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Small Car Performance - I'm #10 on the list
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Atadloco
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 5:36 am    Post subject: Small Car Performance - I'm #10 on the list Reply with quote

Living in the northeast, my Westy lives in the barn for the winter months. Too much salt covers the road that'll get into all the cracks and crevasses to create a 2 1/2 ton petri dish of rust.

Winter is a good time to have the Westy ripped apart, last winter was the Subie 2.5 install and a few other misc items. We are heading west for a month for summer of 2014. Last time we drove to Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming, we were in our 83 air cooled Westy. Crossing the mid section of the US (at 55mph during the worst heat wave in years), was... interesting.

So now that I can cruise at 70, the heat will still be an issue. Small Car has an in dash AC system to give some relief on to 90+ days/nights. I'm number 10 on the waiting list, and that'll be my winter project this year. I may even install for nifty new gauges while I have the dash taken out.

Besides greasing the wiper components, anything else I should update or inspect while I have the dash out? I've read a few peoples write ups on how to remove the dash, looks pretty straight forward.

Enjoy!!
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unibagel
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

replace the heater core, blower fan and add some sound deadening!
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vw7266
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That looks like a cool set up id spend the money on it myself if it works as good as it sounds
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rubbachicken
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

you might want to clean all the grounds while you can get at them
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BillM
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

unibagel wrote:
replace the heater core, blower fan and add some sound deadening!


The new a/c is also heat and will replace the core along with the fan.
The sound proofing is a good idea though.
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Howesight
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

While the dash is out, replace your windshield washer nozzles with upgraded ones and replace the washer fluid hoses. This can only be done with the dash out and the heater box removed.

If there is any slop in your brake pedal or clutch pedal assembly, the dash-out time is perfect for removing and repairing the brake/clutch cluster.

For both these jobs, take "before" pictures. There are limited ways in which to install the washer hoses without fouling against wiper mechanism parts. Ask me how I know.

BTW, if you are installing insulation to prevent "Vanagon hot foot", this is also a good time to do so.
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Atadloco
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome tips! What type of sound proofing/deadening works well.
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This? http://www.smallcar.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=62

Do a Google search for Blake Heinlein Vanagon AC install on Google. He used a Vintage air unit. Others here and I have done the same for way less money. A few other Samba members including my self have done this install. It is a perfect winter project. I did ours in stages to keep the van usable as much as possible starting with the interior first. Unless you are not able to hold a screw driver, you can do this yourself. The only assistance I had was the final crimp on the AC hoses once I had them routed. The local hydraulic hose shop, crimped them for free. AC rocks on cross country summer trips.
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Atadloco
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No no.. the 4k I believe (hope) includes the install. I'll be doing the install myself, so this is what I'll be purchasing.
www.smallcar.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=29991

rsxsr wrote:
This? http://www.smallcar.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=62

Do a Google search for Blake Heinlein Vanagon AC install on Google. He used a Vintage air unit. Others here and I have done the same for way less money. A few other Samba members including my self have done this install. It is a perfect winter project. I did ours in stages to keep the van usable as much as possible starting with the interior first. Unless you are not able to hold a screw driver, you can do this yourself. The only assistance I had was the final crimp on the AC hoses once I had them routed. The local hydraulic hose shop, crimped them for free. AC rocks on cross country summer trips.
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bluebus86
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

you should also take apart the ventilation box that has the aircontrol flappers inside (these move with the dash control levers to direct the air to the different vents or turn off the outside air)

over time the rubber/foam material that is used to seal a closed vent shrinks, tears or degrades, if it ain't happened yet, it will. if the fresh air flaps dont seal, then you will always have outside air forced in the van whilest the van is moving forward, you can get some pretty cold air coming in there when it is cold outside, and there is no way to shut it off.

so replace them flap seals when it is apart, that is the only way to replace them, a neoprene material should last a lot longer than stock (wet suit material).
if you dont replace them now, you may find yourself doing the job over again, else you have to live with leaky cold air entering the van. in the summer on hot days, hot air will enter thru here also, and if you cant shut it off, then your new AC will have to work harder to keep you cool.

I still have not replaced mine, as I dont have the down time to pull the dash.

you may also want to replace the heater hose that is only really accesable when this is all apart. after all if it is original, it is likey pretty soft by now and could fail.
I replaced all my water hoses except for the one that i cant get to with out pulling the dash.

I need to find time to pull my dash just for these two items, i enjoyed reading the other suggestions of what to do while the dash is out.

maybe we need a sticky of this post, so that we all can benifit from the knowledge of others on what should be done when the dash is out. this will save many folks like me a lot of wasted time, if it allows us to do the job once, and be good for the second 30 years of the van's life


PS consider renaming this thread from number ten on the small car list to something like "What to Replace Whilest the Dash is Removed" this will help people searching for this kind of info, in finding this thread faster.
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There already is a thread on this topic: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=265457&sid=c3ea378640f8d0f361d2ed849d503c3a
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pedrokrusher
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
PS consider renaming this thread from number ten on the small car list to something like "What to Replace Whilest the Dash is Removed" this will help people searching for this kind of info, in finding this thread faster.


IMHO it should be something like this:

"Front air conditioning install, Small Car option"

Because of all the picks coming later with the install... Or what I believe it will be...
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