Front foot well heater vent installation

[davidw99]

After restoring my '73 Super ten years ago I finally decided to install the plastic heater vents and flaps in the front foot wells. I quickly figured out why I hadn't done it before. The after market rockers and heat channels are not flat on the top and the plastic vent does not fit on. The space between the top edge of the vent and the plastic that holds the flap is only about 1 - 2 mm. The metal on the heater channel has a couple of minor bends, probably for strength, but they require a gap of about 4 mm on the vent. Has anyone else experienced this problem and how did you handle it? I don't think cutting the plastic is an option because the only thing to cut would be the plastic tab that holds the flap. I'm thinking about trying to bend the metal so it's flat. I would be interested in learning how anyone else has dealt with this.
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Dave

'73 Saturn Yellow Sports Bug that has undergone a full pan off restoration. "Herbert IV."

'67 Sedan. "Bellamy." Currently being "refreshed" and recently repainted.

[green1303]

I have the JP Group so-called "deluxe" heater channels. They have the correct metal thickness and fit the space, but the stamping on the rear inlet and floor outlet of the heater duct is bad. It needs to be bent a lot to accept the plastic vent, and I think that I will need to trim the bottom of the vent. It's still on my to-do list. A few other details are minor. The weld nuts are not as good and not perfectly aligned, and the screw and drain holes are missing. If I restore another Super Beetle, then I'll spend the money on Memminger heater channels from Germany.
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1973 green Super Beetle