Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

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SlowLane
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Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by SlowLane » Fri Oct 21, 2011 8:26 pm

The previous owner of my Westy had installed a '74 muffler on it, and of course had "clearanced" the down-pipes feeding the heater boxes just in front of the muffler with a sledgehammer. Now I have the factory exhaust, and plenty of clearance for original downtubes.

I've tried to push them back into shape, but I don't have the tools or leverage to do a reasonable job.

Anyone got a pair of these to spare? Or even just the left side one? Now that I'm in California, the only ones I can find in the junkyards are fo CA-spec vans.

Thanks,
Lyle
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
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wanderer
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by wanderer » Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:33 am

Check out Avery's Air-Cooled out of Woodland Washington.800-458-5852. Lot's upon lot's of air-cooled parts and pieces.Great prices and fast shipping. So far; the items I bought from them have made me a happy customer.

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airkooledchris
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by airkooledchris » Sat Oct 22, 2011 2:13 pm

do you have a picture showing the piece you need by chance? I might have something in my stash from my now gone 81 but im not totally clear on what you mean by downtube.
1979 California Transporter

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SlowLane
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by SlowLane » Sat Oct 22, 2011 8:35 pm

airkooledchris wrote:do you have a picture showing the piece you need by chance? I might have something in my stash from my now gone 81 but im not totally clear on what you mean by downtube.
No photo. Sorry, I couldn't think of a better name than downpipe, 'cause the fresh air from the fan gets pushed down these pipes/ducts into the heat exchangers. They live between the rear tin and the heater boxes themselves. The plastic ducts above the rear tin slip over the top part of these ducts.

Hope that's descriptive enough. I can take photos tomorrow.

Thanks
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett

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airkooledchris
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by airkooledchris » Sat Oct 22, 2011 10:05 pm

ill wait to see pics for sure, but I might have em. I certainly have the heater boxes themselves, so Ill be able to at least test connect them to be sure.
1979 California Transporter

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SlowLane
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by SlowLane » Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:54 pm

Here's a picture. It's the squashed rusty tube between the fan housing and the muffler.
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'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett

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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by Lanval » Thu Nov 03, 2011 1:49 am

Contact Interstate Used Parts; they have what you need. You may need to help them identify the exact piece.

Here's the link: http://www.interstateusedparts.com/

Best,

Michael L

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airkooledchris
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by airkooledchris » Thu Nov 03, 2011 9:20 am

I got my box of aircooled vanagon bits down a moment ago and took a quick pic.

I think you want that item second from the left:

Image



is the far left one just the one from the passenger side?
1979 California Transporter

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SlowLane
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by SlowLane » Thu Nov 03, 2011 6:24 pm

Thanks for doing that Chris. Looks like yours got the hammer treatment as well. Mine look about like that when I have them out. Yes, I think the far left one could very well be for the passenger side

Lyle
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett

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airkooledchris
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by airkooledchris » Thu Nov 03, 2011 7:30 pm

If your worried because yours is 'flat' in that middle section - it's like that from the factory.

I can get you a better picture of it if you want, but it's definitely a factory shape. If yours connects cleanly to the top of the heater box, it's fine the way it is.

I can show you this one connected to a heater box, as I have mine and they are in perfect shape.
1979 California Transporter

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SlowLane
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by SlowLane » Thu Nov 03, 2011 10:31 pm

Oh, it connects fine top and bottom, but I know it's been "clearanced" to fit the '74 muffler. There's no way it came from the factory with its current shape.

I'll be pulling the crossover off soon to install new gaskets. I'll take more pics then, and maybe take another stab at unsquashing that tube.

Thanks again.
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett

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SlowLane
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by SlowLane » Thu Nov 03, 2011 10:42 pm

Lanval wrote:Contact Interstate Used Parts; they have what you need. You may need to help them identify the exact piece.

Here's the link: http://www.interstateusedparts.com/

Best,

Michael L
Thank you, Michael. But wouldn't this SoCal business have mostly Cal-spec parts? The Federal and Cal-spec tubes on the driver's side are quite different. Ref. Bentley page 26.2 vs 26.4
Lyle
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett

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airkooledchris
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Re: Wanted: heater "downpipes" for '81 Federal model

Post by airkooledchris » Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:27 am

if every bus and van sold in CA stayed in CA and no FED models were ever brought across the border, then sure, but that is rarely the case.
most of the busses and vans I come across in the yards here in nor-cal are federal models.

anyway, if the tip of yours has been bashed and isn't useable, Ive got a good one. the section in the center of them is flat on purpose though.
1979 California Transporter

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