Box in Sumo heater

[Sumbers]

Quick question gents, do I need to box in mini heater on sides of dash panel on mark 3 Sumo for IVA. Read somewhere just in case hoses burst it protects driver. Is this required now ? John

[Grumbleweed]

Hi John,

I spoke with Mark at Pilgrim recently who stated they ‘box in’ the drivers side only for IVA. I was going to attempt to do both sides. Means a bit of fettling to get the warm air vents sorted.

[Bernie]

I used curved flexible MDF covered in carpet on both sides.

B

[PhilG66]

I boxed mine in on both sides - I made fibreglass panels with the radius on the dash provided by a mould taken off a bit of Gyproc coving. The panels were then covered in the foam backed leatherette plastic I used to cover the dash - looks dead good I think....

[KevinW]

Not sure if this i what you mean - made from some left over dash leather, sponge, piping and all stapled together at the back.
The left and right side panels closed off the heater, but I think the end of the water pipes into the engine bulkhead were visible if you looked hard. Examiner liked it, but that was at a 2009 SVA, not a 2021 IVA.

[Grumbleweed]

Very neat Kevin. How did you terminate the warm air ducts into the footwell?

[johnnyoz]

I have a RAM .The centre tunnel is so wide,that by the time the water gets to the edge it is cold.........

[KevinW]

Very neat Kevin. How did you terminate the warm air ducts into the footwell?

I took the view that for SVA I needed all the heat and cfm I could muster through the demist vents, cabin heat didn't matter, so I taped them up, and moved the mini heater slider control (hidden behind the dash, to the demist position). It never moved in the whole time i had the car.

[PhilG66]

I took the same approach - I think I also spot welded a plate onto the bottom of my heater to make sure all the warm air is routed to the demist vents. For IVA I felt it was less likely to be an issue without vents to the footwells. I also boxed my heater pipes from the bulkhead in, again using glass fibre.

[Sumbers]

Thanks for the replys guys, Kevin yours looks the dogs nuts, hope mine turns out as nice. Quite pleased with my new upholstery skills so far, now need to box in the sides. Wish me luck.