Volks,

I first learned that you could use the heater as a way to provide extra
cooling when reading Sports Illustrated back in the late 60's (I think
this is right).  It was a story about the heavyweight fighter George
Chuvalo (spelling?) - who I think was Canadian.  There was an part
describing his early fighting career when he and his wife would drive
alone to some of his fights.  Their car was overheating en route to a
fight and even though it was summer they turned own the heater and it
would cool off some.  The heater control wasn't working
and his wife had to crouch down on the floor by the front seat and hold
it full on position to get max hot air out of the heater to keep the car
cool enough to continue driving.  They made it to the fight on time.
Don't remember if he won the fight or not.  But that always stuck with
me and I have used it in the past a time or two also.  (Not the
crouching on the floorboard part, although that made me know that the
cable can come loose from the control and that you should check that out
if the heater isn't giving heat or can't be turned off.)

When I used this "trick," the van was getting very hot when I was stuck
in either a freeway or downtown traffic jam and there was no moving air
and it was hot outside.  Even when the windows are open, the van can get
very hot in a short time with two heaters putting out air.

Sam Walters
84 Vanagon, orig. owner
89 Syncro, new to me 12/00, new VC, like a new drive