heating in the VW based kit

[Will Burge]

I recently replaced the floor pans in my Daytona Migi and am doing  a complete frame off restoration which you can see in another thread. While i have the body off I would like to deal with yet another flaw in the previous build HEAT. The heat exchangers are on the engine but go nowhere. I have seen Flex tubes online which apparently connect the heat exchangers to the body and with a hole saw could easily be made to blow out from under the seats. I understand that the slots on either side of the e-brake are for some tye of control leaver that would open and close the exchangers I have also seen the cable guide tubes in the tunnel that go in between the e-brake and the exchanger (i believe). Does anyone have functioning heat in their VW kit and how is it controlled? is there a defroster and if so how does it get to the front of the kit? is there a blower and if so, how is it controlled? As I have said I have no heat system at all except for the exchangers so I really don’t know what all is missing. Any info, directions or photos on the subject would be appreciated. 

Thanks,

Will

[Paul Mossberg]

Hi Will.

I do.

Flex tubes from the heat exchangers to holes under the seats. You are correct about the levers on either side of the parking brake. A cable from each runs to a lever on the heat exchange box on the same side of the car. They simple open and close a flapper valve at the outlet of the heat box. You do not need a blower for the heat. Air flow is created by the same fan that blows cooling air over the cylinder heards. The faster the engine turns, the more air flow. You also control air flow by the amount you open the heat exchange box valve.

I have a small blower under the dash, with tubes running to four air events on the top of the dash, along the base of the windshield. All it does is circulate warm air already in the car. You are not going to melt ice off the windshield. But it clears a foggy windshield fine.

Entire system works far better than in an original VW Beetle. You are heating a smaller space. And the outlets inside the car are closer to the heat exchange boxes than on a Beetle.

I’ve seen another approach used by Speedster replicar owners. They have no room under their seats for heat tubes. So they cut holes into the center tunnel and run tubes from the heater boxes to the center tunnel. Then they put vents at the front of the tunnel, near the foot box. This approach works too. But I offer it only as an option. With the room under the TD seats, there is no reason to make more work for yourself!

PMOSSBERG40210.422349537

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Larry Murphy]

 Will, My VW based car uses the stock VW heating system with the flex pipes running under the seats and out thru a hole in the seat base.No heat is routed to the front of the car or to the defroster outlet. A blower is mounted on the firewall and is controled by a toggle switch on the dash ,I guess it is a defogger instead of a defroster. The heat [air flow] is controled by the one of the factory VW levers beside the e-brake handle.The other lever controled the air going to the defroster in the VW but has been removed in my car .The system works well but does get the back of your legs extra warm.

[Richard Wobby]

I’m not sure what year you have but there are heat channels that run up to just north of the E brake and the air is forced or driven by the natural air flow as you drive. These channels are connected by way of flex pipes and valve or shutter system it is outlined in a vw repair manual. If you email me the year I might have manual and will send you a pdf copy too big for email. I replaced cables and pipes recently it was quite painless.

[Paul Mossberg]

Sounds like Richard’s car simply has the same flex tubes running off the heater boxes. But instead of terminating under the seat as mine and Larry’s do, they continue to the front of the foot well. I’d like to see that set up also. Unless the tubes run through the center tunnel, I wouldn’t have muuch foot room up there.

Larry and my car sound like they are set up the same. And he’s right about the levers by the parking brake. One lever controls both heater box valves. The other directed air to the Beetle defrosters and was removed during the TD build.

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[bob]

re:Heater for Migi

I have in my manual info on installing heat into Migi(optional)

Have you seen this?

I also added a ceramic 12 volt heater with blower attached works great on my car.

Bob

[edward ericson]

Bridget has the heat vents up in the footwell, as in the stock VW. Previous owner stuffed tennis balls in the hole; told me the vent accentuators no longer work right so she gives heat alla time. Just one more thing to sort out.

[Paul Mossberg]

Ed,

I’m still curious how the heated air is getting to the footwells.

In a stock VW, the heater channels run up the outside base of the Beetle body, along the rocker panels & door sills. When you remove the Beetle body, you are also removing the heat channels.

Can you tell us what was done to Bridget to replace the heat channels and get warm air to the footwells??

