Modifying early beetle to fit later model heater boxes and why - photos added of required mod!

Camo Custom Title Time!

1,936 posts · joined Oct 2007 · 6 Mar 2009, 5:13 pm

#698949

I have been told by an experienced VeeDubber on this site that to fit heater boxes in my 61 Beetle I need to make the following modifications -

"the top on one side of the heater box has to come off to clear the rear fire wall and a section on inner guard near bumper support also has to be remove to clearance for the rocker cover"

Does anyone have a photo of these mods and can someone explain why these mods are needed, considering the car came out with a heater ?????

Signed, Confused. (Kev)

I thought rebuilding a VW would be cheap - Shit I was wrong, just don't let the wife know !!!!

Click here for my (slowy) modded 1961 Beetle build.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 6 Mar 2009, 8:29 pm

#698986

Camo wrote:I have been told by an experienced VeeDubber on this site that to fit heater boxes in my 61 Beetle I need to make the following modifications -

"the top on one side of the heater box has to come off to clear the rear fire wall and a section on inner guard near bumper support also has to be remove to clearance for the rocker cover"

Does anyone have a photo of these mods and can someone explain why these mods are needed, considering the car came out with a heater ?????

Signed, Confused. (Kev)

Hi Kev
the early beetles had a different heater to modern late 60s> beetles...
the hot air coming from the cylinders downwards and out the back... similar to late models...
but when You wanted the heater on...
there were flaps on both sides that closed up and the hot air from the engine was forced into the car....
these were called stale air heaters , as the air had been thru the cylinders and heads...

the new heaters use Heater boxes that get hot from the exhaust pipes and the air that is pushed into the car is fresh air... it hasn't been thru the engine....

I can send you some pics if you want...

those early heaters worked OK... for many years...

Most cars these days do have the later model engines with the heater boxes, or many don't have heater boxes and don't have a heater...

LEE

i

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Camo Custom Title Time!

1,936 posts · joined Oct 2007 · 6 Mar 2009, 9:08 pm

#698997

Lee,

Not sure 100% so photos would be good. The engine in my car is either a 1500 or 1600 dual relief case with single port heads and J pipes. The outlets from the fan housing were blocked off (see photo 2) but I now have two heater boxes I wanted to fit. I have added photos of my engine bolted in place and also once removed so see if this helps you to help me.

What I am after is the modification required to fit later heater boxes. I have an offer to go and see vw54 car and see how its done, so that's probably my best option.

Thanks again, Kevin

I thought rebuilding a VW would be cheap - Shit I was wrong, just don't let the wife know !!!!

Click here for my (slowy) modded 1961 Beetle build.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 6 Mar 2009, 11:53 pm

#699015

Hi Kevin

I have answered Your PM...

You already have a Vacuum distributor...
hopefully its also mechanical... SVDA

those round things under the tinware where the hoses go
are called hot spots... some people cut them off...?
they just add extra heat to the system..

Many people run 1600 engines in their early cars , but thats probably the reason they don't use heaters...??
but I have never heard of those modifications before...
I see Your engine has the heater hoses and the outlets..
so, all you need is the heater boxes...

I ran J pipes until I got My car registered, and found they made lots of things much easier to do... the heater boxes can make things a lot harder... My auto beetle has things to adjust on the RHS above the heaterbox... Yikes..
I have found at times that I had to remove the heaterbox to be able to get at things... something I didn't want to do..

Lee

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- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 7 Mar 2009, 9:07 am

#699035

Kev, i think someones been feeding u porkies
plently or early stale air cars around that are running later engines with fresh air heaters
ive never seen any with body mods

only mod ive ever encountered is 1200 bugs have the engine bays cut at the sides to fit bigger engines

that engine of yours is all early tinware but someones fitted a latemodel breast plate which is why theres huge mis match gaps around the crank pulley

pod i`ve got to finish this thing one day

4,980 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 7 Mar 2009, 9:27 am

#699038

Kev my 61 had the heater boxes on the 1300 and it fit no probs 👍

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matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 7 Mar 2009, 9:31 am

#699039

Early bodies, but I'm not sure what year the cut off is but probably when the fresh air heater started, do need to have the body trimmed on the rh side of the foward breast plate in the area where the heater box outlet rises up, otherwise engine remove/refit is a royal pita. It is only a small cut out required and normally doesn't effect the car and the full foward seal is retained, it just bridges the now removed section. The amount of metal is only about the size of a playing card folded in half diagonally. As for near the tappet cover, I have never trimmed the car here as I feel it effects the strength in bumper suport too much, so just struggle with tappet cover r&r.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
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Camo Custom Title Time!

1,936 posts · joined Oct 2007 · 7 Mar 2009, 10:56 am

#699049

Thanks guys for the feedback. It sounds like it does need this modification and I've had an offer and going to have a close look at vw54's car tomorrow to see exactly whats required. If I need to do this mod, I need to do it before painting the car.

Thanks all, Kevin

I thought rebuilding a VW would be cheap - Shit I was wrong, just don't let the wife know !!!!

Click here for my (slowy) modded 1961 Beetle build.

Camo Custom Title Time!

1,936 posts · joined Oct 2007 · 8 Mar 2009, 1:07 pm

#699206

Well I visited vw54 today and have some photos (hope he doesn't mind) of the mods required. A few people have differing opinions on this, so be the judge yourself.

The first two photos I think are self explanatory and the 3rd photo shows the top edge of the heater box that has had a section shaved off and the hole welded up to make fitting the motor easier.

I hope this helps others, that may be in the same position.

Kevin

I thought rebuilding a VW would be cheap - Shit I was wrong, just don't let the wife know !!!!

Click here for my (slowy) modded 1961 Beetle build.