned about it from it ( can you say six volt positive ground ). It was also commonly used on vehicles of the Imperial Division up to some two decades later .
Rodger & Gabby
COS
Rodger & Gabby Colo Spgs 47 De Soto S-11, Loaded 62 Imperial Crown Cpe w/62 Lic Plates, 63 Le Baron w/63 Lic Plates, 66 Le Baron, 70 W100 SWB Loaded Custom, 70 Overlander-Internatioal Dbl, 77 D Shorty 2 x 4, 360,NP, 12 bolt
I am hoping to use a couple small cores or maybe trans or steering coolers
from salvage and some 12v 80mm-120mm computer fans I have left over.
A couple of the 120's can really push some air! It would also be pretty easy
to wire them up on a relay to control fan with a single 20 awg wire from the
dash. The main head scratcher is how to run the water back.
Since the cores will be smaller, should I go to a 1/2" line? Will the water pump
have any issue with feeding both of the cores if 5/8" is used? How much heat
will be lost on the way back? What is the most practical way to get the water
back into the cab, under the seat?
I did see in my parts book, that it looks like the wiring was ran under the mat,
and along the tunnel. I will not have a mat for the time being. But I have made
considerations to bring extra wiring in with the fuel sender.
Would like to hear about or see anything that might be out there hiding under
someones seat!
I have no info on how it was done in a Sweptline, but I have seen heater like that in a 1981 Dodge B300 15 passenger van. That van used a vacuum operated coolant valve under the hood that had twin valves, one for the front heat and one for the rear heat. It was controled by an in dash push button much like the Dodge van heater control of that vintage. The valve had one input line (don't trust this, I have a poor memory of the valve, but it was vacuum operated) and two output lines. I don't remember how it returned. The plumbing under the van was originaly a thin steel tube with heater hose ends. Most of the steel tube had been bypassed with heater hose by the time I saw it. I would imagine that many of the extended B series vans had this heater installed in them. It was mounted on the right rear wheel house. My memory is a little fuzzy, but it seems like it was thin enough to mount under a seat if you laid it on it's side. I have also seen new ones available though J C Whitney in the past. You may also find them at an implement dealer or farm supply store, maybe even a big truck parts department. A similar heater has in the past been used in semi truck sleepers. A quick check of J.C. Whittney shows several models from $149- $349.
