I have just gotten back into VWs after 30 plus years and have found your channel immensely helpful and entertaining. I had a 71 squareback and just recently bought a 67 Beetle. Watching your videos has given me a lot of good tips and how to move forward with the project. Thank you!
@@paulramer5003 thank you very much Paul for taking the time to leave a comment. I truly appreciate that. I really enjoyed doing the videos, knowing that they will help some folks out. Good luck on your 67, what a unique year to find. I would’ve loved to have had a square back, but I have not yet. I’ve had 12 beetles now. I should’ve bought a square back when the prices were still reasonable. Thank you for being here. I truly appreciate it.
Just a comment on the durability of JB Weld-- I had blown out part of an exhaust manifold gasket on my 70 Maverick and it was loud as hell. I didn't have the finances or tools to pull that manifold off and re gasket it so I made a "roll it up into a worm and stuff the gap" patch with JB Weld, and that sucker held for 10 years with no issues whatsoever. Hot summer/cold winter, never loosened a bit under full engine exhaust pressure.
Oh I believe that it worked quite well jorg, honestly I love JB Weld. I have used it for multiple things. If I showed more budget videos on everything I did with JB Weld, I think everyone would be shocked lol I hope you’ve had a great day.
I originally drove a VW for economic reasons , then because they were so fun to drive , but I still look at low cost per mile , i'd like to save money also !
The new heat boxes make much less heat because they have less fins inside, also would bet my house they won't last half as long as the originals did 30, 40 years plus!
I have a 1971 Super Beetle. I learned this from a friend while working on rebuilding real airplanes. If you want Epoxy, fiberglass or JB welder to be glass smooth without sanding, place a piece of wax paper or packaging tape over the material while it is drying and use a piece of plastic or old credit card to press down and smooth out the material. Once the tape is removed the surface will be smooth as glass. I have used this over Bondo multiple times and it really saves time as it also helps molding the Bondo over the surfaces. Great video, thanks!
Thank you Raymond! I appreciate you chiming in with extra tips. Oddly enough I did try that once with Bondo, I put wax paper over and slightly greased the outer side and smoothed it out by hand. It really made a huge difference! Much less work after that. Merry Christmas my friend.
I so glad I found you. You show and explain what you are doing clearly, assuming we don’t know anything. Thank you…cuz I don’t know anything…thank you loads!
Thank you very much Jane, I truly appreciate the kind words! I just try to do what I think is right, and help others. I also created a Facebook group, slades VW community. It’s been a lot of fun so far. Don’t forget, to keep check on the community tab here, sometimes on Friday nights I have a live chat at 8 PM Eastern time which is a lot of fun. I always announce it on Thursdays here.
Hi, I know this is kind of an old video but I just wanted to say I really like how you explain everything for beginners, especially tricks like this for people who don't have special eqipment or a lot of experience. I don't have a welder and have no clue how to even weld! I have a 1972 Super Beetle I'm trying to restore. I'm completely new to this and I'm working on it a little at a time the best I can. Your videos are definitely going to be a big help!
@@ct6502c thank you very much for the kind words. I always hope these videos help other folks out that with this channel is all about. And I’m glad to see it has become a big hit.
jB weld is great, makes sense. My opinion on the second channel is, do what you two are passionate about, whatever that might be, cooking, DYI , travel, I think that’s why Your VW channel works, you can tell You really care about VWs and it’s a passion.
Thank you my friend I truly appreciate your opinion on the next channel. Or should I say the extra channel lol we are definitely writing down ideas I think it will be a lot of fun for us to do it together. I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
I had a '68 Beetle, it was my first car in the early 80s. The heater boxes were, of course, rusted out. There was a street that would pool with water whenever we had a heavy rain, and I would fly down the hill in my Beetle and hit the pool of water and just skate across it. Then my windows would become absolutely covered with steam from those leaky heater boxes. I had a total of 5 Beetles, and I really want to own one again.
Hi Erik, theres a few on the marketplace, and craiglist. I do so love these cars! I truly hope you find one. I did a few videos, on what to look for on them before purchasing!
Great work fixing the outside and protecting it from further rust. I’m surprised you didn’t do anything to treat the inside, especially so that the flap mechanism works smoothly and closes completely.
Thanks Slade great video bin looking forward to this one. O hope you have some brushes under that tree for the little woman.😂😂😂😂 see ya on the next one.
Thank you Doug! I like doing budget fixes I just don’t film that money I didn’t know if anyone was interested. I replace the brushes, and I did get caught. 🤦🏼♂️😁😂
Been looking forward to this video as it’s freezing in Scotland right now. Didn’t disappoint. Ordering up the JB weld and mesh straight away! Keep up the good work.
@SladesVWBeetle I have the money for new ones,, but I'm not going to spend it on them.🤭🤫 .I'm going to fix The old ones this way... I have been thinking of a good salutation...I found it here...thanks
@@DonCatherman excellent! I hope it works out well for you although it should. I am the same way uncertain things I won’t spend money, depending on what it is. And heater boxes or one of them if they’re fixable. And also it seems like some of the new stuff don’t fit very well.
Hey Slade! Here a messeage from the other side of the Atlantic: the Netherlands. Very glad found your channel. It gives me loads of info, tips and tricks for my '73 1303S. Keep following you
Another great video from a great person... From many thousands of miles away I send you a sincere thank you. It would have been great if you showed how to remove the box from the car.. Now I have to figure it on my own.. All the best to you and your wife
I started cleaning the heater boxes and ended up dismantling them down... I thing they will look and perform much better after I repair, paint and assemble them. Thanks for your inspiration.
