Heat box register differences

[rixter]

I was wondering if anyone can shed some light on the various ways the heat gets distributed into the foot wells. On my Alpine series 5 (early), the bottom of the heater box has a rectangular opening and it just dumps into the car on top of the tunnel. I compared to another series 5 owner who has the "diverter" piece on the bottom that intercepts about 40% of the air flow and channels about 60% of the air stream to the driver foot well and the other 40% to the passenger foot well. On my series 3, it uses the heat box without the extra diverter, but implements a diverter that is mounted on the tunnel. It looks like 100% of the air flow hits this diverter and divides into a 50-50 channeling of air to the driver and passenger foot wells.

So I am wondering when they made these changes and the thinking that went along with it. I have a box of random parts from a Tiger/Alpine collection that has two of the type with the diverter built into the bottom of the heater box, so I assumed they were Tiger specific because they differed from my Alpine. But as I stated above, I compared to another Alpine 5 owner with a production date later than my series 5 and he has the diverter piece. Does my series 5 have a heater box from an earlier model or might I be missing the diverter that mounts on the tunnel?

The further mystery is why when they decided to incorporate the diverter to the bottom of the box that there was not an equal distribution of air flow to each foot well. I haven't told my wife about this. She might have something to say about less heat going to her side and she doesn't drive stick. Also, was there a different heater box for right hand drive?

Rick

Photos:
1) heater box with built in diverter (used on Tigers and later series 5?)
2) series 3 and my series 5 heater box without diverter
3) series 3 diverter mounted on tunnel
4) series 3 heat box with diverter orientation

 

[sunalp]

Hi Rick,
No idea what happened when, could have been what was available on the line that week.
My Series V, also early, has the same box, but also has the diverter that mounts to the tunnel.

Always amazed at the differences in these cars!
Cheers!
Steve

 

[rixter]

Steve,

What VIN is your V? Do you have the old style brake and clutch pedal pads or the oblong later ones?

I'd be interested in knowing if ANYONE else has a series V with neither the diverter built in nor has the diverter on the tunnel.

I'd also be interested in knowing anyone who has a series 1 or 2 and what they have.

Thanks

Rick

 

[sunalp]

Rick,
My car is #948 and it has the old style pedals.
Steve

 

[absunbeam]

Rick-This set is out of a S1 Alpine.

 

[rixter]

Rick-This set is out of a S1 Alpine.View attachment 22341

Al,

But what does the heater box look like on that car?

Thanks

Rick

 

[rixter]

Rick,
My car is #948 and it has the old style pedals.
Steve

Steve,

So we are building a case for the following:
1) They used the separate diverter on the tunnel at least for series 3 through series 4 and into early series 5.
2) They went to the built in diverter for series 5 later and likely for the Tiger as well.
2) My car had the carpets replaced at least once by previous owners, so they may have yanked out that diverter to put the carpet in and didn't replace it.

Will have to see what series 1 & 2 & 4 say.

Thanks

Rick

 

[alpine_64]

The early series cars have the diverter that mounts to the tunnel, the reason the heater splitter angle widet to the left hand side is the blower motor without a deflector basically sends most of the heat into the right footwell and onto the top of the tunnel. The diverter ensures air directs to the lwft side footwell too

The tiger has a different piece as the tunnel is a different shape.

 

[rixter]

Aha! You hit on it and the reason why is that the heater box along with the heater core are not in the center of the vehicle. The cutout for the heater box is right of the center of the tunnel. The photo of my series 3 clearly shows this. Somehow I just didn't notice this was the case. So this is why the early series with the diverter has the diverter with the non-symmetrical shape as it has to straddle the tunnel but "lean" to the right to get to the center of the heater box output.

So then I just had to solve a mystery as to why my early series 5 didn't have either diverter type. One suspicion was that a previous owner may have not re-installed the tunnel mounted diverter after putting in carpets. So I rolled back the carpet and sure enough, the two screw holes for a tunnel mounted diverter were there.

Interesting.

Rick

 

[absunbeam]

Al,

But what does the heater box look like on that car?

Thanks

Rick

Sorry for getting off the subject on that one, looked for the box, no luck, must not have made the keep pile.

Al