Aftermarket heater and A/C options

[AdrenalineJunky]

I have read about fsj heater core/fan. However, with a soft top and the old leaky cabs I am looking into a better option. I have seen some very nice cj installs using a 28k btu heater craft heater. I could use the vacuum attachments for defrost ducting as seen in another thread. What are my options for keeping this cab warm? Overall I just want a clean, minimalist looking install and lots of heat! Anything can be made to work but easy/good looking is what I am after. I will also be installing heated seats into my stock seats in my build thread for others interested. Here are a couple links to what I am talking about. If there is a combination A/C (like the vintage air) that is a plus that I could upgrade to in the future. Any pics of others set up is appreciated!

http://boyink.com/cj6/heater-install...t-heatercraft/

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Heating-C...FWdk7AodmlcA4w

[Barrman]

The factory heater set up really does work pretty good. A few weeks ago Colton and I had to make a run to Houston 100 miles away in the M715. We ran into freezing rain, upper 20's for temps and wind chills around 15°. The person on the up wind side of the truck had to have a jacket on because of the air leaks. The person on the downwind side could be in short sleeves.

A 195° thermostat is a must though. Anything lower and the heat just isn't there.

A few of us plan to approach Vintage Air which is just 100 miles or so from me about making one of their combination heat/a/c units fit under the dash of a M715/Jtruck/Wagoneer. We just haven't gotten there yet.

[sxp]

I have the stock heater and a hard top. The heater works pretty good up here in Maine. I did add some extra seals to the doors to try to cut down on the wind, but I'm plenty warm once the engine warms up.

I also plan on redoing the heat down the road... after I do an engine swap (in a couple years.) I also had a similar idea about trying to rebuild my stocks seats with seats warmers. That may happen this summer.

I'd be totally on board with a Vintage Air unit for our trucks. You can count me in if that helps get the ball rolling.

[AdrenalineJunky]

A vintage air set up would be quite the addition. Although I live in Alabama I visit Northern WI every winter and having a soft top with heat sounds like it will be a tough job to ask of heating system. My FJ40 sure struggles to ever get warm in extreme cold. Going from an average January high of around 55 to not seeing positive temps for a week is a very large swing and Id like to stay toasty on my long trips.

Would someone be able to take pictures of a stock set up?

[Mikel]

I posted some negative comments on the stock setup in the other thread. I think the bulk of my problem is how incredibly drafty my soft top is, particularly as speeds increase.

A friend of mine has a M715 with a hard top and stock heater. It was better than mine but still not to my liking.

I reworked my stock heater and moved it entirely inside the firewall, so that it sucks inside air and has much more flow. It is either full blast or off, so I find myself driving with a window half open in the winter The aftermarket heaters I see are all internal, which should make a big difference too.

However, winters in Alabama or Texas are not as bad as in CT, so this may be overkill.

[Troop ISP]

I have a Vintage Air heater that fits completely under the dash. It is fairly compact and pumps out good heat. I thought about AC, but decided against it. You can check out my thread for pictures.

My 1968 M715 build

[Subybaja]

I've got a 15K btu M151 heater. Mid-winter, between 0-20f, it's barely usable. Better than nothing, but heavy coat and scraper-in-hand territory.

This 40K btu monster is on my shortlist.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-991106/overview/
Some wheelers with only a roof and windshield stay toasty running it in an open cab.

What is this "A/C" you speak of?

[AdrenalineJunky]

What year wagoneer/j truck parts work and where could I find them? I would need the 12v blower motor as I am swaping to 12v. I cant seem to find the housings/assemblies. All that I have found is the actual motors or heater core inserts and those are typically for later year model FSJ. I would like to price that out before buying aftermarket.

[gotzskillz]

Try fsj network.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[brute4c]

You can use any 1963 to 1991 heater assembly from the FSJ's...though:

there are early ones that are all cable operated, like the stock M715 setup

There are vacuum operated units, from fairly early on till at least the 80's

There are electric operated ones toward the end of production, sometime in the 80's till 1991.

I would avoid the electric type...the rest, have at it!