I really enjoyed this video. Great info on the heating system all tho I got rid of my boxes awhile back.😢 please replace Heather’s brushes 😂😂😂. LOVE THIS CHANNEL
Not stupid at all, it will be of great help for a lot of folks. You did a great job and thanks for sharing how you did it. Another way you can go and this is what I did, I looked into Facebook marketplace and you will find somebody selling the heaters. I bought a nice pair of heaters for 70 bucks, included one carburetor, air filter, heater hoses, alternator, and piston tins, all for 70 bucks. So keep searching and you will find them.
Thank you for being here my friend! I really enjoy saving money when possible, and you are right the marketplace helps out a lot. I hope you have a very wonderful weekend and a very merry Christmas.
Thanks for video its a good fix. I think theres a high temp jb weld or the regular jb weld handles more temp. Maybe header paint also. It can last a long time. Have a good one.
Yes, the stuff does work -- used it YEARS ago on my very first car -- '48 Chevy Fleetwood the block had a crack in it. Thanks for the Tip on using it to fix the Heater Boxes --- Rodney
I really like it, I think it works very well. They also sell an extreme heat JB Weld, but they didn’t have any local to me. Thank you for being a Rodney! I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
There are (thankfully) a lot of VW channels on RUclips. I enjoy yours because of your humor and how thoroughly you explain things and show it. I just bought the 25th anniversary of the late John Muirs "How to keep your Volkswagen alive" because of the inspiration from channel owners like yourself. I don't currently own a VW, but my first car was a 1960 type 1 (20 percent Bondo 😆) and I'm thinking maybe I'll find another type 1🫰. One can hope, eh? Btw, what (if any) year did the factory add a blower fan for the interior HVAC? Thanks for the content and time👍
Thank you Mike! I like doing budget fixes when possible, long as no one gets hurt lol merry Christmas to you my dear friend I hope you have a truly blessed holiday.
I don’t think this video was stupid. It actually mad me think of other ways to use jb weld. Was very good way to save some money being heater boxes are very expensive. Thanks for the great tips.
Thank you George I appreciate the kind comments. I use JB Weld, and probably 20 different ways lol I just feel ashamed sometimes to show these things, it always seems someone’s looking to say something ignorant. Oddly enough, everyone seem to approve of this budget fix. I hope you have a very merry Christmas my friend.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. It’s a cheap fix instead of buying new heater boxes when needed. Everybody is too quick to put new parts on all of the time. Thank you for being here.
That's a great repair! I was thinking about not having heat but it can be had easily now. Stole Heather's brush. Thought you would have learned your lesson with the towels.
Thank you my friend! It’s a cheap budget fix when needed! Yeah, she already notice the brush is gone. Do you have any room at your place for me? 😁 Merry Christmas my friend.
Of course that was a great tutorial. Not stupid at all. Cheep AND effective. I do love the new microphones. Your audio is so much cleaner. Glad you are using the towels that I threw in with the wheels. That was my small contribution to Heather. Channel Idea: you guys like your old movies. Do a spinoff of Mystery Science Theater 3000 except with your old movies. Peace Y'All and Merry Christmas 🎅🤶
Heather seen the towels, and said… my goodness what have you started with everybody lol she said there’s going to be wives coming after you. Lmao!! We love old movies, still gathering as many ideas as possible for our channel together. I’m really excited about it. I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
Great vid! I have a pair of heater boxes that are in need of repair and I'd start working on them tomorrow if I didn't have to pick up my in-laws at the airport. Merry Christmas! JD
Really good information. Mine doesn't have heater boxes, the previous owner either took them off or changed motors. Not too imprtant down here in South Florida. If we do have a cold day I just bundle up or wear an extra shirt. The audio was great no background noise at all, use them on the livestream. See you Sunday.
Now that was a fantastic video my friend. I was shocked how much they charge for new ones.. And no that was not a silly fix when most folks just wrap them in heat shield muffler tape . Great job I think they may last much longer than what you expect. You and Heather should interview each other. The Slade community would love to hear your story
Thank you my friend! I try to do budget fixes one possible. It really makes a difference. I’m testing out metal Bondo, but I don’t think many people will find I’m using lol and thank you for the tip on our next channel together. Or I should say or second channel.
Good job on patching video, sound was excellent. I use popsicle sticks to mix my JB weld and acid brushes to paint with. They are cheap and can throw away when done. I just mix the JB Weld 50-50 and what's left over on the cardboard, usually smudges, then leave the popsicle stick in it to test how it has cured up. Paint to preference, I used gray paint. Now my Dad's VW heater boxes, the J pipe, are both all rusted out. That would be another video changing that out.
Thank you so much my friend! OK I didn’t think of that, I’m going to grab a pack of popsicle sticks since I use stuff like that a lot. That was an excellent idea I so appreciate it! Plus I think Heather has a bunch of them in her craft room lol I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
That's a great fix ! At about 25:30 You mentioned not to seal the shield to the pipe that clamps to the muffler....why is that ? You said it needed to move a bit freely there ?
Moves slightly a little bit because you’re hooking those hoses up to it, which if it was welded to the exhaust J-tube it would not be able to move around to hook up your accordion style hose, and the adapter that comes from your ductwork. I hope that made sense.
If a VW heating system is intact it works great. I have a 78 and it will sweat you out and it's a convertible, and for most old convertibles the top doesn't seal like it did when it was new.
I normally don’t use them, especially with the engine that will be going in next. I can’t afford the larger sized ones. Plus I rarely use heat, I hide my car in the winter lol
I really like doing budget fixes my brother. Saves a lot of money. That’s sad that you disposed of some of them. But we all learn a little too late, at least I know I do!! I’ll notice a DIY video on house stuff and think, oh crap I should’ve done that lol
I had the JB weld concept, but didn’t know about leaving the pipe loose at the ends. Looks like it would loose a lot of air around those openings, but I get it. It needs to expand and contract. Thanks for sharing. Another great video as always. Merry Christmas to you and Heather.
