Is the heater channel welded to the front firewall panel ?

[keegs]

1966 Beetle Sedan Restoration project.

I haven't been able to confirm whether the front face of the heater channel is welded to the outer wall of the front firewall panel. If it is I'll need to cut and peel back the inner firewall panel for access and obviously I don't want to cut anymore than I have to. The car is still mostly on the chassis and access to the outer firewall area from outside the car is too difficult. The heater channel has been separated from the flange on the inner firewall panel.

I'm using the "bugme video" method of partially separating the body from the chassis. I think this will make the chassis-body bolt alignment check a lot easier.

TIA

[67_13Deluxe]

Pictures would help in this case to see what exactly is going on. You can get to the front outer firewall by removing the gas tank. Im not sure what you have off the vehicle now.
_________________
If you can't dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with your bullsh*t.

56 Beetle - Wilbur. I found a lot of lipstick on this pig so far.
63 Beetle - Luna
66 13 window Bus - Tetanus
71 Bay Window - Lola. Totaled.

[TDCTDI]

No, the leading edge of the heater channel is not welded to the bulkhead.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[keegs]

I have the the tank out and can get access from the top and from the side (wheel well area) but it's pretty tight. It may look like it but there are no holes in that outer panel sheet metal but there is surface rust in spots. I scraped at it with a putty knife. Could be spot welds on the other side that are oxidizing but that's a wag.

Did they typically weld that front face of the heater channel to the outer panel of the front firewall? TIA

[TDCTDI]

Here’s my ongoing thread where I replaced the heater channels...

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728610&highlight=der

_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[keegs]

[keegs]

and thanks for the link to your thread... this will be a big assist for me going forward.