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What are these filled holes for on my Thing?
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ncpi
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 1:31 pm    Post subject: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

I am going to send my 1973 Thing to re-paint back to its native orange. Its missing the gas heater. I would like to install one and will have to find all the parts...I'm Sure Michael Basso can help Smile

Anyway...these holes/openings were fiberglassed and filled. I assume they are related to the heater, but can anyone explain what they are for? Id like to open them up prior to re-paint. Anyone have any good pics of this area with and without the gas heater installed?

Under left front fender in the wheel well
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Inside the trunk on the left side where the fiberglass is filled/painted
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


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


Rear of the trunk where the fiberglass is filled/painted
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
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Semper_Dad
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 2:41 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

All of the fiber-glassed holes are heater related. The one in the fender is for the exhaust. The one under the dash is the hot air discharge of the heater.

I believe Mike has an entire complete kit for around $750
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ncpi
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 4:38 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

Semper_Dad wrote:
All of the fiber-glassed holes are heater related. The one in the fender is for the exhaust. The one under the dash is the hot air discharge of the heater.

I believe Mike has an entire complete kit for around $750


Thanks! I just saw that package Michael has. I have a bunch of stuff for the repaint I need to order from him anyway. Plus a big package is already on the way.

Trying to figure out if there are any other holes I need to open up before it's painted.
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Dougster43
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 10:01 am    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

As you have identified, there are 3 large holes between the "frunk" and the cabin. All three or these have rubber rings seals (like giant grommets) to seal against the heater components:

1. The hole that is to the left of the steering column coming through the sheet metal above the footwell is the intake for the heater, which pulls the air from the cabin to heat it.

2. There is another hole in that same orientation toward the center of the car. This is where the heated air is returned to the cabin in normal operation.

3. The third large hole is on the vertical rear wall of the frunk. This would be for the connection to the windshield defrost ducts. The outlet of the heater has a flapper plate inside of it that would be operated by the defrost select lever that would be in the dash on the left end of the glove box. In the normal position, that flapper would direct the heated air primarily to the downward facing outlet to heat the footwell (an burn your leg - these things are hot!!!), IN the other position it forces some of the air up into the defrost ducts to blow on the windshield. If you don't have the defrost ducts they will be very hard to find - I know Mike may have some that are somewhat crusty. They are made of a heavy cardboard so you can imagine they don't last. I coated mine with epoxy. Here is a picture of what they look like. You will also need a connecting elbow from the heater to the defrost ducts.

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


If you don't have the defrost ducts, you could clock off the upper pathway in the heater and just have the part that blows into the footwell. This would eliminate the need for the defrost selector lever and flapper control cable.

There are actually 2 holes through the frunk into the fender well. The one you show is for the heater exhaust. That hole would get a high temperature silicon seal on it (Mike should have these). The other hole is for the combustion air intake pipe, which would sit further back at the top of the fender well. This normally would have a welded cover on it on the inside top of the fender well which would stub up into the frunk to connect the intake hose to. The intake hose has a "T" piece in it. The other side of the "T" goes to a tube that would be stubbed up in the frunk to the left of the gas tank. These pictures may help:
Here are the holes and intake cover on the inside of the fender well
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


This shows some of the connections and holes in the frunk
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Here is an overview of the installed heater (just missing the thermostat in this picture)
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


You will also need a hole of the wiring harness behind the heater. That may be there already as it also is normally used for the wire to the fuel tank sender. There would be another hole in the back top left of the frunk for the temperature control cable to run through to go the thermostat. The only other holes that I can think of are a hole for the gas line and wiring to go between the heater and the fuel pump and the 4 mounting holes in the frunk floor for the heater body itself.

Hopefully that helps. I probably made it sound way more complicated than it is.
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ncpi
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 10:48 am    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

Thanks! The pics and your write up are invaluable. I didn't find that hole/opening (yet) on the left side of the steering column (your item 1) and I don't have that vertical pipe (combustion air intake pipe). Is that pipe welded in place?

I don't have the ductwork for the defroster either. Mike only seems to have one side available.

