Dodge Brothers ( heater? )

[Ebrake41]

Someone out there satisfy my curiosity! I have been

reading through my mechanic's manual, and I can not

find any referance to a heater.

When I got my 24, one of the first things I noticed

was a small aluninum grill directly below the bottom

seat cushion. I took the grill off and found two small

pipes. When I was under the car I saw a pipe elbow that

attached to those small pipes. It is on the same side

as the exhaust pipe.

I naturally assumed that there had been at one time

another pipe comming from the exhaust pipe to that

elbow. Now, am I all wet, or is this actually a crude

attempt to put heat into the car?

I really would'nt have a whole lot of faith in such

a contraption. It has the potential to be very dangerous.

Errol Brakeman

[Paul Bohlig]

Errol:

The master parts book lists the first heater for the 1930 DD model. I have a '28 Std 6 without a heater. Most of the heaters back then were after market exhaust manifold heaters where there was indirect contact with the hot exhaust. Similar to your heat exchanger in your house gas furnace. There is a burner area, the exhaust, and a heater area separated from each other by metal to avoid CO posioning. The Model A and T Ford's after market sold these and they went right through the fire wall on the passenger side with a metal plate to close for the summer. I have never seen one for a Dodge; but probably someone somewhere made one. To keep some warmth in the car and if you do not want to buy an expensive replacement rubber floor mat try a roll type floor mat from a janitorial supply and make a paper template with template paper from Home Depot. This will keep out some of the cold from the floor and lower firewall. Paul

[Guest imported_RAH]

Hi Guys,

Heaters have been available as accessories or 'aftermarket' since at least the early 20s. I will attempt to attach a pix of an advert. The radster/coupe had a grille standing up just ahead of the seat riser while touring/sedans had a flat grille on the rear floor. Both had flexible metal pipes attached to a valve affixed into the exhaust pipe. I hope this helps.

Rodger "Dodger" Hartley

[nearchoclatetown]

The '24-'25 Fisher Body Four passenger coupe has a factory heater, sheet metal housing around the exhaust manifold with piping to the passenger side front floor grille. It actually works quite well. The manifold housing has a summer/winter trapdoor and the floor grille has a sliding vent to close it when not wanted. It probably didn't show up in the regular Master Parts catalog because the Fisher had it's own section for Fisher specific parts. As most of the body of the Fisher is simalar to a Chevy I'm not sure if the heater is the same.

[Jim Anselmo]

When I got my 28 FF Sedan (originally from Minnesota) it had a heater with one vent at the drivers feet and one vent at the front passengers feet. It pulled the heat from the exhaust pipe similar to what Rodger shows, but it had a large "air catcher" that would funnel the cold air from outside (under the car) across the exhaust pipe and the heated air was sent to the two vents. I didn't see any indication of a valve to open and close the air flow so maybe this type was always on. I'm debating if I should put it back on since I don't drive in the winter, but it is kind of neat as an accessory.

[Guest 427v8]

I have a '29 that has a water based heater under the dash.

Would this be an aftermarket job then?

It's just a simple box with louvers that can be opened by hand

Keith

[Rusty_OToole]

It's probably an aftermarket job. I don't know if heaters were even available in 1929. If they were it was as a dealer installed accessory not a factory installed feature.

I know hot water heaters were available from the early 30s but didn't become a big fad until 1937 and 38. I know this because I have a big stack of MoToR magazines from the 30s. There were no ads for heaters, suddenly in 1937 there were ads for all different brands of heaters on every page. They were sold by garages as well as car dealers.

Starting with the 39 Nash Weather Eye, heaters became integrated into the design of the car as a complete heating and ventilating system. By 1950 the sale of heaters as an accessory slowed to a trickle.

So 427, yours was most likely installed in the late 30s although it could have been earlier. If you examine the heater closely you should find a trademark or brand name on it. It would be neat if it was a genuine

[dbbob]

My '24 business coupe has a hole covered by a sliding plate in the passenger-side firewall. A short pipe extends forward into the engine compartment, directly behind the exhaust manifold. It appears to be an original installation.

I fabricated a metal "stove," attached it to the manifold studs, and connected it to the pipe in the firewall with a flexible metal pipe. The engine fan blows air through the stove and over the surface of the exhaust manifold, and warm air enters the car. The contraption is a bit unsightly, but it works reasonably well in below-freezing weather. --Bob

[Jan Arnett]

As Roger mentioned they were avaliable as accessories in the teen and twenties. I have a NOS heater on my 1924 Star and it sits on the Exhaust manifold and connects through the fire wall. I have the remnants of a heater on a 1919 dodge engine. I have a "meal cooker" on my 1916 Model T Ford and the same car also has a preheater that fits around the intake manifold. It is of an interesting design as you poured kerosene in it and lit it with a match. When I bought the car there were burnt matches in the unit. I am not that brave so I have never used it. Both heaters are made by South Wind.