>  They did have rotary controls, but they are surely cable-operated. VW
>  didn't have the idea (unlike BMW or Mercedes) that the ideal was to
>  fit needless unreliable Bosch electrics for every conceivable item
>  plus one.

Point taken. Seeing how our lever-based systems fared, I can't imagine
how well knob-driven cables would work after 20 years...

> > indicate they did away with the vents just forward of the D pillar in
> > order to make room for sliding windows back there. So where did they
> >
>  send the exiting cabin air?
>
>  The rear-pillar vents are in the normal place, though the vents
>  themselves are modified from the German originals. But these are
>  engine-compartment vents in all versions.

Note I said FORWARD of the D pillar, not IN the D pillar.

> The only cabin outlet vents
>  in T3s are those in the cab doors. I don't think you can say that T3s
>  had flowthrough ventilation

Perhaps the T3's you got were different, but here in North America and
over in Europe, from the 1988 model year onwards the T3 did away with
the cab door vent system and had flow through ventilation exiting out
the back, through two vents. The aft side windows between the C and D
pillars were reduced in length and a vertical plastic vent was
shoehorned in just forward of the D pillar. (see link)
<http://tinyurl.com/5n82qg>

--
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"
'90 Vanagon GL - "Wiesel"