Mouse Blockers! for Vanagon front air intake (3D printed ABS)

[Sodo]

Mice enter the van here behind this plastic screen.

You can fit 2or 3 fingers in the gap.
People have been blocking this access for years, with various methods.
I siliconed some steel screen over the area.
It's not difficult to block that easy mouse access, but it never really looks good.

I asked my nephew Nico if he wanted to design a Vanagon part to 3D print and he went after it.
There were lots of iterations.

It's not simple geometry, but he's a young feller, he doesn't really know what's difficult.
Nico will be selling them somehow, somewhere, soon, maybe I can list them in the classifieds.

This solution looks good and is super easy to install.
Remove the grille by releasing the 5 grille clips 90°.
Set the blockers in place, screw the blockers to the screen, and then snap the grille back on.
It's a 5 minute job.
We'll make a video.

You screw them to the grille thru the grille lattice.

Interested to hear any comments.
Especially how much you'd happily pay for them.
Nico is only 20 years old but he's a lot like us, foolishly rebuilding a BMW E30 station wagon.
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[bobhill8]

Cool design. I was just thinking this morning that some of the best mods to my van had been items designed by Samba folks. I also just found a ton of little Maple helicopter seeds in my top bunk when my daughter went to sleep up there recently. I would say at least $30, and once you've had mouse damage, you would wish you had spent a lot more. Nice work Nico.
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1986 Westy
1971 Squareback

[do.dah]

Interesting. As I recall, when I mouseproofed mine, that gap is a pretty substantial, triangular shape. I'll hafta take a look again, but, I don't think this would block my gap near as nicely as what it seems to do on yours.

I had some fine meshed expanded metal that I cut and bent and crimped into place to block that access.

I also clipped some airfilter media behind that grill. Seems to keep the inside of my van, much less dusty.

[Pchill2]

Great design and resolution on the print. How much?
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87 Syncro Westy
Honda K24 swap

[djkeev]

[do.dah]

I don't recall what airfilter media I used, but, it's fine mesh and polyester or some kinda synthetic.
I live in Seattle, and have had no issues regarding wetness.

It gets pretty filthy, so I hafta take it out every once in a while and wash it.

[ThinkingD]

I put steel wool in the gaps for winter storage. This is an interesting year-round solution.
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87 Titian Red Westfalia 2.0 VW I4 SOHC manual Ottawa, Ontario

[AndyBees]

Nice work ...

Don't forget at the access via the top of the rear engine compartment vents on each side .......... Remove the vents ........ then stuff something in there toward the front off the vehicle...... keeps them out of the attic.
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI. 1989 Tin-top
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine. Seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003.

[montanasurfer]

I'd buy that. However I think you need to add a piece for the center hole where the center grill pin clips in.
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1987 Vanagon GL - Wolfsburg Edition

[Sodo]

I dutifully screened my other van 12 years ago.
I never get mice in my van when all the doors are closed.

This go-around we thought the grille covered it ….
but yes it needs another printed piece.

Nice little catwalk.

Thanks!!!
I was all prepared to reply that blocking the center was an old legend!
Good thing I posted this!
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[?Waldo?]

It looks like the current version does not fit tightly enough to prevent mice from passing.

[DanHoug]

when i had my airbox out, there were openings at the far end driver's and passenger side bottom of the intake scoop, observable from only INSIDE the ram air box. i didn't take any photos but will be doing another airbox this winter and can do so then. i stuffed stainless scrubbies in those far corners that i could stick my fingers thru so the front intake may not be the only entrance. i also wrapped aluminum window screen around the entire front opening and it stays in place nicely after crimping it down just with fingers.

hard to keep Satan's Little Helpers at bay...
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[djkeev]

It seems like a good time to remind people of this thread in the FAQ.

I selected this one but there are several that may be of interest........

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=432326

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[Sodo]

[DanHoug]

[syncrodoka]

Price point comparison
https://defunk3d.com/product/mouse-proofing-kit/

[Sodo]

Yikes I didn’t know someone else already did it!
But if ever there was a competition for mouse-blockers, Nico's is more elegant.....
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[DuncanS]

The side and front pieces of the hardware cloth have stripped back vertical wires so they are firmly interlocked. Essentially a single piece of 1/4" hardware cloth.

Duncan

[DanHoug]

i've got a section of aluminum window screen covering the entire opening.. you can crush it into shape to seal around the air box intake and it stays in place with no clips.

when i had the airbox out, from the interior opening of the steel airway, i stuffed stainless steel scrubbies into some nooks and crannies that seemed like the intake mesh didn't cover.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com