I came here for a reason and i appreciate your method. Although i would like to mention that JB weld makes a product called steel stix and its essentially the same and i might use that option! im wondering after two years how did this option work for you?
Great video! But I have a question: At 25:09, you tell us that we shouldn't..." let this stick to this" meaning that the outer shell of the heater box should not be fastened to the inner j-tube. Then again at 25:27, you state that the outer shell should not be glued to the inner exhaust tube. You say that this inner tube should be able to move. What is the reason for this? It seems to me that those places could let warm air escape? What am I missing?
What I meant is the outer shell should be able to move slightly. The inner J tube to bolts up to the engine and exhaust system, and stays stationary. The outer shell, the part that we repaired. Moves slightly a little bit because you’re hooking those hoses up to it, which if it was welded to the exhaust J-tube it would not be able to move around to hook up your accordion style hose, and the adapter that comes from your ductwork. I hope that made sense.
Thank you for this video. My Daughter has a 1968 VW bug. I am trying to help her get heat into it. MY QUESTION before going through the trouble of this repair. is there a method to test the (J) channel that it is not compromised allowing exhaust fumes into the cabin?
You’re very welcome and thank you for being here. This is the method that I would use. Just cover one end, with tape, and then maybe find a friend that vapes? Unless you have some type of smoke machine. And blow smoke in there, and try to watch for it to escape out of the J pipe inside. Looking through the shell. I hope that made sense
well JB weld is a very good alternative for fixing those kind off problems. you can drill holes in it and even tread it for a bolt. very strong stuff. what i didn't know that it would hold on to rust. a great outcome for way less money like new once. well done my friend. a new channel with Heather? great idea and would fun to see.
Yes that JB Weld works quite well. I was trying to find the extreme heat JB Weld, but I couldn’t find any local to me. I hope you have a very merry Christmas my friend, and we are very excited about opening a second channel together.
I've used JB weld for body repairs and 4 wheeler/quad engine case oil leaks. I would probably use the regular not the quik version though. Takes a bit longer to harden, but I've heard that it's a bit stronger too
Absolutely I agree! That’s all I had on hand. I was trying to find a high heat JB Weld but I didn’t see any at my local stores. I think it’s called extreme heat.
Very helpful tip/how to video. When you were saying that the pipe inside the heater box is essentially just a J tube Is it the same inner diameter as an aftermarket J tube. People on the samba and VW Parts distributor seem to suggest that inch and three eights J tube which fits into the stock muffler are somehow bigger than the J pipes inside the heat exchangers Or somehow flow better than the heat exchangers do you know if the heat exchangers exhaust pipe is inch and 3/8 or of the same diameter as the typical J tube for an inch and 3H exhaust system?
Thank you for taking time to watch the budget video. I like doing budget fixes when possible. I’m not quite sure about the size of the heater boxes vs the J tubes that are aftermarket I will have to look into that. I’m going to run a 1 1/2 inch header, and I know they sell one and a half inch heat boxes but they’re too expensive for me.
I don't presume to know more than you, but a question. Why didn't you use a rust converter before the repair? You just removed surface rust, I've always been told if you repair over rust, it won't last. Thanx
Hey it’s all good! Using Ospho is what I normally use! So yes!! Great idea! I was basically just showing a cheap fix for the holes. But….yes!! You’re right!!
A project I am curious about would be taking stock heater boxes, cut open the *shell* and somehow swap out the inner *J* pipes and upgrade to 1 5/8ths *J* pipes to match a 15/8 exhaust headers...a save $$$ on those aftermarket big bore heater boxes!
I never tried to use header wrap on a heater box. I think it might be a little difficult. With the shape of it. I usually was nice and toasty within 10 minutes with Volkswagens that are air cooled with heat boxes.
Cool, yours were in worse state than mine, mines a 72 standard 1200 so it's newer I guess. I have a couple of pinholes and was gonna plug them with JB weld but your technique looks a better option.
Thank you John! It’s a budget fix that honestly works very well I have done it quite a few times. They also sell extreme heat JB Weld but they didn’t have none at my local store.
My heat works as it was designed. No issues with box's etc. Or fan. My question is.... there is a good amount of heat going through the vent on the floor between the front seats to the rear of the Bus. I was wondering , is there a way to stop the floor heat to the back and get MORE forceful heat to the front vents between the headlights / kick panels. Can the floor vents to the rear be blocked or redirected ?. 76 Bay camper. Thanks.
I’m getting exhaust/CO in my ‘67 bus which has a unique RH side box (with a port for the carb pre-heat tube) so repairing the existing is a win…but the CO has me keeping the heat off. I’m guessing this means one of the “j-tube finned” inner components has a crack? What would people think about a JB Weld patch (assuming I find the leak)
Honestly my friend, I would not be messing around with that. Unless you absolutely can find out where the crack is and repair it. Please leave your heat off until you do that. That would be the inside J tube finned area that must have a crack in it.
@@SladesVWBeetle yeah it’s off. I got a battery powered CO detector on board too. This bus had some aftermarket dash fans and I’m pretty sure at one point had one of those Borg-Warner gas powered heaters too. I’m looking to restore the OG heating
...I do have one question though, is there any problems with carbon monoxide getting into the cabin if the heater boxes are rusted like this? I though I read something about that one time.
@@ct6502c if you have holes in the J-tube, inside the shells, then you will definitely get fumes into the cabin. This fix is only if the outer shell has a little hole. The J-tube inside is what’s important. Let me know if that makes sense to you.
@@SladesVWBeetle It does make sense, thank you. I probably just won't connect the air ducts that go from the heaters to the cabin until I can test for sure that it's not leaking fumes. I live in California, so I wouldn't need heat that much anyway except for maybe mornings during cold weather. But it's going to be a long time before the car is driveable anyway! 😂 It needs a LOT of work.
Honestly, I would punch that right into Google and you’re gonna find numerous places more than likely. But I want to test out is one of them diesel heaters. That they use an RV they’re pretty small. I think I’m going to do that over the summer. And then I won’t use heater boxes.
What about you and Heather doing a home project channel. Every week feature a different task. Home repairs on the DIY scale. In the summer do outside things. Wintertime focus on the inside. Just keep things small and manageable. 😊
Thank you Gordon, that is an excellent idea I will bring up to Heather. We definitely are going to have a second channel together I think it will be a lot of fun! I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
It looks like it would be hard to work on those vent hoses that are hiding in the pillar area were one goes down and the other one goes to the heater box that provides to the windshield vents
Great video and your mic provides great audio. I'll be working on the heater boxes from my '72 Ghia this weekend following your recommendations. I'm curious, why do you advise not to JB Weld the internal 'J' tube to the external shield of the box? Thanks in advance, keep up the great work. See you on Sunday.
The heater box shell, and the J pipe tube, are not attached together. When you bolt the J pipe on, the outer shell sometimes will need moved slightly to hook up the hoses. I don’t believe they’re hooked up from the factory either. As one piece. I hope that made sense. Going to be live tonight with heather since Christmas is Sunday I’ll see you at 8 PM Eastern
If you want real heat in a Beetle, do some plumbing and install an oil cooler under the dash. Or put it under the hood ahead of the dash. You could probably even rig up a fan and ductwork to the defroster vents and floor. You would need two coolers, one outside the cabin for warm weather use with a diverter valve.
There used to be a company that made some high CFM fans that went in under the rear seat. It was a full kit, and pretty nice, from what I saw when my friend installed it. The beetle still wasn't "hot" inside, but you didn't have to drive with chattering teeth.
I can't imagine the need for any sort of auxiliary heat. Maybe in some older beetles, which had an older style of heater boxes, but my 1968 Beetle, with heater boxes like those shown in this video, had the best heater of any car I've ever had. Engine warmed up quickly (thinks to the thermostat) and the engine started blowing a huge volume of painfully hot air into the passenger cabin. Kept the cabin 80 deg F when it was -10 outside the car - even as the car aged and the heater boxes began developing holes. I am at a loss for why anyone thought these vehicles did not have good cabin heat. Even my VW van had plenty of heat and its passenger and cargo area was much bigger than the Beetle. Now, I saw some air cooled VW's where the wire cables that open and close the hot-air flaps in the heater boxes, were either unattached, or were attached improperly, so of course the cabin did not get heat. But this was not the fault of the design of the car. It was the fault of someone who repaired or maintained the car improperly.
Yah ... right .... Running oil up under the dash.... Clearly ... getting quality medication is an issue ..... How do people come up with hair-brained ideas like that ?
@@frankschwartz7405 I was mistaken, you don't need better medication ... You need to knock off the crack ! Oil cooler bwahahaha .... If you knew even the simplest of things about beetles ... you wouldn't suggest such silliness .... 😂
Thanks!
Thank you very much!
@@SladesVWBeetle what travels inside the J tube? Just hot air?
@@SDsailor7Exhaust gasses.
I have just gotten back into VWs after 30 plus years and have found your channel immensely helpful and entertaining. I had a 71 squareback and just recently bought a 67 Beetle. Watching your videos has given me a lot of good tips and how to move forward with the project. Thank you!
@@paulramer5003 thank you very much Paul for taking the time to leave a comment. I truly appreciate that. I really enjoyed doing the videos, knowing that they will help some folks out. Good luck on your 67, what a unique year to find. I would’ve loved to have had a square back, but I have not yet. I’ve had 12 beetles now. I should’ve bought a square back when the prices were still reasonable. Thank you for being here. I truly appreciate it.
Just a comment on the durability of JB Weld-- I had blown out part of an exhaust manifold gasket on my 70 Maverick and it was loud as hell. I didn't have the finances or tools to pull that manifold off and re gasket it so I made a "roll it up into a worm and stuff the gap" patch with JB Weld, and that sucker held for 10 years with no issues whatsoever. Hot summer/cold winter, never loosened a bit under full engine exhaust pressure.
Oh I believe that it worked quite well jorg, honestly I love JB Weld. I have used it for multiple things.
If I showed more budget videos on everything I did with JB Weld, I think everyone would be shocked lol I hope you’ve had a great day.
Not stupid at all we can all use helpful videos like this Great topic
Thank you my friend! I truly appreciate that.
Thanks for the explanation on how the heating system works, straightforward and easy to understand.
I originally drove a VW for economic reasons , then because they were so fun to drive , but I still look at low cost per mile , i'd like to save money also !
I got 2 heater boxes that came with Lucy when I bought her so I see project in my horizon
Heck yeah, get them on her!
Awesome! I was really struggling to spend $500 on heater boxes when I bought the bug for $1,500!
The new heat boxes make much less heat because they have less fins inside, also would bet my house they won't last half as long as the originals did 30, 40 years plus!
I am glad you enjoyed the video, I like to do budget fixes when possible.
This is a fantastic how to video. Always love to save money.
Thank you, I truly appreciate it. I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
I have a 1971 Super Beetle. I learned this from a friend while working on rebuilding real airplanes. If you want Epoxy, fiberglass or JB welder to be glass smooth without sanding, place a piece of wax paper or packaging tape over the material while it is drying and use a piece of plastic or old credit card to press down and smooth out the material. Once the tape is removed the surface will be smooth as glass. I have used this over Bondo multiple times and it really saves time as it also helps molding the Bondo over the surfaces. Great video, thanks!
Thank you Raymond! I appreciate you chiming in with extra tips. Oddly enough I did try that once with Bondo, I put wax paper over and slightly greased the outer side and smoothed it out by hand. It really made a huge difference! Much less work after that. Merry Christmas my friend.
@@SladesVWBeetle 🤠👌👍
@@SladesVWBeetle Merry Christmas amigo 🤠
That works great with longstrand fiberglass bondo like on a floorpan patch
I so glad I found you. You show and explain what you are doing clearly, assuming we don’t know anything. Thank you…cuz I don’t know anything…thank you loads!
Thank you very much Jane, I truly appreciate the kind words! I just try to do what I think is right, and help others. I also created a Facebook group, slades VW community. It’s been a lot of fun so far. Don’t forget, to keep check on the community tab here, sometimes on Friday nights I have a live chat at 8 PM Eastern time which is a lot of fun. I always announce it on Thursdays here.
your video was so easy to follow along and understand. I love how you are able to fix parts and save money. Parta are so expensive
Thank you, I really appreciate the kind comment. I’m glad the videos help other folks out. We’ve got to try to save money when we can.
I’ve used JB Weld on holes in my oil pan😁
Honestly it does work! They even sell an extreme heat JB Weld. That works quite well.
LOVE any project that satisfies the parsimonious side of owning a vintage car!! Thanks!
And thank you so much for being here and taking the time to leave a comment sir.
Hi, I know this is kind of an old video but I just wanted to say I really like how you explain everything for beginners, especially tricks like this for people who don't have special eqipment or a lot of experience. I don't have a welder and have no clue how to even weld! I have a 1972 Super Beetle I'm trying to restore. I'm completely new to this and I'm working on it a little at a time the best I can. Your videos are definitely going to be a big help!
@@ct6502c thank you very much for the kind words. I always hope these videos help other folks out that with this channel is all about. And I’m glad to see it has become a big hit.
Great Job!!
Thank you!
Great little how to vid slade!!!!
Thank you my friend I truly appreciate that!
jB weld is great, makes sense. My opinion on the second channel is, do what you two are passionate about, whatever that might be, cooking, DYI , travel, I think that’s why Your VW channel works, you can tell You really care about VWs and it’s a passion.
Thank you my friend I truly appreciate your opinion on the next channel. Or should I say the extra channel lol we are definitely writing down ideas I think it will be a lot of fun for us to do it together. I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
Great idea! Don’t know if I have holes in mine but I’m definitely going to check and follow this 👍🏿
I had a '68 Beetle, it was my first car in the early 80s. The heater boxes were, of course, rusted out. There was a street that would pool with water whenever we had a heavy rain, and I would fly down the hill in my Beetle and hit the pool of water and just skate across it. Then my windows would become absolutely covered with steam from those leaky heater boxes.
I had a total of 5 Beetles, and I really want to own one again.
Hi Erik, theres a few on the marketplace, and craiglist. I do so love these cars! I truly hope you find one. I did a few videos, on what to look for on them before purchasing!
did the same thing on my 73 novas hooker headers back when i was a no money kid thx for the memories lol
Thank you for chiming in my friend! Oh geez, I sold Heather‘s 73 nova about four years ago. She still brings it up lol it was her daily driver.
Great work fixing the outside and protecting it from further rust.
I’m surprised you didn’t do anything to treat the inside, especially so that the flap mechanism works smoothly and closes completely.
Thanks Slade great video bin looking forward to this one. O hope you have some brushes under that tree for the little woman.😂😂😂😂 see ya on the next one.
Thank you Doug! I like doing budget fixes I just don’t film that money I didn’t know if anyone was interested. I replace the brushes, and I did get caught. 🤦🏼♂️😁😂
Thank you so very much for all the work you put into your amazing videos !! Much learning being done and really appreciated!
Been looking forward to this video as it’s freezing in Scotland right now. Didn’t disappoint. Ordering up the JB weld and mesh straight away! Keep up the good work.
That is great my friend, I hope it is effective for you, and you’re nice and warm! Thank you for being here.
Pretty good idea..😎👍
Thank you! I appreciate you leaving a comment. Honestly, it’s a budget fix, for folks that don’t have a lot of money instead of having to buy new.
@SladesVWBeetle I have the money for new ones,, but I'm not going to spend it on them.🤭🤫
.I'm going to fix The old ones this way...
I have been thinking of a good salutation...I found it here...thanks
@@DonCatherman excellent! I hope it works out well for you although it should. I am the same way uncertain things I won’t spend money, depending on what it is. And heater boxes or one of them if they’re fixable. And also it seems like some of the new stuff don’t fit very well.
Hey Slade! Here a messeage from the other side of the Atlantic: the Netherlands.
Very glad found your channel. It gives me loads of info, tips and tricks for my '73 1303S.
Keep following you
Thank you so much, I truly appreciate that
I loved this. I wish I had known this 6 months ago. :).
Thanks Jerry I appreciate that. It’s a cheap easy fix.
Another great video from a great person... From many thousands of miles away I send you a sincere thank you.
It would have been great if you showed how to remove the box from the car.. Now I have to figure it on my own..
All the best to you and your wife
Thank you very much my friend! I definitely would have showed it if they were still on the car for sure.
I started cleaning the heater boxes and ended up dismantling them down... I thing they will look and perform much better after I repair, paint and assemble them. Thanks for your inspiration.
Ain't stupid if it works. A nice budget oriented repair. Heater boxes are not cheap.
Thank you my friend! I try to do budget fixes when possible.
Great content just stumbled across your video. Thank you
@@getsome4363 thank you very much. I appreciate the kind comment and welcome aboard.
