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Tue Mar 25, 2025 10:16 pm

I just received my Vintage Speed classic super flow exhaust from Vintagespeed's website and my heavy-duty heater boxes from So Cal Imports.

I was pretty confused with the subtle differences in the Vintage Speed products and ultimately found that the classic series has bubble ends on the muffler, as opposed to flat ends with the o2 sensor bung. I went with the classic series with the 50mm tail pipe. Kinda taking a gamble as I have never heard one in person and went off of youtube videos.

I went with the light grey heater boxes so I will be able to spot oil leaks easier, and plus I think they look cool.

These are going in my single cab with dual carbs, so I did not order heat risers.

The single cab just had J tubes and a rusted out Empi exhaust, so this is going to be a nice upgrade, just need to get around to installing it and getting the heater all hooked up will definitely be nice to have that working for next winter.

The install is dependent on me pulling the engine to address multiple things and cleaning the whole thing up basically. Which will happen very soon.

Overall, I am pretty impressed with the quality of both products so far.

I'll post pics once its all installed!

Wed Mar 26, 2025 3:02 am

I checked out the “socal imports” website for the heater boxes. The description didn’t really explain how these were better. Having them in your hand, how do they compare to stock boxes?

Wed Mar 26, 2025 4:51 am

You will have to trim" the bumper so the tailpipe clears.

Wed Mar 26, 2025 5:51 am

Malokin Martin wrote: I checked out the “socal imports” website for the heater boxes. The description didn’t really explain how these were better. Having them in your hand, how do they compare to stock boxes?

The other stock ones i have off of my bay window are original and beat to hell so first glance these are feeling better. Nothing rattles yet and they feel more stout and a bit heavier I think. But I think it has to do with the interior heat transfer fins, I read on some other website selling these that the design is better for heat transfer or something. Might just be BS, not sure. I like how thorough they were with the paint though because everything is covered.
I paid 350, not the 600 currently listed on there. That would be insane.

Wed Mar 26, 2025 5:52 am

Glenn wrote: You will have to trim" the bumper so the tailpipe clears.

Yep...
Is the notch you trimmed out noticeable from standing behind the bus? Or is it just on the bottom of the bumper?

Wed Mar 26, 2025 6:10 am

Just the bottom and not noticeable.

Wed Mar 26, 2025 7:06 am

Glenn wrote: Just the bottom and not noticeable.

Thanks glenn

Wed Mar 26, 2025 9:02 am

Those heater boxes are not a good option, they neither heat the interior well in cold weather, nor cool the engine in warm weather well. With bigger engines this latter problem gets worse.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=719279&highlight=heater+box+vent

Wed Mar 26, 2025 7:40 pm

Eric&Barb wrote: Those heater boxes are not a good option, they neither heat the interior well in cold weather, nor cool the engine in warm weather well. With bigger engines this latter problem gets worse.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=719279&highlight=heater+box+vent

hmm thank you. I'll admit that I didn't spend alot of time researching heater boxes. I am going to run them so hopefully it all works out okay.
I'm not in a super cold climate so Im sure they will be enough to knock the chill off.

Wed Mar 26, 2025 9:08 pm

blargon_7 wrote:
hmm thank you. I'll admit that I didn't spend alot of time researching heater boxes. I am going to run them so hopefully it all works out okay.
I'm not in a super cold climate so Im sure they will be enough to knock the chill off.

Understood, but you will have a hotter running engine during the hot weather, that is not good for engine longevity.

On the other hand it does get cold the farther out east you go, and not that much distance.

Talked to Steve of Wolfgang Int. years ago and he had big cooling problems with the early fresh air heater boxes with big engines. Only fixed by going to the later 1500/1600 fresh air heater boxes.

Wed Mar 26, 2025 9:23 pm

Eric&Barb wrote: blargon_7 wrote:
hmm thank you. I'll admit that I didn't spend alot of time researching heater boxes. I am going to run them so hopefully it all works out okay.
I'm not in a super cold climate so Im sure they will be enough to knock the chill off.

