1974 with Heater ... reason?

squeasel · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 4:33 pm Post subject: 1974 with Heater ... reason?

Greetings All! I was a bit distracted from the Thing but it is back on the first page of the To-Do List. Recall that I have a 1974 Thing that was restored (and I use the term loosely) as if it were a 1973 with a gas heater and no air intake scoops on the rear fenders.

Here is what I have found so far. The heater is installed in the boot but is not hooked up to the gas line nor does it seem to have any vent plumbing or proper dash controls. The car still has the heater controls around the e-brake lever making me think it is still a 1974. The car has a fancy exhaust system and nothing that I would think of as heat exchangers (correct term? I would use this for a 911). I look at documentation and it appears that there should be heater hoses coming from the fan shroud and going to the heat exchangers. There are none.

So I could do many things, such as remove the gas heater and leave the rest alone, try to find the missing (and from what I've heard rare dash controller parts), remove the fancy header and return to stock, etc. I do not have a goal for the car, yet. Advice on the change possibilities would be appreciated. Cheers.

Ferretkona · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 5:22 pm Post subject:

My 74 had the heat exchangers removed.
I installed new boxes. I was going to install a gas heater as well but never did before I sold it.
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74 181 Thing
2008 Ford Sport Trac V8 4x4
2008 Ford Escape V6

thinghunter · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:32 pm Post subject:

Pictures of all this would help. There would be nothing wrong with having both the heat exchanger heating system as well as the gas heater. I think the gas heater was still available as an option on 74 Things. I wouldn't think any of the heater controls would be that rare since there are so many Things being parted out. I know some of the parts may be a little on the expensive side but I think if you looked around long and hard enough you could eventually get them all for a reasonable price.

squeasel · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 10:00 pm Post subject:

Fancy exhaust? Lots of curves ... exhaust from 2xcylinder going back to a unifying piece then separate runs forward, then back to a silencer/muffler.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Engine bay, output from the fan shroud should, I believe, go to a hose then on through the holes on either side of the main pulley and into non-existent heat exchangers.

A single heat control by the hand brake.

Dash holes ... missing one "something" to the left of the wheel and two "somethings" to the right of the wheel.

xeno · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:45 am Post subject:

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352

If your engine has been run very long that way with all the holes in the rear tin open, the engine surround gasket trashed, and the cooling shroud just pouring out precious cooling air, you engine has likely been toasted pretty bad. You need to get everything sealed up well before you drive it.

Semper_Dad · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:31 am Post subject:

77kafer · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:53 am Post subject:

Semper_Dad, all the way over on the left (below the windshield fold down release) isn't that the temp control pull out for the gas heater. And peaking out through the steering wheel (on the dash support) it looks like the blank hole for the defrost / heat lamp.
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard

Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer"

Semper_Dad · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:18 am Post subject:

77kafer · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:55 am Post subject:

I was thinking the same about the Vin #
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard

Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer"

Semper_Dad · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:10 am Post subject:

77kafer · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:15 am Post subject:

And the OP said "no air intake scoops on the rear fenders". He did not specifically say louvers are there, but he also did not say a big hole.
_________________
Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard

Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer"

Semper_Dad · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:20 am Post subject:

squeasel · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:41 pm Post subject:

Yipes ... I have missed a bunch of posts. VIN in 184xxx.... I don't have the engine number with me right now but when I decoded it, it was a 1967-1970 motor (I think 1.5L but could be mistaken).

There are two holes around the drivers side window fold down release. On is a nice clean hole, like some of the others on the dash. It is located under the release handle. Below the release handle (and you can barely see it in one of the photos is a raised section with a tiny hole in it. I will have pictures later.

Holes to the right of the steering wheel are one clean empty one, a cig lighter, hazard switch and a hole with some white "insulating material" around it. FWIW.

Engine Comments to follow

squeasel · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:52 pm Post subject:

Sorry about the split post, I am having troubles with the longer posts in the this text box.

