1956 Coupe DeVille Heater

[Brent]

Hello,

Im looking for options/suppliers for installing a heater unit in a 1956 Coupe DeVille that was not originally manufactured with the heater option.  Pros/cons of attempting to retrofit a heater?  Aftermarket heater options?

Thanks for any help,
Brent

[Doug Houston]

The heater-defroster system on that model is a real piece of architecture! The only reasonable way to install a system like that in that car is to get the whole system from a parts car, grit your teeth, and install it. Theres a lot of hardware and control linkage. The hose routing in the engine compartment is something else. They routed the heater hoses around, through, over, under the frame like you cant imagine.

But if you can find a systme anf install it, its a very good heater-defroster.

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

Gday Brent,

If you arent looking to keep everything original, then I have had great success with using heaters that are fitted to the 72 to 76 Toyota Corolla, yes, a car as small as that.

Their units are extremely compact, have a bottom flap that directs air up to the remister ducts, and there can be simple tubed up to below the windscreen.  You can even attach the Toyotas difusers to the slots below the screen.

They also have a two-speed fan, and with a bit of inginuity, you can fabricate an outside air duct to supply fresh air to the unit.

I have fitted them to cars from a 68 Corvette, 55 Chev, 37 Chev and one will be going into a 67 Chev.   They also put out a good amount of heat as well.

But, there is also the way of going a complete A/C system, as suppliued by Vintage Air that gives the best of all worlds.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV