Heater Options

[CHRISPOPE]

I am currently restoring a 1961 traveller. The car came as an unfinished project, with all the parts from the 1961 car
but also vertually everything from a 1964 traveller except the bodyshell. I have the shell of the 1961 traveller stripped
down and am decided whether to fit the 1961 round type heater which seems to be the 2nd type fitted to these cars taking its air supply from the cross member in the bulkhead in a rectangular slot. I also have the later type rectangular heater, to fit
this I will need to weld on 2 studs on the back of the battery tray and adjust the bottom of the dash slightly below the switches. I also will have to cut the round hole for the air supply pipe through the bulkhead into the engine bay. I have both types of rad support panel. The bulkhead seems to have a slightly different pressing shape where the round air pipe would need to be cut. I also have a 1970 traveller so that I can compare the differences which is very useful.

My question is:
how easy is it to fit the later type without it looking to rough and is the earlier type a much poorer heater in terms of output demisting etc?
Are parts available ie. matrix for the earlier heaters?

Thank you Chris 64487

[bmcecosse]

The early type is pretty hopeless - later fresh air heater is much better. But if you want to keep it original - and don't plan to use it in winter - stick with the round heater.

[rayofleamington]

the intermediate heater (with builkhead air inlet) is my favourite out of the 3 versions!

The early one doesn't have the fresh air inlet and on the later one you can't turn off cold air inlet in winter. With the intermediate version you can do both.
The only disadvantage of the bulkhead air inlet is that it won't act as a ram pipe when you travel at speed - therefore not a great deal of fresh air inlet for the summer, but that's what windows are for!