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Mon May 13, 2002 6:46 pm

I was wanting to know the pro's and con's with the side air scoops

Tue May 14, 2002 12:03 am

A fine mechanic explained once; the scoops are actually limiting the amount of air into the compartment rather than forcing more air as you drive. ie: the opening to the scoop compared to the opening of the side vent. There is also the idea that the VW engineers probably had alot of testing to support their final design. Then again... the '68 up has high mounted scoops built into the body. I guess I didn't help much.

Tue May 14, 2002 12:18 pm

I personally don't like their appearance, which to me is a "con". my opinion though.

Mon Jan 06, 2025 11:08 am

Just got a bus with them and hacked rear arches and an external oil cooler . I am going to rock them and am open to some 70s style glass flares as well. I would never do this to a bus without them but they stay for now.

Mon Jan 06, 2025 11:31 am

Wonder how much $$$ VW spent on the research/development of the engine intake vents back in the 1950's?

Why create a solution to the problem if it doesn't exist?

PS they look like hot garbage. :-&

Mon Jan 06, 2025 12:28 pm

If you use them be sure to place the safety decal in front of the intake.

Mon Jan 06, 2025 1:57 pm

Good for catching peanut shells you chuck out the window

This bus is now OG paint, and the scoops and flares have been binned, but still haven’t gotten around to fixing the wheel arches and the rust repair. But it’s taken us a lot of miles.

Fwiw, To make your engine run cool, install all the tin and pieces supposed to be there. To make it warm up properly, ditto.

Mon Jan 06, 2025 1:59 pm

chiroracer wrote: Just got a bus with them and hacked rear arches and an external oil cooler . I am going to rock them and am open to some 70s style glass flares as well. I would never do this to a bus without them but they stay for now.

Are you interested in some Cragars?

Mon Jan 06, 2025 5:46 pm

budmanbusfan wrote: A fine mechanic explained once; the scoops are actually limiting the amount of air into the compartment rather than forcing more air as you drive. ie: the opening to the scoop compared to the opening of the side vent. There is also the idea that the VW engineers probably had alot of testing to support their final design. Then again... the '68 up has high mounted scoops built into the body. I guess I didn't help much.

as the bus engines got bigger, they made OG scoops.

Tue Jan 07, 2025 2:48 pm

chiroracer wrote: Just got a bus with them and hacked rear arches and an external oil cooler . I am going to rock them and am open to some 70s style glass flares as well. I would never do this to a bus without them but they stay for now.

IMHO, cut wheel wells should be fixed...

or rock on some phat ass tires on the back! :P

Tue Jan 07, 2025 9:22 pm

I can’t remember who posted a thread on this… it was like a decade ago on here. I want to say it was Clara or Amskeptic. But I can’t remember. They actually did road tests with cardboard “scoops” and without using a CHT. I’m way too lazy to search for it.

I do remember that they significantly lowered engine temps.

The con is they look lame and put holes in the bus in a noticeable area when the next owner wants to rip them off.

Wed Jan 08, 2025 7:00 am

wanna say that Clara posted something say a decade or so back but that was a long time ago.

Wed Jan 08, 2025 10:42 am

velvetgreen wrote: wanna say that Clara posted something say a decade or so back but that was a long time ago.

Yes, it was with actual real plastic scoops, and using a thermocoupler on the head. and various other sensors.

It dropped the temp in the engine compartment to match the outside air temp, and dropped the head temps by the same amount. ( w/o scoops the air temp in engine compartment is warmer than outside)

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=900179&highlight=#900179

so yes they work, but they are ugly. if your engine is actually overheating, first install all the missing tin.

a few threads on scoops:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/search.php?searc..._chars=200

Wed Jan 08, 2025 11:49 am

^^^Thanks Clara- wow that was two decades ago- where does the time go?

Wed Jan 08, 2025 3:38 pm

LOL no cragars but I would love some vintage flares if they havent picked up the trash yet.
Will def be using some oversize meats on rear and I have a 68 bay beam .
Needs to be able to drive on beach.

Wed Jan 08, 2025 4:39 pm

66bus wrote: I was wanting to know the pro's and con's with the side air scoops

I liked this post.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=150862#150862

If you have the stock engine and all original tin then you shouldn't ever need one.
1600 or larger, you could do a few tricks to keep the engine bay pressurized.