TheSamba.com :: View topic - Fresh air box on 1972 Super Beetle... I'm confused.

Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:21 pm

I recently purchased a 1972 Super, and while most of the car is intact, there are a few things don't seem right. I always thought the 72 SB had a fan driven fresh air box under the hood, instead on my car I find just a vent box with a drain... no fan. Was this swapped, or did some of these not have a blower... also, where can I find new fresh air boxes as mine is wrecked, fan driven or not.

Thanks,

-Nick-

Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:23 pm

There should have been a fan driven air box. Do you have the dash switch still? I had a few kicking around at one time but I think I sold them. Easily found in the classifieds though.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=903502

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=707258

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=863993

Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:13 pm

Dash was in pretty bad shape, alot of things missing. I didn't see a fresh air swtich. No fan, no nothing, just a small vent box that attached to a drain leading under the car. I've been jipped!

-Nick-

Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:06 pm

Post some pics.

Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:47 am

Didn't the 71 & 72 Supers use the standard's type airbox, since the curved window 73s and later had the whole dash makeover, including the fan in the airbox?

Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:11 am

From what I understand they had the same box but Supers came with a fan assembly in them. I had a few kicking around, sold one or two and may have another.

I suppose that the next question would be to ask if Nick is 100% positive he has a Super. I find it odd that a PO would swap out the proper fan box but then again, PO's do weird shit all the time. Could be that the fan quit at one point and instead of just leaving it, the set up was swapped out to a non-fan box and the switch removed.

Pics help either way.

Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:16 am

19super73 wrote: There should have been a fan driven air box. Do you have the dash switch still? I had a few kicking around at one time but I think I sold them. Easily found in the classifieds though.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=903502

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=707258

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=863993
Yup. You are right. The 3rd classified link above shows the wires and you can see the white squirrel wheel inside.
Nick, guess you have the McPherson struts and all?

Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:47 am

Yes, and $35 for a working one is not a bad price. The last one I sold was working and it went for $50 to Brazil. I'm sure switches can be found as well.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=890008

I found only one. The round fan switch is correct for '73+, the other is '71-'72 Supers. I do believe that by '75 the Standards (just not the 110's), started to get fresh air fans.

Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:16 pm

I just replaced the fan and box on my '72 Super. The OG fan was seized from age and rust, common...the switch was also melted as was the brush carrier inside the motor. I found a switch and used fan box with a working motor on Samba for $40 for both, keep looking. You also need the correct matching ducts and six air hoses, to set the whole thing up, see this diagram:

the ducts are available from lots of ebay and samba vendors, but they are a bitch to install, you need to take out the glove box on the pass side due to the wiper arm. Do your radio and any other dash control stuff first like the headlight switch, etc, because once you get the fan box in and working with the ducts and hoses, you won't want to take it out, IMHO. The fan switch is located next to the brake warning light above the radio in a recessed bezel if you have a 71-72 SB. There are also a great pair of online videos showing how to rebuild the box and fan motor, search this forum for links on them, appeared awhile back. If you get one, guarateed the rubber shock mounts for the fan housing are rotted out, but nearly identical ones can be bought from any industrial supply like McMaster-Carr, etc...you need them for vibration when the fan is on high...BTW Mid America sells the hoses as a set...JT

Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:31 pm

hey tele can you post a link to the vids you were talking about??

Sat Dec 24, 2011 12:14 am

I don't know if Tele can, But I can help.
http://vimeo.com/377760
http://vimeo.com/1072065

Sat Dec 24, 2011 1:16 am

I've rebuilt a couple of the late style fresh air fans from both my `77's Std. Beetles, and one earlier Super unit...They don't have many parts in common. One late unit had a bad resistor for the slow-speed circuit and I had to modify one from the local RadioShack to fit...it was slightly greater value than stock, so it now runs a little slower, but it's better than nothing.

Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:12 am

Those videos referred to by mrbigmax are great.
The 1302 fresh air box is completely different from the unit (without the fan) on standard Beetles.
It looks like this:

Good luck, Mondshine

Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:22 am

(a used one I bought and refurbished)

Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:40 am

You can buy the special 71+72 two speed switch at Wolfberg West. Their is a motor take apart and relube video on thesamba that works if your motor is squealing. I did that and it is simple. You can also buy the special rubber insulators for the fan (inside the box) at McMaster Carr page 1363. Lube the control cables well. If the dash and inside hood control vents are missing they are available new for inside the car, and used for the ones in the hood area. The insulator connector for the duct inside the hood is available from Mid America. I have this working perfectly in a 72 super beetle and adjust the cold air intake knobs as desired to ensure warm air yet enough fresh air and defrost for the windshield. Hook it up as it was intended and you will be very happy with the results.

Sun Nov 04, 2012 8:16 pm

Any one find # 7 ( rubber moter mount) or #12 ( rubber flap ) from the picture above? I think I have checked every supplier and I cant find it

Tue Nov 06, 2012 4:22 am

i know in a couple of threads people have mentioned finding similar replacement rubber mounts from McMaster Carr.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#

Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:42 am

I believe the rubber-box type mounts (#12) are from the later models w/squirrel cage fan (of which I've rebuilt one and parted-out another)...the earlier ones (#11) use a rubber-studded mount - similar to a Rabbit radiator mount. Here are the 'replacement' early style mounts (1/4"-20) I got from McMastercarr:

The flap (#7) would be a source a good used one or make one.

Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:09 am

First post so bear with me, but does anyone have any leads on how to track down a fresh air box for a 71 beetle? Looked on the usual suppliers but all I can seem to find is the connections for it (hoses etc) Does anyone make any aftermarket one or I am stuck asking around and junkyard diving (fingers crossed)

Sun Jan 27, 2013 5:15 am

SmithLAFD wrote: First post so bear with me, but does anyone have any leads on how to track down a fresh air box for a 71 beetle? Looked on the usual suppliers but all I can seem to find is the connections for it (hoses etc) Does anyone make any aftermarket one or I am stuck asking around and junkyard diving (fingers crossed)

since they are not made anymore, the classifieds are your best bet. i took my fresh air box off my 73 standard last night to take apart and clean 40 years of dirt out of it.