1973 Bay Window rear cargo floor heater duct

[fxshov]

Ok. Here's today's question.
Is there some sort of housing that goes over this heater duct? Or does it happen to stay uncovered? Ive looked a 100's of pics and only found one other 73 that had this. It was just like this one, uncovered. Is a 73 the only year that had it? Lots of pics where people have some type of flooring or carpet. I wouldn't think having this covered up would not be a good idea. Unless it was never used.

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GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[Tram]

There was a plastic vent that looked almost like a big vacuum cleaner attachment that went in there to blow heat out from under the center seat if I recall.

Edit: Lower right pic here:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/77bus/77II-33.jpg
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Немає виправдання для війни! Я з Україною.

[fxshov]

That's awesome. Thanks. My Wife's gonna be missing a part from her vacuum... .. Was 73 the only year they did that?
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GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[samwise]

Spring-loaded cover on my '79

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Ben
1979 7-passenger bus
Harvee the Wonder Bus' pics

[fxshov]

Samwise, How would the spring loaded one work? It had to be manually opened and then something shoved in to hold it open? a plastic duct like Tram showed?
_________________
GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[sjbartnik]

They had a plastic duct as Tram showed.

The spring-loaded cover existed so that if you took the seat out and the vent out to carry cargo (rather than passengers) the cover blocked the hole so stuff didn't fall down in there.

Obviously you don't get heat out of it if the cover is closed.

In the pic you can see the spring-loaded cover is there. (click the pic to see it full size)
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[Tram]

[sjbartnik]

[samwise]

Early bay like these?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1981684
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Ben
1979 7-passenger bus
Harvee the Wonder Bus' pics

[fxshov]

Wow, I love this site. Your guys knowledge and helpfulness is fantastic. Thanks.
_________________
GOOD AINT CHEAP AND CHEAP ANIT GOOD

73 Bay Window
05 Tundra
12 Scion
93 HD Softtail
18 NX 2500
I need a bigger garage.

[jtauxe]

It's actually a metal duct. And yes, the spring-loaded cover is supposed to keep dirt and mice out in the closed position, and you open it, shove the metal diffuser in there, and the hot air coming from underneath gets spread out across the rear floor. The wide front end of the metal diffuser duct has two feet on it (just seen in the photo from the manual) that sit under the seat mount bolts. With the seats in, this would be the standard arrangement. If the seats are removed, then the diffuser also comes out so as not to be in the way when the bus is used to haul cargo.

I have gone to some trouble to source these parts -- they are hard to find since I believe they tended to get separated from the bus and tossed out. I have seen the provision for this in Station Wagon buses (buses with seats) from 1973 through 1979.
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John
"Travelling in a fried-out Kombi, on a hippie trail, head full of zombie..." - Colin Hay and Ron Strykert
http://vw.tauxe.net
1969 Transporter, 1971 Westfalia, 1976, 1977, 1976, 1977, 1971, 1973, 1977 Westfalias,
1979 Champagne Sunroof, 1974 Westfalia Automatic, 1979 Transporter, 1972 Sportsmobile, 1973 Transporter Wild Westerner, 1974 Westfalia parts bus, 1975 Mexican single cab *FOR SALE*, 1978 Irish 4-door double cab RHD

[samwise]

I've seen them over the years in the classifieds - they're don't seem to be any for sale in there at the moment, but I may need a better term for them, or the part number if anyone has it?
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Ben
1979 7-passenger bus
Harvee the Wonder Bus' pics