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Larry Murphy]

 Ed, Are the vents that were stopped up with tennis balls located on the center tunnel or along the outside edge of the floor? If they are on the outside edge ,I reckon this is another  special feature and a good one in my opinion.I had thought about trying to pipe some heat toward the front in my London Roadster ,but have never got arround to it. Thanks for any info. Larry Murphy40213.8439814815

[edward ericson]

They’re center tunnel, just under the e-brake handle. I should be clear here that I’m repeating what I was told in regards to the heat. I’ve not driven her long enough to feel any heat yet, or lack of same.

I was under the misimpression that heat came in via the tunnel, amidst all the cables and shift linkage and whatnot. If I’m wrong on that then I got no idea what the previous owner was talking about. I’ll consult both the assembly manual and–when the weather warms up a little–the car itself, and report back my findings.

[edward ericson]

Here it is. Page 82: “Cut two heater duct hoses 38 inches long. The remain ing length of hose will be used later for the air cleaner installation. Insert heater ducts into VW heater boxes. Secure this connection with duct tape.”

There’s a photo showing the two hoses running, yes, along the outside channel of the belly pan. Can’t tell from the pic where they end up, but it’s for sure that those tennis-ball-plugged holes in my forward tunnel ain’t it.

My car’s previous owner installed some speakers up front, forward of the doors in the side walls. Could it be that those holes used to be heater vents? I will figure it out later.

[Paul Mossberg]

Ed,

One quick way to find out. Whether your heated air runs through the tunnel or under the seats, it has to start at the heater boxes. There will be 2.5″ to 3″ tubes coming off the front of the heater boxes. They will either enter the passenger compartment somewhere under your seats or they will be connected into holes cut into the center tunnel.

Back to a comment you said the previous owner made…that the heat runs all the time. The heater control cable opens and closes the valves. So it must be moving freely. The tubes the cable runs through exit from the center tunnel and
end about 6 inches from the levers on the heater boxes. They
are exposed to a lot of road crud and the cable may be stuck.

If the cable is broken and it broke when the user was opening the heater boxes, they may have remained open, providing the full time heated air flow.

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[edward ericson]

That sounds about right, Paul. I’ll take a look at that stuff when I fix the brake lights. If only it would warm up just a little I could get going on this stuff. These days the garage is just a bit too cold to be laying down under a car–much as I love that sort of thing. Soon, soon!

Thanks for the insights. I hope that within a season or two my appalling ignorance will fade just a little.

[Paul Mossberg]

When I built my TD, not only were the heater cables broken, the ends of the tubes were basically frozen shut with crud.

I had to cut off an inch or so, then used a drill bit to get part way through the remaining blockage.

I finally had to resort to a round hack-saw blade (sort of like a 1/8th inch rasp). I cut the hack-saw ends off the blade, stuck it in my drill and worked it into the opening created by the normal drill. I figure the last 4 inches or so of the tubes were completely blocked.

Once you have them working, there are small rubber nipples that go over the end of the tube. Their opening is just large enough for the cable itself.

Ditto on laying on cold concrete! I need to do a brake job on my TD. Sitting too much  in an uninsulated, unheated shed just does wonders for brake cylinders. For now…it’s just waiting!

NJ is waiting on another three inches to a foot of that white $#%& this weekend. Oh joy.

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[edward ericson]

I got the picture, Paul. They’re calling for 20-28 inches here in Baltimore. It’s just starting to stick now.

[Paul Mossberg]

Yeah, I know I shouldn’t complain about the snow we’ll get in northern NJ.

Everybody from southern NJ down to Virginia are really going to get hammered today and tonight.

Good luck!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Richard Wobby]

Mine are Heat channels that run up the center channel. Both a right and left. The channelmis located about 6 inches away from the heat exchanger. Flex tube didnt work well to connect because the exchange outlet and the channel are two different sizes. Actually used a fire hose and hose clamps. had too rerun cables and unstick flappers easy job.

[edward ericson]

That sounds like a neat rig, Richard. You got pics?

Paul: about 28 inches and counting here. Supposed to get another 5-6 inches at least. Heavy stuff, too–much denser than the stuff we got in December.

Glad they got the power restored. Went out at 4 a.m. & we lost about a degree an hour before it popped back up at 1 pm. More incentive to install that gas fireplace I been meaning to get….

[edward ericson]

Good news. For the record, it quit snowing here about 2:30 yesterday. So 28 inches total, my estimate. Should take half the day to finish digging out, assuming the plow comes. Neighbors across the street will need a hand.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends.

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