On 3/13/07, Roger Sisler <rogersisler2000@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I took an early heater box apart and it had the little clips + glue. The
> glue is not too great. A daub here and a daub there.Maybe it is melted
> plastic by a heat iorn to help glue it together.Dont remember exactly.This
> was an 81 diesel box.I put a new blower inside. Later boxes seem to have
> deleted the glue.They all come right apart when the clips are removed.
> Parts will not interchange from early and late heater boxes,mostly.
>

Thanks Roger.

Yah late last night, I was editing video I made of removing housing
from van, and breaking housing open. Had grey sh** holding it
together. Not fun.

Fair warning to others: adhesive holding box together will cost you
extra time. To open, I had to "cut" and recut with knife and pry pry
pry. Plus had o clean GS out. I plan on sealing box on OUTSIDE! with
100% silicone. That should be more than enough for sealing and will
allow easier repair next time for me or next guy/gal. It'll all be in
the video.

And FWIW, it appears that a heater core will fit in *some* AC flap
housings. On mine, (maufactured 4/81) there is a boss you can cut out
for heater core nipples to poke through. Am pretty sure one would need
to add foam to take up slack in fitamant (sp?) between housing and
heater core.

Thanks to Brady at Bostig for help in that regard!

Converting to water cooled is more work, but soon I hope to have the
rebuilt flap housing, w/new (after market :(  fan, heater core, and
foam on flaps, installed soon. I hope to put rad in soon too. Of
course while dash is open, am considering redoing clutch/brake pedal
bushings.... and, and, and, ......... Ack!

And again FWIW, any novic "air head" that wants to convert, simply
going to look at an actual water cooled van at wrecker, wherever,
really helps one to understand what's needed. Really provides a good
mental image........

...... ironically these are mental images keep me from getting to
sleep at night!

--
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia.

http://web.mac.com/tubaneil