1967 VW Variant.

Funnily enough, its not schultz, but when I get the channels done, if in doubt I will always cut it out.

Off out now to sort out a nice slim chisel for a bit of slicing.

I know them only too well. I became acquainted with them when I broke all of them when I fell asleep at the wheel on a homeward journey, and hit an oak tree.

I replaced the bent beam. Well it had a 4 " right angle at the end of it, so there was no disputing it was bent. And then I made throwing knives from some of the short lengths of broken leafs. Great stuff alright.

I didn,t need the chisel after, as I cut 95% of the heater channel out. If in doubt then **** it out.

Current state of play before I trial fit the new channel. I need to remove the end section of the old channel before any trial fit.

As you can see from the pics, the only salvageable piece of the heater channel is the heater tube, and the front control section to direct heat up to the windscreen defrosters.. The pics show the little tabs holding in the heater tube. Both of which I am keeping as the flap control is functioning perfectly.

The base of the heater box was well rusted out.

Yep, I think I got to it just in time before any damage to the floor pan luckily enough. I also increased the thickness of the heater channel section material from 1mm to 1.2 mm and galvanised. So there is a major improvement.

I chose to salvage the mounting plates from the bottom of the rusty heater channel. Reason being the fact that they are a long plate increases the clamping force of the clamping bolt. Thats a good thing. the

other option I had was t o use flange nuts, and weld them in from the inside of the new channel. As the name suggests a flange nout has a wider flange around one face of the nut facilitate welding. As the originals were good, I went with them and welded them in.

I cut out the remaining piece of the heater channel to make things more accessible.

I placed the channel into the position for it, marked it for the mounting bolts, drilled it and welded them in

Once i had the template for the secondary outer cill I needed to check that it fitted around the heater tube, and also fitted inside the outer cill. Once that was done, it was onwards and upwards.

Job done. Next thing is to make 2 panels one for each side.

That outer cill panel you see in the last picture is the only panel available to buy for this car. Its a pressed panel from a modern factory that makes only cill panels and nothing else, in europe. You cannot buy wings, doors, bulkhead panels , front clips , inner clips at all. Unless you are lucky enough to buy either NOS that comes up now and again, or a second hand stock of parts. Its a complete hit and miss affair..

When i was doing the white fastback I had to make all my panel requirements, big and small . From the largest wing sections, to the front bottom clips as well. On this squareback I was lucky enough to source the 2 front clip panesl which saved me a lot of work. But then having to make the two front bulkhead panels set me back. And now having to make the complete heater channel sections, except the outer rocker cover, was something I didn't bargain for, but I'm working through it now. Any of the remaining panels towards the rear I have already made for the other car, so there wont be any more surprises for me. So I cant take any credit for making the outer pressed panel for this one, although I made them for the other because they were unavailable at the time.

Heater channel I made for the last fastback that I drive.

Finally got the inner cill cover made. And after a few checks to make sure there was sufficient clearance between all the components, I checked and double checked again.

Trial fitting the piece onto the heater channel for clearence

Then it was fitted into the external cill to make sure that it was ok.

Then it had to be checked to make sure that the pan fitting bolts did not stop the heater ducting from fitting the channel.

And i had to make sure that the components would have enough freedom from the heater ducting.

And now we are nearly ready to weld in the heater tabs on the tube, the end socket on the tube. And then weld it in .All went well so thats a good day. I might have enough gas to weld on the tabs but then will have to get a re fill.

Nearly all the pics are on my imgur account, over 1000 of them. And some on a photobucket account too.

I assume you want me to clarify that for you, thats no problem. If you look down below the tube along the bottom of the square section, you will see a horizontal threaded pointed bolt. This bolt actually comes up from the bottom of the floor pan, and towards the heater duct pipe. That view is just to assure me that I have clearance to clear the pipe if i install it in the square section at that point. And I do thankfully.

If I install the tube too close to the square section, then I risk hitting the pipe with the floor pan bolt up through the bottom