MTFCA Forum

I have Manifold Heater made by Visel-Darling Co. Inc. from Bronson Michigan.
I want to install it on my 1915 Centerdoor.
I'm wondering about the connection to the cab.
I assume there should be a floor grate/shut off that would mount on the floor boards using a flexible metal tube.
Any help/information is appreciated.

Dave

Flexible exhaust pipe made of plain steel will usually rust and lock up in a short time. Stainless flex pipe, if available, would be a better choice. Some heaters simply connected to a hole in the firewall. Others connected to a floor register with a damper. One thing that is very important is to make absolutely certain that there are no manifold cracks or leaking gaskets that could allow exhaust gases to get into the car. Modern gasoline stinks so bad when it is burned that a leak could probably be detected by the odor, but carbon monoxide gas is highly poisonous and repeated exposure can have a cumulative effect. The heater may depend upon radiator fan draft to move air into the car. If so, any oil mist and crankcase fumes emitted at the oil filler cap may also be forced into the car. Rigging up some kind of diversion pipe or deflector can prevent this. I wouldn't use any kind of non-metallic hose or duct to connect the manifold heater to the cabin area. Any type of floorboard register needs to have some provision for easily disconnecting it so that the floorboard may be easily removed when necessary.

I did a search on DuckDuckGo using the term: Visel-Darling Manifold Heater
It got a number of unrelated results, PLUS a link to the "Model T Ford Fix" website and an article from 11-15-2019 about a 1923 Ford sedan. The article features a couple of pictures of a Visel-Darling heater installed on the car showing the heater box on the engine and a picture of the floor register, along with some commentary.

Via Google books, look at old advertisements in trade journals to see how your particular brand of heater was set-up. The example below is from a 1922 edition of the Automobile Trade Journal.

If you had all of the original components, the vent would be at an angle and flush with the upper floorboard(s). There is no ductwork/piping involved.

Model T Ford Fix website:

November 15, 2019 by Royce Peterson
The 1923 Model T Ford

Link to article to which Pat referred - scroll down once is opens to see photos of heater in engine compartment and vent on the floorboard:

https://modeltfordfix.com/the-1923-model-t-ford/