There's a lot to do here to put a heater back in, but if I am going to do it I need to do it now before I send it off for painting. Probably approaching $1K by the time I get done so I have to figure out if its worth having a working heater Smile
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Dougster43
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 3:36 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

Yes that pipe is welded in place - both the intake pipe that passes through the fender well and the other pipe that is welded to the sheet metal by the gas tank.
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ncpi
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 4:50 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

Dougster43 wrote:
Yes that pipe is welded in place - both the intake pipe that passes through the fender well and the other pipe that is welded to the sheet metal by the gas tank.


Oh, I missed that other welded one. Once I zoomed in on the pic I could see it. So six holes, two with welded pipes...not including where wires pass.
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jakokombi
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 5:23 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

If price is a factor, you might consider one of the Chinese diesel heaters. I have installed one in bus with good results.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=727273&highlight=chinese

The Chinese heater is a knockoff of an expensive European heater but can be had for $150.
Here is a thread where one was fitted to a Thing.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=688692&highlight=heater

The main issue, I think, is that you would have to have a small (1gallon or so) diesel tank on board.
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ncpi
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 6:50 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

jakokombi wrote:
If price is a factor, you might consider one of the Chinese diesel heaters. I have installed one in bus with good results.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=727273&highlight=chinese

The Chinese heater is a knockoff of an expensive European heater but can be had for $150.
Here is a thread where one was fitted to a Thing.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=688692&highlight=heater

The main issue, I think, is that you would have to have a small (1gallon or so) diesel tank on board.


Thanks, I appreciate knowing about the options. Realistically, I don't absolutely need a heater, I'd be doing this more for originality... although I probably would use it in late fall if I put one in.
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Dougster43
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 7:04 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

ncpi wrote:
Dougster43 wrote:
Yes that pipe is welded in place - both the intake pipe that passes through the fender well and the other pipe that is welded to the sheet metal by the gas tank.


Oh, I missed that other welded one. Once I zoomed in on the pic I could see it. So six holes, two with welded pipes...not including where wires pass.


Correct - 6 holes, 2 with welded pipes excluding wiring, gas line, thermostat control cable, and heater mounting holes.
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Dougster43
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 7:05 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

I'll be glad to take more pictures if you have questions.
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ncpi
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2021 6:45 am    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

Dougster43 wrote:
I'll be glad to take more pictures if you have questions.


Thanks, much appreciated. I think the ones you provided might be enough. I have to decide if its worth the energy and $$$ to put the heater back in.
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vwwestyman
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 6:56 am    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

For whatever it's worth, my Thing doesn't have a top at all, but does have a working gas heater. It is pretty nice to be able to crank that thing up in the morning/evening of the spring and fall, and thereby extend my driving season.

The diesel heaters are also very nice (Chinese or Espar/Webasto) but don't put out the BTUs or overall airflow of the original Eberspacher. (I'm 89% sure that is an accurate statement.)
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jakokombi
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 4:17 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

vwwestyman wrote:
For whatever it's worth, my Thing doesn't have a top at all, but does have a working gas heater. It is pretty nice to be able to crank that thing up in the morning/evening of the spring and fall, and thereby extend my driving season.

The diesel heaters are also very nice (Chinese or Espar/Webasto) but don't put out the BTUs or overall airflow of the original Eberspacher. (I'm 89% sure that is an accurate statement.)


My experience would say you are 100% correct Very Happy
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 11, 2023 5:49 am    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

Dougster43 wrote:
I'll be glad to take more pictures if you have questions.


Finally got the Thing back from the paint shop, Working on installing the heater and have found I still have mounting holes plugged. Anyone have a pic of the def/heat lever mounting (from the back side where it mounts and rotates)?

Thanks,
Bill
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Dougster43
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2023 5:01 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

Hi, Bill. I didn't have any that I took during the restoration, but I just opened up the dash and took this one. I have a radio panel in my Thing, so the defrost lever comes out the slot in the front of the dash instead of in the glove box side slot. The mounting is the same.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
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ncpi
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2023 6:44 pm    Post subject: Re: What are these filled holes for on my Thing? Reply with quote

Dougster43 wrote:
Hi, Bill. I didn't have any that I took during the restoration, but I just opened up the dash and took this one. I have a radio panel in my Thing, so the defrost lever comes out the slot in the front of the dash instead of in the glove box side slot. The mounting is the same.


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


Thanks, that exactly what i needed to see. I couldn't figure out how the bellcrank is mounted and retained. There was a lot of fiberglass cloth covering the slot for the lever and for the indicator on the dash.

...Bill
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