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Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:41 am

Hello Everyone,
I'm need original heater channels for my 53 and I'm looking to know what year the heater channels changed. The after market ones just don't fit properly and I really want to try to make them look original.
I have a line on some late 50's ones but don't know if they would fit properly or if they would have the right look. I know I would have to change the heater outlet hole a bit but I'm looking for overall fit and appearance. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Paul

Sat Oct 31, 2009 9:02 am

I have just chopped a pair of heater channels out of a 54 Oval.
Have just noticed they are different to the original ones in my Zwitter. They have a carpet retaining lip across the top which are not on the ones in the car.
My Zwitter is a de-luxe but has rubber mats which I presume are original factory fit as are VW part numbered.
Hope this helps, but good luck comes to mind !

Regards
Simon.

Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:14 pm

There's some 56 heater channels up for grabs in the classifieds

Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:11 am

i have the heater channels on my split in bad condition too. the right side is welded on the pan so it must be cut to be removed... :cry:
i did not attempt a repair in that area because it would have slowed me down and the car had to be done really fast before the summer end.
i am just asking... isn't any type of heater channel on the market good enough to provide the blank upper section, and the bottom plate to be bought from Wolfparts?

these might be a very nice solution to your problem, just open them up or just weld shut the original heater outlet and make a round one in the proper place.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=855040

if only i could buy them.. :oops:

Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:48 am

www.veteranen-service.de have complete pre-55 heaterchannels for sale too.

Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:05 am

Can someone give an opinion on www.veteranen-service.de Hard to tell without much on their website or ordering the catalog? Has someone purchased items from them before, are they nos, used or repro stuff?
thansk

Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:50 am

I have a pair of them. Not welded in them yet.

Also one friend of mine have used them. Seems to be correct all the way.
No heateroutlet or inlet holes in them. They are repros.

Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:32 pm

Hebster52 wrote: I have a pair of them. Not welded in them yet.

Also one friend of mine have used them. Seems to be correct all the way.
No heateroutlet or inlet holes in them. They are repros.

do they have a manufacturers label on them? IGP perhaps?

Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:21 pm

I cant remember. Been awhile since I bought them. Have to dig them out when I go there this weekend. (if I get the time as my wife threatened me that there will be some kind of 40y birthday party for me tomorrow...) :o

Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:50 am

The ones I got from VS few years ago were made by IGP.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:11 am

virtanen wrote: The ones I got from VS few years ago were made by IGP.

Are those the same ones CIP is selling as "econ" channels here?

Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:11 am

johnshenry wrote: virtanen wrote: The ones I got from VS few years ago were made by IGP.

Are those the same ones CIP is selling as "econ" channels here?

No. They sell the Zitto or something like that. Not even close. I think you got a set and as expected they were trash.

The only IGP's that I have found in the states are the ones that Wolfsburg West sells that have the louvers and holes cut for heat.

I have not seen the heaterless IGP's in person but from pictures and from what people who have bought them say they seem to be the best ones for an early car.

WW was not interested in importing the heaterless ones when I contacted them several years ago. They just recommened welding up the holes on the IGPs that they sell.

Now that they are selling those great quality floor pans, perhaps it is time to try to convince them to bring some of the heaterless IGPs in. I think they would sell well for early cars.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:14 am

splitjunkie wrote: johnshenry wrote: virtanen wrote: The ones I got from VS few years ago were made by IGP.

Are those the same ones CIP is selling as "econ" channels here?

No. They sell the Zitto or something like that. Not even close. I think you got a set and as expected they were trash.

The only IGP's that I have found in the states are the ones that Wolfsburg West sells that have the louvers and holes cut for heat.

I have not seen the heaterless IGP's in person but from pictures and from what people who have bought them say they seem to be the best ones for an early car.

WW was not interested in importing the heaterless ones when I contacted them several years ago. They just recommened welding up the holes on the IGPs that they sell.

Now that they are selling those great quality floor pans, perhaps it is time to try to convince them to bring some of the heaterless IGPs in. I think they would sell well for early cars.

Do the ones WW sells with the louvered vents have the ducts inside? If they are the same as the heaterless ones except for the louvers, that is an easy fix.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:17 pm

they have the louvers, the defrost pipe at the front and the oval cutout in the back for the heat pipe. Not exactly an easy fix to close up all of those holes and cut new ones. Doable, but knowing that there is a good quality one by the same brand but with no holes, makes it kind of frustrating that no one sells them here in the states.

Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:32 pm

splitjunkie wrote: they have the louvers, the defrost pipe at the front and the oval cutout in the back for the heat pipe. Not exactly an easy fix to close up all of those holes and cut new ones. Doable, but knowing that there is a good quality one by the same brand but with no holes, makes it kind of frustrating that no one sells them here in the states.

Agreed.

Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:42 pm

Didn't see any tags on them.
Here's some crappy mobilephone photos of them.

Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:34 am

BBT in europe sell some similar ones. I've cut the bottom off to fit them (good job as there is very little paint inside) and I had to do some work to the front. There are no outlets and no inner tubes. Cheap and not bad but could be so much better

Se

Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:00 am

Yes, true.

One strange thing though is that both my splits (51 and 52) have heatertubes inside. Well, had... You could see the remains of the tubes inside... :lol:

Also could see they had the outlet in the channels and the heater risers in A-pillars too.

Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:08 am

Hebster52 wrote: Yes, true.

One strange thing though is that both my splits (51 and 52) have heatertubes inside. Well, had... You could see the remains of the tubes inside... :lol:

Also could see they had the outlet in the channels and the heater risers in A-pillars too.

Split has heater tubes length of ca. 10 cm inside channel pointing backwards, it tries to catch air to wind screen... It is fixed to channel by that metal piece.

Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:03 am

Hebster52 wrote: Didn't see any tags on them.
Here's some crappy mobilephone photos of them.

The pressings on the bottom of these things are not the same as originally on the split, nor like the bottoms that Wolfparts sells, right? So you could get these channels, Wolfs bottoms, then cut the inlet and outlet holes and then you would have a real split channel?

Given the cost to ship them from Europe, I think I would rather re-mod the WW ones with Wolfs bottoms. Would still be pretty spendy. I think Wolf can ship bottom plates for both sides to the US for about $300?

And the WW danish ones have the indentation for the door sill located later vent too?

I have some NOS VW later ones I might just retro fit with Wolfs plates for my '51.