Early fresh air heaters

[gs.davies]

Having run my car around a bit during the colder weather, the recirculating heater really isn't up to the job, creating a little bit of warmth and causing a lot of misting up. I've got most of an early fresh air heater and I'm planning to restore these before fitting it up.

Has anyone got any pictures of the following for this type of heater?

- The controls as they'd have been in a 1961 car with it ordered as a factory item?
- The brackets that hold the snail blower to the inner wing?
- The type of heater valve that would have been used?
- The fresh air valve and how it's attached to the front panel?
- The route taken through the bulkhead for the control cables?

Also, I will need a pair of brackets to hold the snail blower and the fresh air valve. I understand that the midget also used the same fresh air valve, has anyone used this type?

I'm also hoping to retain the rheostat control for fan speed so I can make the snail run at different speeds - does anyone happen to know if the rheostat is capable of the currents involved in doing this for the larger snail type fan? If I can retain this, then maybe I'll use the Catmint lower dash switch panel to take the air and heat cables, and maybe the On/Off switch (or a variable speed switch?) if the rheostat can't be used.

[63monte]

Gary, these data sheets from my well thumbed workshop manual should help.
This system is on my Cooper so If you need any photos let me know.
I think you will find that the hardest parts to find are the dash control knobs and the castellated water control valve. The extra large hose that goes from the blower motor to the front panel air intake assembly is available from Gordon Furness.
Good luck!

[gs.davies]

ah interesting. So the choke control was moved to accommodate the air and heat controls. On a twin carb cooper, would that arrangement have been the same?

[SMOKE GREY]

IMG_2942.jpeg

This is my car, the cable to the left of the ignition switch goes to the heater valve on the head. Originally the flower head type, but the later type would work the same. The cable to the right of the ignition switch goes to the flap on the front panel
This is held on by two screws, the mini one is different to the midget Riley 1.5 one, but that one can be modified. The choke cable is moved to next to the steering column, Riley 1.5 type cable on a bracket, the washer plunger moving to the passenger side. The heater blower switch is under the ignition switch on its own bracket.

[SMOKE GREY]

IMG_3718.jpeg

Photo of the cables under bonnet.

[SMOKE GREY]

Ignore the incar photo! Don’t know how I attached that! In Paddy’s RIP 6 EMO.

[SMOKE GREY]

IMG_2227.jpeg

Cables under bonnet. The choke cable comes through the grommet directly below the master cylinder.

[gs.davies]

IMG_2227.jpeg
Cables under bonnet. The choke cable comes through the grommet directly below the master cylinder.

That answers the age old question I had about those holes then!

Great, thanks for your help.

As my car is getting a few interior mods, I’m looking at incorporating those controls onto a additional panel below the switch panel, perhaps employing the rotary MGB type to control the coolant valve and the fresh air flap, perhaps a two speed control using a P6 Rover fan switch too.

The matrix on these heaters is pretty large. Does this heater perform well compared to the more typical mini types?

[gs.davies]

What’s printed on the control knobs? ‘Push Heater’? What about the fresh air flap control?

[wild_willy]

The early 997 Cooper had AIR and HEATER knobs that were rather large and bulbous.

early 997_2.jpg

air control.jpg

earlycooperheatercable.JPG

.

Later 997s used knobs that looked similar to Coopers and S's

IMG_3564-1.jpg

The early choke cable knob was also somewhat unique with scalloped edges

IMG_7965.jpg

The fan heater switch for this type of heater was placed directly below the switch panel on its own panel

IMG_7965.jpg

[wild_willy]

Addition to previous post for heater fan switch

AUT_8808.jpg

[SMOKE GREY]

The early 997 Cooper had AIR and HEATER knobs that were rather large and bulbous.early 997_2.jpg air control.jpgearlycooperheatercable.JPG.

Later 997s used knobs that looked similar to Coopers and S's IMG_3564-1.jpg

The early choke cable knob was also somewhat unique with scalloped edges IMG_7965.jpg

The fan heater switch for this type of heater was placed directly below the switch panel on its own panel IMG_7965.jpg

Never seen those cables like those before, is that car a 61?

[GraemeC]

Ignore the incar photo! Don’t know how I attached that! In Paddy’s RIP 6 EMO.

Thought it was a special heater Pully

[morris cooper]

Never seen those cables like those before, is that car a 61?

These cables were supplied in the accessory Smiths kit, maybe before the fresh air heater was a factory option fit?
The cables are very well made with a brass ratchet operation, I think I have one somewhere but the knob is missing.
Bill

[SMOKE GREY]

Never seen those cables like those before, is that car a 61?

These cables were supplied in the accessory Smiths kit, maybe before the fresh air heater was a factory option fit?
The cables are very well made with a brass ratchet operation, I think I have one somewhere but the knob is missing.
Bill
[/quotee

Think you’re correct. The cables are different in the official SMiTHS retro fit heater kit

[wild_willy]

The Cooper I restored was built in Australia in 1962 probably from a later 1961 CKD. The photos were a part of research I made for that restoration. I was able to purchase a NOS Air cable from UK way back then. I have a PDF from Somerford which clearly shows both types of cable with 27H1967 being the 1959-1961 part number for the AIR cable.

DSC03341.JPG

[Fanfaniracing]

The Heater and Air Cables are exactly like in my nov 62 built Cooper. In my Car this was a dream setup. Worked very well.

Changed later for a early Version to give place for the Brake booster...