heater assembly:
use an assembly from a different vehicle!
scout around salvage yards and see what might work!
i think the best candidate would be from early 70's volvo 142/144
rather hard to find perhaps, but MINISCULE in size/weight!!!!
as for harnesses/belts...
YES use proper competition harnesses when on track, but DON'T use them on the street!!
most arent DOT approved and should u have an incident, the insurance co. can say your injuries were caused by the belts and deny coverage!!
instead, install stock subaru belts! they are cheap at a salvage yard and BOLT RIGHT INTO an svx!!
the one caveat is that depending on which model/year belts you install, the reel assembly may need to be rather vertically oriented (90 deg to the ground)
there is a check-ball inside that will lock the belt (or NOT lock the belt) when u least want it to!!
my belts are out of a 1990 legacy wagon and work fine, mine have the check-ball so i had to do a bit of neanderthal engineering to the area where it bolts in so that it stands vertically...
total weight is probably 3 -4 pounds/belt assembly...small price for comfort, convenience and legality.
oh yes, they "click" properly into the stock svx buckle too !!
i DO have a question though...
i just yanked the a/c out of my car...
if a person "split" the condenser, could you not use 1/2 of it for an oil cooler and the other 1/2 for a trans cooler?(4eat trans of course...)
it saves the weight of adding cooler(s) and its right out front in the air-flow...
seems like a clever idea....but am i missing something?
obviously, the condenser would have to be properly cleaned/flushed out first...
but can it stand the pressures involved...?
just what psi does an a/c condenser face in normal use anyway....?
i figure if a trans cooler's line can be rubber with HOSE CLAMPS...then the line pressure is moderate at best...
but what about engine oil?...if a sandwich plate is used at the oil filter, does that mean a cooler is facing full oil pressure?
just wondering...sorry for rambling on....