Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Kelch heater, or similar to one?

Looks like there is a electrically driven blower motor on the can surrounding the exhaust manifold.

tomlaferriere.com/listings/1934-packard-1105-5-7-passenger-sedan/

Not quite the same layout as the unit in the 34 Packard accessory book but looks like the same principle.

Interesting that version seems to have not been concerned with blowing engine fumes into the passenger compartment. Hard to say if the accessory book version might be drawing from inside the vehicle but if not, at least it looks to be farther away from the engine. I would have thought there would have been another duct going somewhere to bring fresh air to the blower inlet rather than collect it from next to the engine.

It was bad enough in the later cars with their heater and fresh air vent intakes lined up to collect the exhaust stream from the car in front but guess drivers then were made of sterner stuff. In that car for sale photo it must have made for quite the experience if something leaked or someone carelessly dropped oil on the manifold. Of course, I guess it would not be too much worse than a horse doing its business in front of a buggy.

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That car has well over 29,000 miles on it. It wasn't uncommon for those cars to run over 8,000 miles per month when they were new. Just look at the engine. That car has a zillion miles on it.

Yes, thats a correct Kelch installation, my '34 1100 also has a Kelch and I've got many photographs of Kelch installations in Packards, Pierces, Cadillacs, etc; in a period of low-boiling alcohol antifreezes they were the premium heater, see my article on Kelch heaters in a back issue of The Packard Cormorant. The last Kelch installation I'm aware of is in a 1939 Packard Twelve. The heat exchanger tube assembly in Kelches was constructed of stainless steel or monel to eliminate exhaust gas leakage.