I'm deep into heater box re-hab  (86 non AC van) and I'm wondering why VW has a feed to the vents in the bottom of the front doors?

Turns out that cross beam that provides that feed from the heater box is a mouse condo (as was the heater box and the intake space behind the heater box).

One side had foam blocking it off on the driver side - was this factory?  If so, why would they do that on one side?  If appeared to be shaped perfectly to fit inside this cross beam.  You might be able to see it, poking in from the driver's side where the power mirror wiring enters below the dash - that is any other VW had this.

I'm thinking of blocking this off permanently to reduce yet another point of mouse entry.  I am so sick of mice!

John