Just how good is a round Smith's heater

[cliff]

Having sold my Minor convertible a while ago I now have an '51 MG and was thinking of installing an early round Smith's heater as the car doesn't have one originally.
Can a convertible owner tell me how efficient these little heaters are? I like to drive with the hood down and don't expect much heat in all honesty but what about with the hood up?
Of course the interior of a TD is probably a third of the size of a Minor.
Any thoughts welcome.
PS I miss my moggy ... ahh!

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Im not a convertible owner, but I have had a few with round heaters and they vary! My split screen traveller has a very poor heater, its good after about 30miles! The green 4 door also has the same heater and its really efficient and I can get heat within about 1 mile, it does have the cardboard cowling fitted which directs the heat either up or down.

[Trickydicky]

I am not a convertible owner but my 61 minor has a Smiths round heater.
The round heater can give a good heat output but the problem is in a minor during the cooler months, the size of the radiator and the inrush of air through the front grill never allows the water in the radiator to get up to temperature.
From what I have read, in a minor the key to getting a reasonable output from the heater was to fit a radiator blind during the winter to limit the cooling through the radiator.
In winter the temp gauge never shows the car getting up to a decent operating temperature. In the summer boy does it get warm in the car

[ASL642]

'63 convertible owner with round Smiths heater. Ours works so well we turn it off it's too hot! Make sure your radiator is fully flushed out and all the hoses are sound.

[cliff]

'63 convertible owner with round Smiths heater. Ours works so well we turn it off it's too hot! Make sure your radiator is fully flushed out and all the hoses are sound.

This is just the sort of reply I was hoping for, do you drive much with the hood down in the winter?

[ASL642]

No - but it's a new frame and it needs 2 people to make it go up/down - still v. stiff. The hood is mohair and although I was expecting it to be draughty it's not. We don't use it to go to work in though - the 2 dr does the trip into Birmingham each day.

[mike.perry]

Of equal concern is the demisting ability. My fug stirrer in the Series MM is adequate at keeping the screen clear with just the driver on board but any passengers are given the yellow duster with instructions to stop breathing and keep wiping! Of course I could always open the quarter light but that risks severe frostbite to the fingers.
I should be grateful for the heater as it was an optional extra and one was expected to wear a hat, gloves and overcoat

[jagnut66]

Hi,
My round Smiths heater works a treat, though it has to be said that it's effectiveness at screen clearance reduces with the outside temperature!
Mind you, I flushed my system out with the two part rad flush and it worked all the better for it.
I recently did the same to my MG and found that was much happier for a good flush through - I followed the instructions to the letter, even removing the thermostat to help with the back flushing.
Also for the flushing out I attached the hose to the hot tap and flushed it with hot water - including jamming the hose on the heater pipe and flushing the heater individually. Cleared it out a treat.
Then refilled with a good 50 / 50 mix of anti-freeze / water.
Best wishes,
Mike.

[cliff]

Hi Mike,
Good advice thanks, only my '51 MG doesn't have demisting vents, I can always open the windscreen if it gets to misty

[frame][/frame]

[jagnut66]

Nice car!
Just needs demisting vents to make it perfect!!

[cliff]

[cliff]

For the record my round Smiths heater is now installed and working very well indeed, it looks period and gets the interior toasty. I think Smiths made two sizes, both the same diameter but one is roughly 3ins deep and one nearly double that, mines the bigger one.[frame][/frame]

[dalebrignall]

mine has a round heater just open the quater lights when necassary it works fine just need to keep the system flushed

[Deux Chevaux]

I remember a trip from Worcester to Tamworth along the M5/M42 on a very cold winter's evening around 15 years ago. The convertible, being a 1961 model, had the round type Smith's heater. By the time I completed the journey I was a human icicle. I spent the evening drinking coffee at the pub just to defrost. I spent the night bouncing off my bedroom walls and ceiling.

[IaininTenbury]

I have a round heater in my '53 convertible which works pretty well. Hood is down most of the time when its used, even in winter, (otherwise whats the point of a convertible!) and it manages to stave of hyperthermia a treat! Seriously, its pretty good and the warmth coming past the legs works quite well combined with the fresh air of open top motoring. With the hood up it gets a bit stuffy so normally have quarterlights or door window open at least if its not raining too much...
Remember one transpennine trip in winter, and being reluctanct to stop and raise the hood when the snow started and keeping the speed up kept the snow going over the windscreen top. Had about an inch on the back seat when I got home. Fortunately no rear seat passengers on that journey...

[kjm]

I find the round Smiths heater in my 63 convertible good