I really enjoyed this video. Great info on the heating system all tho I got rid of my boxes awhile back.😢 please replace Heather’s brushes 😂😂😂. LOVE THIS CHANNEL
Thank you Jerome! And thank you so much for being here. I grabbed her a new pack of brushes, she noticed it lol thank you so much for being here
Not stupid at all, it will be of great help for a lot of folks. You did a great job and thanks for sharing how you did it. Another way you can go and this is what I did, I looked into Facebook marketplace and you will find somebody selling the heaters. I bought a nice pair of heaters for 70 bucks, included one carburetor, air filter, heater hoses, alternator, and piston tins, all for 70 bucks. So keep searching and you will find them.
Thank you for being here my friend! I really enjoy saving money when possible, and you are right the marketplace helps out a lot. I hope you have a very wonderful weekend and a very merry Christmas.
Thanks for video its a good fix. I think theres a high temp jb weld or the regular jb weld handles more temp. Maybe header paint also. It can last a long time. Have a good one.
Doesn't apply to my car but still plenty of good information. You're right. When you have everything in good working order you'll have plenty of heat.
Thank you Randy! I hope you have been enjoying this cold weather, we got hit hard today.
Yes, the stuff does work -- used it YEARS ago on my very first car -- '48 Chevy Fleetwood the block had a crack in it. Thanks for the Tip on using it to fix the Heater Boxes --- Rodney
I really like it, I think it works very well. They also sell an extreme heat JB Weld, but they didn’t have any local to me. Thank you for being a Rodney! I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
There are (thankfully) a lot of VW channels on RUclips. I enjoy yours because of your humor and how thoroughly you explain things and show it. I just bought the 25th anniversary of the late John Muirs "How to keep your Volkswagen alive" because of the inspiration from channel owners like yourself. I don't currently own a VW, but my first car was a 1960 type 1 (20 percent Bondo 😆) and I'm thinking maybe I'll find another type 1🫰. One can hope, eh? Btw, what (if any) year did the factory add a blower fan for the interior HVAC? Thanks for the content and time👍
❤, great idea. Makes sense to me. Some times it’s the simple ideas!
Thank you Mike! I like doing budget fixes when possible, long as no one gets hurt lol
merry Christmas to you my dear friend I hope you have a truly blessed holiday.
I don’t think this video was stupid. It actually mad me think of other ways to use jb weld. Was very good way to save some money being heater boxes are very expensive. Thanks for the great tips.
Thank you George I appreciate the kind comments. I use JB Weld, and probably 20 different ways lol I just feel ashamed sometimes to show these things, it always seems someone’s looking to say something ignorant. Oddly enough, everyone seem to approve of this budget fix. I hope you have a very merry Christmas my friend.
Great video !!! I noticed today that my heater boxes had a few holes . Keep up the great work big fan !
Kool trick our 78 Arizona convertable will be toasty warm in winter time in El Paso.
Thank you
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. It’s a cheap fix instead of buying new heater boxes when needed. Everybody is too quick to put new parts on all of the time. Thank you for being here.
Awesome video so thankful of this community you started !
Thank you so much my friend. I am so thankful the community is growing! It truly makes me smile.
REALLY nice job with the ‘speed-up’ and some music. Keep the editing up!
Thank you my friend, and thank you so much for always being here. I so hope you have a very merry Christmas
That's a great repair! I was thinking about not having heat but it can be had easily now. Stole Heather's brush. Thought you would have learned your lesson with the towels.
Thank you my friend! It’s a cheap budget fix when needed! Yeah, she already notice the brush is gone. Do you have any room at your place for me? 😁 Merry Christmas my friend.
Of course that was a great tutorial. Not stupid at all. Cheep AND effective. I do love the new microphones. Your audio is so much cleaner. Glad you are using the towels that I threw in with the wheels. That was my small contribution to Heather. Channel Idea: you guys like your old movies. Do a spinoff of Mystery Science Theater 3000 except with your old movies. Peace Y'All and Merry Christmas 🎅🤶
Heather seen the towels, and said… my goodness what have you started with everybody lol she said there’s going to be wives coming after you. Lmao!!
We love old movies, still gathering as many ideas as possible for our channel together. I’m really excited about it. I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
Great info! Love your chanel. You explain so well. Thank you. Ive been watching and just started working on my 1974 thing. Im really learning alot.
Great video!
Thank you Michael, sometimes I try to figure out ways to do things but save money
Great vid! I have a pair of heater boxes that are in need of repair and I'd start working on them tomorrow if I didn't have to pick up my in-laws at the airport. Merry Christmas! JD
Thank you I truly appreciate that! I like doing budget fixes, everything is so expensive now! Don’t forget your in-laws! Merry Christmas my friend.
Amazing Fix and as always great Video.
Thank you my friend I truly appreciate that!
great explanation as usual thx!
Thank you Mike! I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
Really good information. Mine doesn't have heater boxes, the previous owner either took them off or changed motors. Not too imprtant down here in South Florida. If we do have a cold day I just bundle up or wear an extra shirt. The audio was great no background noise at all, use them on the livestream. See you Sunday.
Thank you. Truly appreciate it! Thank you for being part of it, what a great community this has come to be.
Great video. Thanks for taking time to go through the heating set up and how air moves through the system.
Thank you Darren! And I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
Cool video. This is very helpful. I’m gonna try this on mine
Thank you my friend! I hope you’re doing well.
Now that was a fantastic video my friend. I was shocked how much they charge for new ones.. And no that was not a silly fix when most folks just wrap them in heat shield muffler tape . Great job I think they may last much longer than what you expect. You and Heather should interview each other. The Slade community would love to hear your story
Thank you my friend! I try to do budget fixes one possible. It really makes a difference. I’m testing out metal Bondo, but I don’t think many people will find I’m using lol and thank you for the tip on our next channel together. Or I should say or second channel.
