1937 Heater Motor

Thread Starter

Steve_R

Joined Oct 18, 2020
17
Have you looked at a 12V replacement motor? Many of the old style fan motors were atached to a bracket with the same screws that held the motor together and since most car makers didn't make their own motors for things like this the motors were pretty much universal between brands of cars. So if this was mine I would just look at some of the places that sell old car replacement parts.

A lot of times the cars from that era used of brand heaters/defrosters too, since a heater was a dealer add on not something that came from the factory. Names like SouthWind come to my mind, but there were many more.
Thanks shortbus, I have looked into a replacement motor but they all seem to be in America. When looking at the cost of the motor you then have to add shipping cost. That means a £60-70 expense. I find that expense hard to justify when the car is not a daily driver. Surly there must be an inexpensive way to hook up a 6vdc fan motor to 12vdc. I believe the motor is field would and when running it on 12vdc it draws 0.24 amps with fan attached. I have a 12V to 6V DC-DC 3 amp Converter Step Down Module Power Supply Volt Regulator running my fuel gauge. Could I not use this?
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I believe the motor is field would and when running it on 12vdc it draws 0.24 amps with fan attached. I have a 12V to 6V DC-DC 3 amp Converter Step Down Module Power Supply Volt Regulator running my fuel gauge. Could I not use this?
Only 3 W? Why not just let it run on 12 V? Does it get hot? ( I suspect not.)
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
Only 3 W? Why not just let it run on 12 V? Does it get hot? ( I suspect not.)
That is what I suggested, it is quite low and I would bet it is not much more than ran on 6v.
The light load of the fan is in its favour.
The main difference in current is going to be from the shunt field value, that is, if it is a wound field motor.
It was common in DC spindles to lower the shunt field voltage in order to get a higher RPM when needed.
Max.,
 

shortbus

Joined Sep 30, 2009
10,045
I find that expense hard to justify when the car is not a daily driver.
Back in the day when I was building and messing with old cars, stuff like motors I just used the 12V, the gas gauge is different because it has a built in regulator that supplies the other guages with a gteady voltage. For that I used one of those round resistance voltage droppers, like this -

1603228603043.png

Motors really aren't all that fussy about voltage, especially when you have a fan that is constantly pulling air over it as it runs.
 

DNA Robotics

Joined Jun 13, 2014
647
Do you remember the vacuum operated windshield wipers from the early 1950’s? I was told that was because the generators at the time didn’t have enough power to operate headlights and a wiper motor at the same time. They may have chosen that fan motor to use no more power than absolutely necessary.
Have you upgraded to an alternator or are you still using that era generator?
 

Thread Starter

Steve_R

Joined Oct 18, 2020
17
Do you remember the vacuum operated windshield wipers from the early 1950’s? I was told that was because the generators at the time didn’t have enough power to operate headlights and a wiper motor at the same time. They may have chosen that fan motor to use no more power than absolutely necessary.
Have you upgraded to an alternator or are you still using that era generator?
That's very interesting. My car came with vacuum wipers, but the car has been converted to 12vdc Alternator. I now have electronic ignition, fuel pump and wipers. You do get some heat from the engine but on real cold days it would be nice to have that extra heat. Also this car came with defrosters so the fan is important.
 

shortbus

Joined Sep 30, 2009
10,045
Not knowing much, very little in fact about British cars from the era that 12V systems came into use, this may be a dumb question. But have you looked at the fan motors they used? Many times just making a new and different mounting bracket is all that's needed when doing hot rod type stuff.

But like I said in my earlier post I just used fan motors that were 6V when converting to 12V. There is a theoretical point of view that says it won't work. But theoretical doesn't always agree with practical. And many times practical actually works.
 

shortbus

Joined Sep 30, 2009
10,045
I thought he said it's a '37 Plymouth?
But he also said buying from the US was a deal braker. So looking for something from where he lives and adapting it seems logical to me, but then again I'm just an old hot rodder. I owned many years ago a 1958 Ford Escort, made in England so had to adapt many American things to it.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
I thought he said it's a '37 Plymouth?
From the photo's it shows it is LH drive, British would be RH, unless it was one of the US manufacturers products based in England at the time,
BTW my first car (Ford) in the UK was 6v vacuum wipers, it was done purely for low cost alternative, this was the cheapest, most basic car in the UK at that time.
NO it was not a model T ! o_O
Max.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
I keep well lubed with home brewing!
I did get a main pump overhaul 14yrs ago.
BTW my second car I used on a daily basis was a 1937 Rover.
I was doing work at MG factory when the first MGA came off the line.
Max.
 
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