Whoooooppeeeee!
     
     I just got my van 'Govinda' outta the body shop.  6 1/2 weeks and 
     $7,000 later my insurance company felt compelled to decline to renew 
     my policy. 
     
     Bastards!
     
     Anyway, I have a van with a new rear end and front bumper!  Looks 
     great!
     
     But there is a caveat.
     
     My right rear bumper/hatch/quarter panel was crushed.  There used to 
     be an air intake plastic pipe that connected to the air filter 
     assembly.  As I recall, it was a rectangular piece that dropped down 
     from inside the body panel that connected to a round, flexible piece 
     at the filter.  Before I had it fixed this rectangular piece was 
     crushed and restricted air flow, so I pulled it off and let the air 
     filter get air from the engine compartment.  They did not replace this 
     piece.
     
     Here are my questions:
     
     1)  In a '87 Vanagon GL Westy, how does the air intake system work?  
     2)  What parts should be there?
     3)  Should this be a part of the metal panel that was                  
         replaced/repaired?
     4)  Is the engine designed such that it needs additional pressure from 
         air intake ducts funneled directly into the air filter assembly    
         through a control volume (kind of like a supercharger/turbo        
         charger compresses air intake)?
     5)  Is it okay just to buy an additional length of the flexible        
         plastic hose and run it up to the fresh air intake at the body     
         panel to get cool air?
     6)  If I need that rectangular plastic piece, could someone with the   
         fiche look up the part number for me?
     
     Thank you greatly in advance.
     
     'Greg and Govinda
     
     Back on the road, thummin' no mo'