Yes inexpensive pics is good !
Good ol JB weld to the rescue!
Used it for years.
Good job on patching video, sound was excellent. I use popsicle sticks to mix my JB weld and acid brushes to paint with. They are cheap and can throw away when done. I just mix the JB Weld 50-50 and what's left over on the cardboard, usually smudges, then leave the popsicle stick in it to test how it has cured up. Paint to preference, I used gray paint. Now my Dad's VW heater boxes, the J pipe, are both all rusted out. That would be another video changing that out.
Thank you so much my friend! OK I didn’t think of that, I’m going to grab a pack of popsicle sticks since I use stuff like that a lot. That was an excellent idea I so appreciate it! Plus I think Heather has a bunch of them in her craft room lol I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
Makes sense to fix the OEMs. The replacements are lightweight and expensive.
Yes absolutely I agree 100%.
Thank you
You’re welcome, thank you for commenting.
That's a great fix ! At about 25:30 You mentioned not to seal the shield to the pipe that clamps to the muffler....why is that ? You said it needed to move a bit freely there ?
Yes I have this same question
Moves slightly a little bit because you’re hooking those hoses up to it, which if it was welded to the exhaust J-tube it would not be able to move around to hook up your accordion style hose, and the adapter that comes from your ductwork. I hope that made sense.
If a VW heating system is intact it works great. I have a 78 and it will sweat you out and it's a convertible, and for most old convertibles the top doesn't seal like it did when it was new.
Absolutely! They do heat very well. I think some folks that are not familiar with the system, tend to think they don’t work.
I’ve used the jb to fill holes in expensive mufflers. You have to wrap it though or the jb will not hold.
JB Weld is a good product, I never realized how many different things they do sell.
nice job.
Thank you Jim!
Yeah maybe home projects and adventures .
Absolutely brother! I like the adventures better lol
Great video Slade!!! I like the explanation of the heater system. I’m not sure if it’s all there in the mexi or not.
Thank you my friend, I truly appreciate that. I’m quite sure yours is probably there, it just might not be hooked up or need new cables.
Thank you.
Thank you Larry for always being here!
i don't have much use for boxes ,i live in Fla but I'm doing a Ghia convertible and maybe could use the heat a few times a year
I normally don’t use them, especially with the engine that will be going in next. I can’t afford the larger sized ones. Plus I rarely use heat, I hide my car in the winter lol
That came out like original I've thrown out hundreds of them because of the pin holes and replaced with jtubes and regret it when the weather drops
I really like doing budget fixes my brother.
Saves a lot of money.
That’s sad that you disposed of some of them.
But we all learn a little too late, at least I know I do!!
I’ll notice a DIY video on house stuff and think, oh crap I should’ve done that lol
I had the JB weld concept, but didn’t know about leaving the pipe loose at the ends. Looks like it would loose a lot of air around those openings, but I get it. It needs to expand and contract. Thanks for sharing. Another great video as always. Merry Christmas to you and Heather.
Thank you my friend! I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
It's controlled leakage so the heater boxes don't melt when the heat is turned off to the cabin.
What an easy fix! AND CHEAP!!!!
Is there a way to repair/rebuild the valves at the top? My daughter and I are fixing up our first bug and your videos have been god send.
Thank you I truly appreciate the kind comment. I’m so sorry but what do you mean by valves?
There is a flapper valve at the outlet end of the heater box. The flap is not seating and looks like a spring may be broken inside @@SladesVWBeetle
I came here for a reason and i appreciate your method. Although i would like to mention that JB weld makes a product called steel stix and its essentially the same and i might use that option! im wondering after two years how did this option work for you?
Great video! But I have a question: At 25:09, you tell us that we shouldn't..." let this stick to this" meaning that the outer shell of the heater box should not be fastened to the inner j-tube. Then again at 25:27, you state that the outer shell should not be glued to the inner exhaust tube. You say that this inner tube should be able to move. What is the reason for this? It seems to me that those places could let warm air escape? What am I missing?
Tagging along here as I have this same question
What I meant is the outer shell should be able to move slightly.
The inner J tube to bolts up to the engine and exhaust system, and stays stationary.
The outer shell, the part that we repaired.
Moves slightly a little bit because you’re hooking those hoses up to it, which if it was welded to the exhaust J-tube it would not be able to move around to hook up your accordion style hose, and the adapter that comes from your ductwork. I hope that made sense.
Awesome !!!!
Thank you so much!
Thank you for this video. My Daughter has a 1968 VW bug. I am trying to help her get heat into it.
MY QUESTION before going through the trouble of this repair. is there a method to test the (J) channel that it is not compromised allowing exhaust fumes into the cabin?
You’re very welcome and thank you for being here.
This is the method that I would use. Just cover one end, with tape, and then maybe find a friend that vapes? Unless you have some type of smoke machine.
And blow smoke in there, and try to watch for it to escape out of the J pipe inside.
Looking through the shell. I hope that made sense
Would you use rust conversion before prime to stabilize the metal?
well JB weld is a very good alternative for fixing those kind off problems. you can drill holes in it and even tread it for a bolt.
very strong stuff. what i didn't know that it would hold on to rust. a great outcome for way less money like new once.
well done my friend. a new channel with Heather? great idea and would fun to see.
Yes that JB Weld works quite well. I was trying to find the extreme heat JB Weld, but I couldn’t find any local to me. I hope you have a very merry Christmas my friend, and we are very excited about opening a second channel together.
@@SladesVWBeetle0
"box under the front hood" @7:00 ?? what box and what does it do?
That would be just a fresh air box. It grabs outside air through the vents, when moving.