I recall decoding the engine as a 1967-1970 series. The engine number has a VW in a circle and 11032xxx, I think (wrong glasses and I can't remember the rest of the number). I have not put 150 miles on the car so perhaps all is well with the motor. I notice other engine shrouds do not have the "connector ears" to the head exchangers. What should I do with these, cap them? I am inexperienced with these motors so advice is appreciated.

The car was put together (perhaps more true than not) by a VW "expert" in Sonoma. I bought the car from a dealer in Sonoma and I have acquired a low opinion of him since.

There seems to be genuine concern about this car so I would like to read more of your opinions and I will answer as quickly as I can though photos have to wait for the evening. Much thanks for your responses so far.

Semper_Dad · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 3:10 pm Post subject:

Well as long as you are not going to put heat exchangers back on then the outlet ports on the fan shroud should be covered. That will force more cooling air over the cylinders where it's needed. Might as well plug the holes on the rear tin as well. That keeps the engine from sucking hot air it just used back into the engine bay. Looks like your engine to body seal is pretty much tattered so that needs to be replaced as well. Easy to do with engine out of car. In car,.....not so much.

People will flame you (pun intended) about having the fuel filter inside the engine bay. You at least have clamps on all connections. The brass nipple on the carb has been known to pop out of the carb body subsequently squirting gas all over the engine bay (which is NOT a good thing). Make sure it is secure.

Where are you getting the VIN number? From the chassis under the rear seat?, or from the label beside the door. This could be a 74 chassis under part or all of a 73 body.

Is there a small retangular hole just to the left of the glove compartment. That would be for the defrost light.
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Walküre Restoration Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737492

squeasel · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 3:55 pm Post subject:

Semper_Dad: Vin is from a metal riveted tag at the front of the boot/trunk. I am unsure of the two other locations that you mention but I am under the impression that I should find a stamped VIN near an shift linkage access hole and I was unable to find one, perhaps because of the "unique" interior paint. You mention "This could be a 74 chassis under part or all of a 73 body." and this has been a suspicion of mine as well, but don't know enough to confirm. Thank you for the help so far. More will be needed, I'm sure. Also, to the left of the glove box and to the right of the center dash panel is a rectangular cutout perhaps a 1.5 inches tall and a 1/3 of an inch wide. Is this the defrost light opening you mentioned? There is some suspicious wiring in that area as well.

Photos and descriptions:
This is the left window release handle with two holes. There is a cable or wiring going from the gas heater to this area.

Here is more detail of the center dash section. The hole with the white around it seems to have a small light in it.

Please bear with me on my Thing ignorance. I said there was no heat ducting but the gas heater does have a tube that enters the cabin under the dash.

Here is the gas heater .... not connected to fuel (line is to the left of middle of the photo and capped ... and a wire running ot the area underneath the left window release.

Ron Domeck · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 4:19 pm Post subject:

Not a dead giveaway but the plastic gas peddle was on 74 cars and metal on 73 cars

Semper_Dad · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 4:22 pm Post subject:

From what I see the body appears to be a 73. The metal tag could have been transplanted from the original 74 body.

The little thing on the right dash panel with the little light bulb is what's left of the brake fault indicator. 73 and 74 have this

The two holes under the left windshield latch are for the gas heater. Top one is for a light, bottom one for a switch.

Look under the rear seat for some holes and ducting going forward along the tunnel. I'm betting you're missing those.

Pretty sure you have a 73 body on possibly a 74 chassis. Might need to excavate that covering (bedliner?) to be sure. Heck, may be a whole 73 with just 74 VIN plate riveted on.

So in review,....
Body - 73
Chassis - 73 or 74
Engine 67-70

Other than the VIN number on the chassis, I don't know anything offhand that would positively identify it (the chassis) as a 74 or 73. Maybe the battery hold down setup?

This is what a 73 looks like,

Brake fault light - both 73 and 74

Defrost lever and light on dash - 73 only

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Walküre Restoration Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737492

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352


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