Heater channel replacement
Heater channel replacement
Does anyone have any tips on this or if there is an online guide anywhere?
i can`t really take the body off the pan as i don`t have the room or facility!
any help, much appreciated,
thanks,
mike
i can`t really take the body off the pan as i don`t have the room or facility!
any help, much appreciated,
thanks,
mike
There's no guides as such (that I know of anyway), but it is quite straight forward presuming you have panels to do it (and if you have, you are very lucky).
Just bare in mind there is one extra panel in the sill section compared to a beetle, and a lot of people seem to forget it. It is the panel that forms the whole car side, which is sandwiched between the inner and outer sills - without it most of the strength in this section is lost.
I have a diagram that shows what I mean, if you email me on mdempster@barhondaf1.com I'll send you it.
Mike.
Just bare in mind there is one extra panel in the sill section compared to a beetle, and a lot of people seem to forget it. It is the panel that forms the whole car side, which is sandwiched between the inner and outer sills - without it most of the strength in this section is lost.
I have a diagram that shows what I mean, if you email me on mdempster@barhondaf1.com I'll send you it.
Mike.
its been a while since i posted this, but thought i`d put up an update of what i`ve been up to -
http://www.vwtype3.co.uk/heaterChannels.php
i only really started just before xmas, but i`m getting there!
cheers,
mike
http://www.vwtype3.co.uk/heaterChannels.php
i only really started just before xmas, but i`m getting there!
cheers,
mike
Sill and heater channel rust
Well, I've seen some worse and some in better condition, but that's pretty major surgery, and tidy welding too - well done!
While the under seat area is usually pretty obvious, what can be hidden is the rust that develops where water gets in under the rear inner wing at the front end, runs round behind the underseal and enters the heter channel where it remins unseen until it's eaten it away. Certainly looks like that on the RHS.
The front inner wing on later ones ('68 on?) has reinforcement which causes the inner wing to rust along the spot welds. You can fabricate repair sections with all the swaged parts from the forward part of a scrap inner wing opposite side. Details in the Club Technical Manual.
While the under seat area is usually pretty obvious, what can be hidden is the rust that develops where water gets in under the rear inner wing at the front end, runs round behind the underseal and enters the heter channel where it remins unseen until it's eaten it away. Certainly looks like that on the RHS.
The front inner wing on later ones ('68 on?) has reinforcement which causes the inner wing to rust along the spot welds. You can fabricate repair sections with all the swaged parts from the forward part of a scrap inner wing opposite side. Details in the Club Technical Manual.
- Angelo Amato
- Posts: 337
- Joined: 25th January 2005 - 12:54pm
- Location: Wirral
photos
got lots of photos of my job on my fasty.
I had FULL inner sills made (top hat shape in section)
Made from 1mm thick galv steel - awesome
drill holes and fitted bug wing captive nuts
can post pics or e-mail
NOTE - i may be able to get some inner sills made up at a resonable price.
they will be just the bare metal shape and you'd have to buy the captives for them but they worked a treat on mine.
Angelo
I had FULL inner sills made (top hat shape in section)
Made from 1mm thick galv steel - awesome
drill holes and fitted bug wing captive nuts
can post pics or e-mail
NOTE - i may be able to get some inner sills made up at a resonable price.
they will be just the bare metal shape and you'd have to buy the captives for them but they worked a treat on mine.
Angelo
- Angelo Amato
- Posts: 337
- Joined: 25th January 2005 - 12:54pm
- Location: Wirral
Shiny new inner sills
Oh the light hurts my eyes - where's that welding mask so I can see the new panels clearly!
I've had lots of fun welding (well, trying to weld) galvanised. That hot-dipped is hard to do, particularly if you get it near rust, as it does a mini-thermite process and tends to melt a lump off! (iron oxide + zinc = zinc oxide + iron + lots of heat).
No problem to clean off a small area, as the rest of the zinc coating will continue to protect any bare steel that develops. You also need to rough it up a bit to get primer on it, or better still use a primer for galvanised metal.
