Date:         Tue, 25 Jul 1995 16:19:00 -0300
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         smitht@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca (Tim Smith)
Subject:      Re: Reenforced...Heater Tubes!

At 01:44 PM 7/25/95 CDT, Rusty VanBondo wrote:
>>On Tue, 25 Jul 1995, Mike White wrote:
>>
>>> > 1)  How do I replace it--a competent local welder?
>>> > 2)  What about the "insulating" sleeve and the tube to the rear heater?
>>> > 3)  Is there a kit?
>>> 
>Suggestions so far:
>*PVC pipe!  
>*Driveline from an old Ford from a junk yard
>   welded into place.
>*Old stove pipe painted grey (whatever).
>

and another choice....  I used 3" or 4" diameter (I forget OK?) aluminium 
clothes dryer vent pipe. It was pretty much a perfect fit, buy 2 4' lengths 
and stuff as much as you need up into each of the cross members that carry 
the tube. Cut off excess etc. Use a couple of aluminium pop-rivets to really 
hold the two sections together. Apply copious gobs of muffler cement to any 
gaps/airleaks. Wrap the whole thing with plastic backed waterline insulation 
tape, about 3" wide with 1/4" fibreglass insul stuck to one side. Then duct 
tape the whole thing (not too tightly!), for that professional look, and to 
seal the pipewrap from water. Hang it from the underside with a bent 
coathanger piece. Add the underside panel everyone wants soooo badly. This 
lasted for 3 years, until I sold the '71. Mebbe longer, and in very salty 
winter weather. Very good heat flow. <$10 total.
   tim s.