Date:         Fri, 7 Dec 2007 08:55:33 -0800
Reply-To:     Lee Peterson <iridewheelies@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Lee Peterson <iridewheelies@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: rear heater core in front, was: New thermostat funky?
Comments: To: Mark Tuovinen <mst@ak.net>
In-Reply-To:  <f6a1ba88137f.4756bad0@gci.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Mark wrote:

snip-------
"Step two of this project is to make a new air intake system that utilizes
recirculated cabin air.  To do this I chose to sacrifice the vents at each
end of the dash, the ones that previously supplied fresh air for the driver
and front passenger.  To do this I left their hoses to the heater box off
and made tubular(semi) inserts that fit inside the heater box where each
hose went.  The inserts do two things, they route the incoming air toward
the fan and hold the free floating flap that VW put into the passage in the
open position"    ------end snip

Mark, I was looking at my heater box last night.  I picked up a spare box to
rebuild in my garage so that when it came time to do the replacement my
vehicle would be disassembled for the shortest time possible.  I noticed
something that might help you out.  I have an '89 and the spare box I picked
up is also from a later van.  Sometime in the late 80's VW made a change in
the heater system so that the vents at each end of the dash push heated air,
not fresh air.  The top half of the heater box was changed so that the dash
vent air supply comes out of the box on the heated side.  The spot on the
unheated half of the box, where the dash vent hoses used to attach, is
blanked off or I guess I should say it was never drilled out.

What I am thinking is that you don't have to sacrifice your dash vents.  You
could find a later model heater box and hook up your dash vents to the
heated side, like on my 89, then open up the blanks on the bottom half.  Use
these for the recirculated air intake.

Sorry I don't have any pictures right now.  If you'd like, I can send you
some this evening after I get home from work.

BTW - I'll have an extra late model heater box after I do my swap.

Lee