I've had lots of fun welding (well, trying to weld) galvanised. That hot-dipped is hard to do, particularly if you get it near rust, as it does a mini-thermite process and tends to melt a lump off! (iron oxide + zinc = zinc oxide + iron + lots of heat).
No problem to clean off a small area, as the rest of the zinc coating will continue to protect any bare steel that develops. You also need to rough it up a bit to get primer on it, or better still use a primer for galvanised metal.
Re: Sill and heater channel rust
The LHS doesn`t look as bad as the right hand side (although wait until i get that wire brush grinder on it and the seam sealer removed!)Editor wrote: Certainly looks like that on the RHS.
I`ve hopefully sourced an inner strengthener too and i already have the outer sill piece ready.
I`ll put some more pics up as i go along - i`m going to try and get the new heater channel bottom piece in place and fitted one night this week and then start to weld that in this wkend. i can`t wait until this is done because then i`ll have good clean metal edges to weld to!
i`ve also got to get a length of exhaust pipe to to repair the end of the heater pipe that passes through the channel.
- Angelo Amato
- Posts: 337
- Joined: 25th January 2005 - 12:54pm
- Location: Wirral
galvo
YES dave, I learned the hard way too.
just a couple of moments grinding off the coating where you need to weld make a hell of a difference. this pics were taken very early on, learnt alot since.
Other reason was all the metal i could get was galv' so i wasn't going to argue, just think how nice INSIDE my sills must look !
just a couple of moments grinding off the coating where you need to weld make a hell of a difference. this pics were taken very early on, learnt alot since.
Other reason was all the metal i could get was galv' so i wasn't going to argue, just think how nice INSIDE my sills must look !
Mike,
Looks like you're doing very well on your own. If you get stuck, or need a tip or two, you could try Alex Taylor, Defcon 3, Poole. Not too far from you. He did an excellent job doing the same areas on our fasty. http://vw1600e.org.uk/car/Rear/. Friendly & helpful chap. Contact details should be in the services section of this site.
Looks like you're doing very well on your own. If you get stuck, or need a tip or two, you could try Alex Taylor, Defcon 3, Poole. Not too far from you. He did an excellent job doing the same areas on our fasty. http://vw1600e.org.uk/car/Rear/. Friendly & helpful chap. Contact details should be in the services section of this site.
that looks like some great work they`ve carried out there - if mine is anywhere as agood as that when i`m finished, i`ll be well pleased!
i`ve fitted the bottom of the heater channel in this past week and i should be starting to weld that in this sunday. i`ve also got a donor floor pan half from another car. This is the part i`m most enjoying - fitting new panels in!
i`ve fitted the bottom of the heater channel in this past week and i should be starting to weld that in this sunday. i`ve also got a donor floor pan half from another car. This is the part i`m most enjoying - fitting new panels in!
an update - i`ve fitted the heater channel bottom and fabricated a new heater pipe using the end of the old one.
I`ve also fitted the new floor in, but haven`t welded it in yet.
I`m waiting for an inner strengthener panel to arrive, then i can weld this and the outer on and nearly done!
http://www.vwtype3.co.uk/heaterChannels.php
I`ve also fitted the new floor in, but haven`t welded it in yet.
I`m waiting for an inner strengthener panel to arrive, then i can weld this and the outer on and nearly done!
http://www.vwtype3.co.uk/heaterChannels.php
- Rusty nuts
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 8th February 2006 - 9:54pm
- Location: Midlands
Love the standard of work in the pictures. I'm cheating this year (mines got major rot ) putting steel over the rear quarter pans/arches, and bypass the rotten heater channels for now, just to blow heat into rear footwell.
PS This site kicks posterior, been waiting for someting like this for a while for us UK T3 and 4 owners. Excellent
PS This site kicks posterior, been waiting for someting like this for a while for us UK T3 and 4 owners. Excellent
'71 Variant - '88 Caddy - '95 Variant (golf)
The site
Yes, it seems to run itself, which suits me.
I must use some of the posts as the nucleus for the next Autumn/Winter/Spring issue club mag. Shame on me!
