Drivers
Side Done.This page may take a while to load.
Heater Channel Replacement Article
by dragenwagen
copyright 2002
Page 12
*Disclaimer* This really isn't a how to. This is merely a collection of my thoughts and pictures. If you decide to undertake replacing the heater channels in your Beetle, then it is up to you to decide if you are capable of this task. You accept all risks involved in this endeavor. I am in no way responsible for your actions or your results. I am not responsible if you get killed, hurt, injured, squashed, burned, maimed, disfigured, burn your house down, accidental amputation of body parts, snoring, bed wetting, nightmares, drunk and disorderly conduct, profuse swearing or any other unforeseen natural or unnatural act for which I have no control over. Basically you take what I say or any of my pictures as merely reference material or entertainment material. Please do not use my pictures or my articles as I have written this and I am the owner of this article and all that which is contained in it. All pictures are mine. If you would like to link to them or use them in any way please email me and ask first.
Drivers
Side Done.
In this last series of pictures I have place the body back on the pan one more time. I noticed
that without the engine in that it looks way too high in the rear. I will need to readjust the rear spring plates
to bring the rear down some. The front beam is set at its highest point, and I have a new beam to install still.
But as you can tell I have gotten my first heater channel in place. Not bad for a first time try. I laid the old
rusted out heater channel next to the car to show the difference. I am amazed at the difference in the way it looks.
It was some hard work but it all paid off in the results. I went ahead and put some seam sealer on the inside if
the front quarter. I will paint this area over again to further seal out any moisture that may try to get at my
repairs. The inside rear quarter panel is completed also. It is sealed and painted, but it too will get another
coat of paint along with the rest of the interior
| Drivers Side Finished |
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| Old Heater Channel Replaced |
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| This was well worth all the work. |  |
| Not too shabby for a first time repair. |  |
| I decided to add a little extra seam sealer to the front. |  |
| This was one rusty heater channel. |  |
| Now to tackle the passenger side. This side doesn't seem to be as rusty as the drivers side. So hopefully what
I learned from doing the drivers side, the passenger side wont be as difficult to do. Stay Tuned for further updates. |
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| 8 Aug, 2004 Time has passed. Almost 2 years. the 69 project has been put on hold. But the repairs have held up! Since I replaced the drivers side heater channel, I have been deployed to the desert - ahhhhh military life - aint it great? So no work got done. Then I returned from that hellish place and got orders to move... : ( I had to put the '69 back together and tow it almost 700 miles. It made the trip with only one minor incident. I was towing the '66 behind a U-Haul and my wife was towing the '69 behind our van. Well she got boxed inbetween a couple 18 wheelers and she ran over a blown out truck tire. OUCH! No damage to the van, but the truck tire got kicked up under the '69 and it bent up the front passenger side fender and running board. The only other thing was one of the rear bearings finally seated its self and the rear hub was a little loose. My schedule is pretty busy and I have not had time to work on the '69, so it sits filled with boxes of parts. Also, I no longer have a garage - big : ( . But I do need to get out and finish this thing. My '66 is a daily driver, so I still get to enjoy at least one aircooled classic car! BTW the weather sucks here - The humidity is horrible, and the '69 sits outside and the cheap $20 bumpers I put on the '69 are rusted to hell. I knew that would happen. But they were cheap replacements until I can get the expensive ones. |
Over the years I have gotten many responses on how helpful it has all been. To those brave enough to tackle a
heater channel replacement...good job. For those wanting to try to save their beetle... give it a try.!
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