Stewart Warner, Southwind gas heater info?

There's a guy in Canada who restores and sells them; don't know if he repairs or services them. He has a web page that I'm sure you can find on the net.

 

My friend Ronnie's father had a sweet 39 Chevy. He was driving along minding his ps and Qs when the Southwind coughed and caught the car on fire. Gone totaled. Lots of danger in them. JUst my 2 cents. Make a speaker cover are put water to them for heat.

 

Southwind heaters were made by the thousands and were a very popular accessory in the 30s-40s. There is a quite a difference in a NEW accessory installed by a trained dealer and some swap meet piece likely incomplete.
Parts are available and installation instructions and parts lists have been reprinted for many years years.
There are plenty of NOS units around, you just have to wait for the hoarders to die and the "dead man's" trailer to appear at your local swap meet.

 

I've got two Southwind heaters. One was pretty crusty so I cannibalized it by gutting it and installing a small core with built in electric fan. It will be going in my '32 3w. The other one, I picked up at a swap meet this fall and it looks to be N.O.S.. Still had it's installation pamphlet tucked into it. They are cool little beasts, but I don't think I'd have the nerve to actually plumb one into a gas line to be used as intended.

 

I had Northwinds and they were gas fired. Is this the same? If so I can help.
Normbc9

 

check any of the vintage vw guys- also there web site- 'the samba' should have luck. a friend was on his first date in split window vw-she was a real looker- fired up his southwind- only to back fire spitting flames and smoke- blowing her dress nearly off-thank god it as only a secound- she was'nt burned- he was soo impressed with what he saw thru the smoke that he later married the girl- in pa. thats a hot date- they are still together. t

 

Does anyone have any pics of this heater in a Model A Ford...or a 32 ford as they are basically the same. I have a 31 dlx fordor SW and like to drive all year long, i NEED HEAT and are not really fond of the manifold heaters.. any pics would help a lot...thanks all!

 

I bought an NOS southwind at the last swapmeet but it's incomplete...only the main unit. I'd like to finish it up and install it in my '34 coupe.
I had a buddy when I was in Germany in the service who had a VW with one...got the car warm instantly!

 

They used them in large aircraft too,and plenty of buses.
Many years ago I pulled one out of this "Connie"

 

Michigan Coca-Cola bottlers/distributors used many of them.. Used as bay heaters in the delivery trucks. Driver would fire it up when leaving the plant and it kept the load from freezing during the daily deliveries.

These units were built by Southwind. Enclosed in a louvered box approx 20" square and 7" wide. Used internals very similar to the one in my 68 Volkswagen.

I used to pull them out of the old trucks when they were scrapped. At one time I had over a dozen of the units. Even used one to heat a two car garage for years..

Great units, sold them all with no problems.

 

The VW (Dak Dak) heaters are totally different in appearance to the conventional Southwind (Stewart Warner heaters). I presume they operate on the same principle?

 

Do you remember the specifics of the heater core and fan? model they came from, part numbers, etc?

thanks

 

I just found a guy with a SHITLOAD of these!

Check it out:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=771603

~Jason


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Damn, that looks like spam - sorry, guys. I posted it from the TJJ app, and it didn't recognize my carriage returns.


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I have a new one in the box with all of the paper work if anyone is lookin for on pm me it has a little surface rust on top but looks great yet

 

There's a guy in Canada who sells, buys and restores South Wind heaters. He has a website. If you're going to buy one, you may want to get the adapter for defrosting your windshield.