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Anyone that knows me is aware that I try to keep my cars as original as possible, so we come to heating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sidescreen and 4 drivers know that the heater is not great at the best of times, understatement or what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to keep close to original as possible but not use the modern heater that everyone recommends and come up with my own solution as usual.

I refurbished the original smiths heater motor and re crackle finished the lower housing. Rebuilt it thinking that a rebuild would bring it back to factory bright, WRONG!!!!!!!!!

I could not get more than my asthmatic Granny's breath to come out the vents and the demister vent was zero or less. After taking the lower cover off and testing with a few chewed finger tips I noted that the flow was brilliant but the nearer I brought the vent panel to lower the flow till virtually nothing. Next I tried playing with vent pitch within limits of the clearance worse to no better no matter what I did. OK time to rethink!!!!!

I already have a Clayton matrix on my 3 a which does work well and looks very close to all but the really anal of observers. I managed to buy a brand new Clayton matrix 3 kw version for £60. I then set about trying to come up with a better fan system. I tried a 12volt computer fan which was better but not much. I spoke at length to a computer geek friend of mine and he suggested using a Server fan and dug one out and sent it to me. To say I was disappointed when it arrived is an understatement roughly 1 1/2" square and about 2" tall. I duly wired it up and to my amazement it nearly blew my wig off. You would not believe a fan that small displaces that much air.

I made up a blanking panel for the top and a panel to mount it on and once assembled it proved to supply 3 times more air than the original and also sucks from inside the matrix.

Never one to let a drama go I decided that if one is good so three must be better. Therefore bought anopair of matched fans ex server for £10 from ebay and mounted all three inside the matrix. 

I now have one push/pull fan each side vent and one mounted in line with demister outlet.

All is hidden inside the matrix and to all but the most discerning looks as close to the original as possible.

Ok with three fans sucking and three pushing it isn't particularly quiet but who needs quiet when you are toasty warm. The total combined power needed to run all six fans is 2.8 amps. I tested the system with my variable power supply and at 12 volts dialed it back to the minimum which was 2.8 amps at 12 volts.

The original heater switch works and does slow it down a little but not much as it is a pretty basic rheostat. I may put a separate demister switch to power up the third motor.

All I have to do now is work out how to remove the TR3a one to retrofit this system. At worst,  some time and £15 worth of fans against upwards of £90 for a Smiths motor.

 

 

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Rob,

Sounds interesting. A few years ago I managed to fit a 3 speed a/c fan to replace Smiths feeble effort, by remaking the upper casing, but your solution sound much easier.

Are the server fans reasonably heat and damp proof?

Looking forward to more details.

Mike

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