'77 Door Vents

BusBerd · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:46 am Post subject: '77 Door Vents

The air vents at the base of each of my front doors ('77 Campmobile) do not seem to be fed by any air source. What is the purpose of sliding these open or closed?
On the earlier bays, the vents in the doors seem to be fed by the fresh air coming through the grill.
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

VDubTech · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 5:45 am Post subject:

Right in your owner's manual. Rolling Eyes

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Karl · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:56 am Post subject:

The air vents in the door panel [not the channels ON the door panel] are fed air from the front edge of the door. Look for square slots in the front edge. 68 to 71 doors did not have them. Flo-thru ventilation started with the 72 year model.

BusBerd · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject:

VDubTech thanks, I have a manual but it doesn't answer my question. Rolling Eyes

I always thought that air was directed to these vents when I pulled down the fresh air lever (blue) on my dash. I thought I saw some of the early bays with a ducting channel actually in the door jamb, but mine does not have that.

So, Karl, you are saying that the air comes from the holes in the door by the hinges where it meets the body? It seems like there will be little if any air flowing through there even while the bus is in motion. Is this vent then to air out the inside of the door so that moisture has a chance to evaporate?

Thanks!
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

snotty · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:25 am Post subject:

WhirledTraveller · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:27 am Post subject:

On my '77 Westy I have the door panels and plastic off (a project started and never finshed) and I've been driving around like that. I don't feel any draft so I assume that like snotty said they suck rather than blow.

That said, now that it's getting below freezing up here in Boston it's probably time to seal that up....
_________________
1977 Westy, Automatic. Big Valve heads, CS Cam.

BusBerd · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:32 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys! that makes sense to me now.
I always thought I needed to fix something, unclog some ducting, to get fresh air flow from outside into these door vents, but it makes more sense that they are for airing out the inside of your door.
Although as I write this I am remembering that the plastic vapor barrier that was behind the door panel when I took it off had a channel or passage way in it for this vent. A plastic "ducting" of sorts. The plastic is not shown on the schematics above. I thought I recalled it going towards the hinges side of the door. So I wonder if they were meant to air out the inside of the doors! because the plastic in effect sealed off the inside of the door from this vent.

I am sure the german engineers had some good reason for these vents. I just wonder what exactly they were for.
_________________
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
1977 Westfalia Camper Bus 2.0L Fuel Injected Engine, Manual Transmission

BusBerd · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 11:37 pm Post subject:

Jamesn71 · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:04 pm Post subject:

Do they provide good airflow to the rear? I was thinking of removing the blue sliders when I replace the panels.
_________________
72 Transporter

SGKent · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:31 pm Post subject:

they keep your butt cool. The air is pulled in through the front of the door. Helps to keep the inside of the doors dry too.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

jtauxe · Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:39 pm Post subject:

KailuaVeeDub · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 7:01 pm Post subject: Re: '77 Door Vents

I have a 76, so would it be unadvisable to permanently remove the air channels off of my door panels? I like the clean look of it without it.

SGKent · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 7:28 pm Post subject: Re: '77 Door Vents

the door vents work in conjunction with the inside front of the door to allow more cooling air thru the bus in summer.

_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

vwwestyman · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:52 pm Post subject: Re: '77 Door Vents

KailuaVeeDub · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 9:33 am Post subject: Re: '77 Door Vents

OK thanks, talking about channels that are also arm rests

SGKent · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:19 am Post subject: Re: '77 Door Vents

vwwestyman · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:54 am Post subject: Re: '77 Door Vents

You can remove the armrest channels with no real ill effects. Lots of buses didn't have them. Of course you'll lose the direct airflow to the rear part of the bus but that's about it.

You'll need to find the covers that are closed off for the ends of the air box in the front. Otherwise you'll have a big opening without the channels.
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing


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