I must use some of the posts as the nucleus for the next Autumn/Winter/Spring issue club mag. Shame on me!
site updated - i`ve got the inner strengther and outer sill welded in place and a couple of other repairs sorted.
http://www.vwtype3.co.uk/heaterChannels.php
sorry for the amount of photos on 1 page - i`ll split it up when i get the chance.
mike
http://www.vwtype3.co.uk/heaterChannels.php
sorry for the amount of photos on 1 page - i`ll split it up when i get the chance.
mike
paul at t3d managed to source one for me - i think he knows some one with stock left over from the 80`s. The fit from it was excellent.miketyp3 wrote:Looking good Mike.
Where did you find the inner stenthening panel
Wouldn't mind getting a pair of those...
Mike.
be prepared to pay though - i think mine cost about £85ish, but then i keep justifying it to myself as i`m doing the work myself!
i`ll probably need one for the other side when i get round to it.
Nice work! Especially getting the heater tube done properly.
I've just finished the same job on my squareback; both sides on my car were completely rotten, inner, outer and middle! I managed to get a pair of complete secondhand heater channels from the US. The parts were cheap, but the shipping wasn't however it still cost about the same as getting panels over here
Rather more fiddly job than beetle heater channels! But now I have a nice solid car again.
I've just finished the same job on my squareback; both sides on my car were completely rotten, inner, outer and middle! I managed to get a pair of complete secondhand heater channels from the US. The parts were cheap, but the shipping wasn't however it still cost about the same as getting panels over here
Rather more fiddly job than beetle heater channels! But now I have a nice solid car again.
I found a hole in the front of my pan over the weekend and on closer inspection it looks as though I'm going to need to redo the rocker as well as it was badly done by the PO. I've patched it up for now and will takle it after summer shows are over.
I have been quite lucky as I managed to get these off ebay this morning:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :B:SS:UK:1
...and I thought it would be hard to find these Where is the best place to get the other parts: Inners, heater channels and floor pan front?
Cheers,
Will
I have been quite lucky as I managed to get these off ebay this morning:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :B:SS:UK:1
...and I thought it would be hard to find these Where is the best place to get the other parts: Inners, heater channels and floor pan front?
Cheers,
Will
you lucky lucky b****d!!
i`ve finished the passenger side now and having looked at the drivers side, i`ve decided to do this aswell. i got a new outer rocker and heater channel bottom at the wkend.
i` ve also got the front bumper mount and just under the bulkhead where the wing means the body under the front windscreen. The floor area, i`ve finished reapiring on this side - i couldn`t find a type 3 donor panel and couldn`t afford other places, so i bought a beetle floor side, cut it in two and then welded it back together so it was as wide as a type 3 floorpan side - i `ve welded this in as a large repair section and with all the `rib pattern` matching, it looks fine.
the inner strengthener piece i got from type 3 detectives, but this time i`m gogin to try and repair the one that there already. it was a really good fit though the one i got for the passeneger side.
the heater pipe - i bought a length of exhaust pipe, then welded the curved end of the old one onto this.
i`ll post some more photos up soon when i get the car out of the garage and in the light.
mike
i`ve finished the passenger side now and having looked at the drivers side, i`ve decided to do this aswell. i got a new outer rocker and heater channel bottom at the wkend.
i` ve also got the front bumper mount and just under the bulkhead where the wing means the body under the front windscreen. The floor area, i`ve finished reapiring on this side - i couldn`t find a type 3 donor panel and couldn`t afford other places, so i bought a beetle floor side, cut it in two and then welded it back together so it was as wide as a type 3 floorpan side - i `ve welded this in as a large repair section and with all the `rib pattern` matching, it looks fine.
the inner strengthener piece i got from type 3 detectives, but this time i`m gogin to try and repair the one that there already. it was a really good fit though the one i got for the passeneger side.
the heater pipe - i bought a length of exhaust pipe, then welded the curved end of the old one onto this.
i`ll post some more photos up soon when i get the car out of the garage and in the light.
mike