My heat exchanger restoration project updated 10-1-11

tootype2crazy

Hey folks! I just wanted to show you how I'm salvaging my heat exchangers instead of buying new ones. I feel the genuine vw article is of much higher quality than those $300 dansk jobs.

So here's how it looks:

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

Pretty bad I know. So, I took a flat piece of sheet metal and shaped it into this:

And that fits onto that ugly hole like so:

I'm going to braze that piece on for a nice, strong finish. I've got two other places to do this on this exchanger, and then another one to do. I'll be sure to post the next stages so you can see what's going on.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

1975 Kombi · Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:26 pm Post subject:

It would be nice if klassicfab could make replacement halves that could be bolted or riveted together.

Help Gerson!!!!!!!
_________________
Brett

“He’s decieving you boy! Reach into his pocket and take what he’s got.” Mr. Crabbs.

75 Westy auto
03 Jetta TDI
71 SB
74 Westy
Licensed pilot (single engine land VFR)
--
Rust In Pieces: 72 Bug, 73 Bug, 81 Rabbit LS D 2D, 83 Rabbit D 2D, 84 Jetta TD GL, 85 Jetta D, 68 Z28 RS 302, 91 Passat 16v

tootype2crazy · Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:30 pm Post subject:

Believe me, I've thought that with every hammer blow to that metal. What a simple solution it would be to just put some new tin on these things!
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

Westfabulous · Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:37 pm Post subject:

Nice work! So, tell us how you fabbed that patch piece so we can go to school on your experience. Good stuff.
_________________
*****************

"I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

tootype2crazy · Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:47 pm Post subject:

Well I took a piece of cardboard and laid it over the offending hole, pushing it into the shape that I wanted it. I then trimmed that up the size it should be. I took that shape and traced it onto some sheet metal and cut it out with a cutting torch. I then laid that sheet metal over the hole and hammered on it in the middle with a chisel and a punch until it went down in between the pipes. Once that middle section was shaped I hammered the rest with a ball peen hammer until it was shaped. To get the detail on where it will be near the seams I used an old screwdriver to put a little notch in. Lastly I used vice grips to make it hold nice and close the the pipes. It took about 1 hour.
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

SGKent · Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 5:13 pm Post subject:

we rebuilt our heater boxes too. They look really good when cleaned up and painted. You will be happy with your work when you are done.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

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

It would be nice to have some preformed pieces to use where the header pipes enter. I am sure there is some off the shelf item out there somewhere that would do.

Gerson · Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:13 pm Post subject:

what would people pay for some nice repair sections????how many people out there need this repair?????just some basic questions to get an idea... Very Happy

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that's not patina, that's fucking rust man!!!!

we (klassicfab) make the funky green panels...........

1975 Kombi · Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:00 pm Post subject:

Hey Gerson can you stamp stainless and develop a way to fold over the sides on the top half to make it fit together with minimal work. As far as I know the original exchangers were made better than the new repros. Personally I would love stamped sections. Maybe stainless rivets to secure them. Thanks for your time.
_________________
Brett

“He’s decieving you boy! Reach into his pocket and take what he’s got.” Mr. Crabbs.

75 Westy auto
03 Jetta TDI
71 SB
74 Westy
Licensed pilot (single engine land VFR)
--
Rust In Pieces: 72 Bug, 73 Bug, 81 Rabbit LS D 2D, 83 Rabbit D 2D, 84 Jetta TD GL, 85 Jetta D, 68 Z28 RS 302, 91 Passat 16v

bigbore · Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:32 pm Post subject:

I do the same for type one heater box's I even take the tin all off repair the tin and end where the muffler mounts to and put the covers back on. man it would be nice to have some new proper steel covers to put on.
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where its cold and snowy

tootype2crazy · Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:40 pm Post subject:

Yeah I would definitely pay for new steel covers, especially if they were stainless steel. Man wouldn't that be awesome? Rust-free, stainless heat-producing perfection! I would pay at least as much as the Dansk repros which one can find at busdepot.com for $300.
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

1975 Kombi · Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:12 pm Post subject:

MalibuLX3 · Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:30 pm Post subject:

Hmmmm, kind of makes me wish I didn't toss out my rusted out OG heater boxes 6 years ago...
_________________
1978 Westfalia

vw76westy · Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:32 pm Post subject:

the thought of
"stainless steel covers"

has me licking my chops
_________________
order your BAY WINDOW T-SHIRT here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1526918

quote from bay window bus buyers guide........
The Type 4 engine is considered by many to be VW's finest air-cooled motor,

1975 Kombi · Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:41 pm Post subject:

tootype2crazy · Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:16 pm Post subject:

So I got the piece I made brazed on here it is:

Next I moved on to the hole on the bottom which was not as big, have a look:

Now this piece was a real bear to make. the way it angles in relation to the direction of the pipes made it very tricky.

But with a little elbow grease it fits like a glove.

Stay tuned for more!
_________________
air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

curtis4085 · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:21 pm Post subject:

more pics please.. keep em coming
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Special Thanks to:
Headflow Masters - Vista, CA
www.headflowmasters.com

Hoody · Samba Member Joined: November 28, 2007 Posts: 1948

Nice Job!

thewalrus · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:54 am Post subject:

ddwbeagles · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:54 am Post subject:

Well done and a mod that we all are going to have to do at some point or pony up for the cheap repos. 76Westy is our resident electrolisis expert and could share his secret on putting a rust free shine on that project once complete. Anyway, well done!

Gerson, you asked about $. Even with a huge mark-up to cover your tooling, these clam chell covers or split halves would have to be far cheaper than the $250 - 300 replacements. There is cerainly a market. While you're retooling, add complete engine tins to the list - stainless even......and smile all the way to the bank. You'd be flooded with orders.

.......then start thinking about Vanagons, as there really isn't a decent US provider for most of their sheet metal. These too are starting to age and are in need of your services.

Finally, update that damn site of yours. It's been in construction status for a year now. Make it easy for us to spend our coin Laughing

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David W - from Chesterfield, VA / Jefferson SD / Stephens City, VA in that order.

71 Ghia Coupe autostick
78 Westy
86 Vanagon Weekender


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My heat exchanger restoration project updated 10-1-11
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