Any relatively small heat source in a Vanagon will be nullified by the heat
loss through the extensive glass area. Project number 1 should be to
insulate the glass area with a product such as Reflectix. This will make a
very noticeable difference even without hot rocks, lanterns or whatever.
Peruse the archives for a more extensive discussion on Reflectix. It's a
cheap and easy solution to heat loss through exposed glass. Works to keep
the interior temperatures down in hot sunny conditions as well.

MM

PS Seems that a good 30% of the messages on the list are about keeping cool
or staying warm (depending on where you live).

At 01:46 PM 6/23/98 -0700, Mark Hineline wrote:
>Thanks to Sean and Craig for the rock-in-the-fire idea. However, I am
>writing from the Southwestern part of the country where fires are often a
>big, big, no-no.
>
>If the salt has the same properties as a rock, then you could throw the
>rock on the stove and warm it up, right? Seems like the salt has a
>property that the rock doesn't, which is that it diffuses heat throughout
>its mass rather quickly -- which is why it is used in those space
>heaters. No?
>
>(I've done the rock in the fire -- been doing it for over forty years.)
>
>Mark Hineline
>