Date:         Thu, 29 Jun 2006 15:52:56 -0500
Reply-To:     vw.bus@MAC.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Warren Lail <vw.bus@MAC.COM>
Subject:      got cool air to the front!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Cool air delivered!  I went to Ace Hardware, purchased two 8 foot sections of 1" gray pipe insulation, removed the vent located at each edge of the AC outlet, plugged in the insulation and whoomp, there it was - cool air piped directly to the front.

I ran the insulation tubes along the edges of the camper - one above the sink-cabinet area and one above the passenger door.  They are zip-tied in place and terminate just above each front seat, slightly in front of the driver and passenger.

Next, I took a couple of vacuum cleaner "business end" pieces - you know, those that flare out from the hose to a width of about 6 inches - and pushed them into the insulation.  This allowed me to direct the air flow down into my lap and, more importantly, into the lap of my SO.

This is not a particularly bad looking solution because the pipe insulation is gray.  And I don't have to remove anything when I pop the top.  The tubes are out of the way and beneath all of that.  In addition, the insulation is extremely lightweight.

In case you're wondering why I'm so concerned about air conditioning these days, I'm leaving for a 3500 mile trip from Oklahoma to North Carolina to Alabama, back to Oklahoma, and then on to Colorado Springs.  Now I've driven VW buses for many years without air conditioning and have managed just fine.   However, I will be accompanied on this trip by my future bride who, apparently like many people, believes that air conditioning is simply a requirement of life.  So air conditioning it is!

Warren L.
88 Westy 2.2 "Billy Bones"

p.s.  total cost of the project: about $18 ($12 for the two shop-vac ends, $4 for the two lengths of insulation, plus a little tax)