> My experience with gas or diesel heaters has not been good. They were
> always giving trouble.

My experience has been other....  Well, only with
gas, no diesel.

I had a surplus (6V) gas heater in my '61.  Then
in my '67, I had a SW (South Wind) gas heater--
sold by Sears and others for VW in those days.
I have a BA6 in my '81 Vanagon.  They have all
worked for my without problems.  In my '81, after
20 years, I had to replace one of the motors--the
one with the points on it.  Otherwise, it has
performed for uncounted hours in the Colorado
winters, going skiing, etc.

The army surplus 6V heater that we put in my '61 was
20,000 BTU.  It would melt the ice and snow off the
windows in 5-10 mintues.  I never had to scrape.
I used to joke that you could cook a chicken in
front of the outlet....

                        Richard A Jones
                        Boulder, Colorado