Understood, but you will have a hotter running engine during the hot weather, that is not good for engine longevity.

On the other hand it does get cold the farther out east you go, and not that much distance.

Talked to Steve of Wolfgang Int. years ago and he had big cooling problems with the early fresh air heater boxes with big engines. Only fixed by going to the later 1500/1600 fresh air heater boxes.

Can you explain the science behind the lack of heat conductivity of these boxes and it's relation to the engine running hot?

Would J tubes then cause an engine to run hot?

I didn't think (or assume) the heater boxes are aiding in dissipating heat from the engine under normal circumstances.

I'm not disputing what you have said and I appreciate the input but I am just curious to hear more info.
Or maybe I just totally misunderstood.

In the summer I use those caps to block off the heat ducts on the fan shroud to not even blow air on the boxes.

Thu Mar 27, 2025 5:16 am

From what I understand is that if you have heater boxes you absolutely need the airflow from the fan shroud to get rid of the heat exchanger heat. If not the heat just radiates up and cooks the oil in the pushrod tubes and the piston and cylinders. What you’re doing is actually making it worse.

The fan shroud blows air across the fins inside and removes the heat and blows it out the exit duct and safely away from the engine effectively cooling the engine. You mess with any of that IE larger heat exchanger fins or not allowing cooling air to flow through will cause higher temps.

Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:52 am

pondoras box wrote: From what I understand is that if you have heater boxes you absolutely need the airflow from the fan shroud to get rid of the heat exchanger heat. If not the heat just radiates up and cooks the oil in the pushrod tubes and the piston and cylinders. What you’re doing is actually making it worse.

The fan shroud blows air across the fins inside and removes the heat and blows it out the exit duct and safely away from the engine effectively cooling the engine. You mess with any of that IE larger heat exchanger fins or not allowing cooling air to flow through will cause higher temps.

Perfect, that was the explanation I was looking for.
Thank you!

Thu Mar 27, 2025 7:20 am

If you’re not worried about a bit of power loss you could go with a larger pulley or higher flow fan. But don’t over rev the fan or it can blow apart.

Thu Mar 27, 2025 7:39 am

Here's the deal:

If you have heater boxes then connect the fresh air hoses, even if the heater boxes no connected to the body.

If you have J-tubes, then you need Industrial Tins (Type 126) to close off the gap between the sleds and heads to keep the exhaust heat out.

That's how the factory designed the systems to work.

Thu Mar 27, 2025 9:02 am

Also by having the heater box inner pipes cooling properly in hot weather the exhaust gets cooled/shrunk so as to not have it back pressure against the cylinders and heads. Thusly everything runs cooler. Also why with the heater boxes shut off to the interior of the VW the stock air valve in the front of each box switches to venting to the outside of the heater box. Go thru the link in that post for more heater box info and study up.

Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:26 pm

blargon_7 wrote: Eric&Barb wrote: Those heater boxes are not a good option

hmm thank you.

Has anyone opened up one of these aftermarket heater boxes lately to see if the heat exchangers have gotten improved?

Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:31 pm

You can tell a lot by the weight.

Thu Mar 27, 2025 7:20 pm

BarryL wrote: blargon_7 wrote: Eric&Barb wrote: Those heater boxes are not a good option

hmm thank you.

Has anyone opened up one of these aftermarket heater boxes lately to see if the heat exchangers have gotten improved?

One needs to only look up the rear of the exhaust tube with a flashlight in a dark room. Peering past that first small curve will show the inside fining.

Thu Mar 27, 2025 7:52 pm

Eric&Barb wrote: BarryL wrote: blargon_7 wrote: Eric&Barb wrote: Those heater boxes are not a good option

hmm thank you.

Has anyone opened up one of these aftermarket heater boxes lately to see if the heat exchangers have gotten improved?

One needs to only look up the rear of the exhaust tube with a flashlight in a dark room. Peering past that first small curve will show the inside fining.

Here is the inside. Unfortunately it doesn't look very heavy duty as stated on their site.