I've used JB weld for body repairs and 4 wheeler/quad engine case oil leaks. I would probably use the regular not the quik version though. Takes a bit longer to harden, but I've heard that it's a bit stronger too
Absolutely I agree! That’s all I had on hand. I was trying to find a high heat JB Weld but I didn’t see any at my local stores. I think it’s called extreme heat.
How do you lubricate the flapper valves on those heater boxes? do you use grease? or nothing at all?
Very helpful tip/how to video. When you were saying that the pipe inside the heater box is essentially just a J tube Is it the same inner diameter as an aftermarket J tube. People on the samba and VW Parts distributor seem to suggest that inch and three eights J tube which fits into the stock muffler are somehow bigger than the J pipes inside the heat exchangers Or somehow flow better than the heat exchangers do you know if the heat exchangers exhaust pipe is inch and 3/8 or of the same diameter as the typical J tube for an inch and 3H exhaust system?
Thank you for taking time to watch the budget video.
I like doing budget fixes when possible.
I’m not quite sure about the size of the heater boxes vs the J tubes that are aftermarket I will have to look into that.
I’m going to run a 1 1/2 inch header, and I know they sell one and a half inch heat boxes but they’re too expensive for me.
I don't presume to know more than you, but a question. Why didn't you use a rust converter before the repair? You just removed surface rust, I've always been told if you repair over rust, it won't last.
Thanx
Hey it’s all good! Using Ospho is what I normally use! So yes!! Great idea! I was basically just showing a cheap fix for the holes. But….yes!! You’re right!!
A project I am curious about would be taking stock heater boxes, cut open the *shell* and somehow swap out the inner *J* pipes and upgrade to 1 5/8ths *J* pipes to match a 15/8 exhaust headers...a save $$$ on those aftermarket big bore heater boxes!
That would be very interesting to do! I know they sell the larger diameter heater boxes, but as you said they definitely are not cheap.
How long does it take for it to get warm inside the car, I never have experienced one that worked good,
Could you wrap it in exhaust header wrap
I never tried to use header wrap on a heater box. I think it might be a little difficult. With the shape of it.
I usually was nice and toasty within 10 minutes with Volkswagens that are air cooled with heat boxes.
Cool, yours were in worse state than mine, mines a 72 standard 1200 so it's newer I guess. I have a couple of pinholes and was gonna plug them with JB weld but your technique looks a better option.
Thank you John! It’s a budget fix that honestly works very well I have done it quite a few times. They also sell extreme heat JB Weld but they didn’t have none at my local store.
My heat works as it was designed. No issues with box's etc. Or fan. My question is.... there is a good amount of heat going through the vent on the floor between the front seats to the rear of the Bus. I was wondering , is there a way to stop the floor heat to the back and get MORE forceful heat to the front vents between the headlights / kick panels. Can the floor vents to the rear be blocked or redirected ?. 76 Bay camper. Thanks.
I’m getting exhaust/CO in my ‘67 bus which has a unique RH side box (with a port for the carb pre-heat tube) so repairing the existing is a win…but the CO has me keeping the heat off. I’m guessing this means one of the “j-tube finned” inner components has a crack? What would people think about a JB Weld patch (assuming I find the leak)
Honestly my friend, I would not be messing around with that.
Unless you absolutely can find out where the crack is and repair it. Please leave your heat off until you do that. That would be the inside J tube finned area that must have a crack in it.
@@SladesVWBeetle yeah it’s off. I got a battery powered CO detector on board too. This bus had some aftermarket dash fans and I’m pretty sure at one point had one of those Borg-Warner gas powered heaters too. I’m looking to restore the OG heating
...I do have one question though, is there any problems with carbon monoxide getting into the cabin if the heater boxes are rusted like this? I though I read something about that one time.
@@ct6502c if you have holes in the J-tube, inside the shells, then you will definitely get fumes into the cabin. This fix is only if the outer shell has a little hole. The J-tube inside is what’s important. Let me know if that makes sense to you.
@@SladesVWBeetle It does make sense, thank you. I probably just won't connect the air ducts that go from the heaters to the cabin until I can test for sure that it's not leaking fumes. I live in California, so I wouldn't need heat that much anyway except for maybe mornings during cold weather. But it's going to be a long time before the car is driveable anyway! 😂 It needs a LOT of work.
Where can I get the auxiliary fan
Honestly, I would punch that right into Google and you’re gonna find numerous places more than likely. But I want to test out is one of them diesel heaters. That they use an RV they’re pretty small. I think I’m going to do that over the summer. And then I won’t use heater boxes.
@@SladesVWBeetle ok my beetle has one of those gas heaters but I not sure how it will work
Use "coarse" fiberglass cloth, it works better! 😁👍👍🇺🇲
What about you and Heather doing a home project channel. Every week feature a different task. Home repairs on the DIY scale. In the summer do outside things. Wintertime focus on the inside. Just keep things small and manageable. 😊
Thank you Gordon, that is an excellent idea I will bring up to Heather. We definitely are going to have a second channel together I think it will be a lot of fun! I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
It looks like it would be hard to work on those vent hoses that are hiding in the pillar area were one goes down and the other one goes to the heater box that provides to the windshield vents
Great video and your mic provides great audio. I'll be working on the heater boxes from my '72 Ghia this weekend following your recommendations. I'm curious, why do you advise not to JB Weld the internal 'J' tube to the external shield of the box? Thanks in advance, keep up the great work. See you on Sunday.
The heater box shell, and the J pipe tube, are not attached together. When you bolt the J pipe on, the outer shell sometimes will need moved slightly to hook up the hoses. I don’t believe they’re hooked up from the factory either. As one piece. I hope that made sense.
Going to be live tonight with heather since Christmas is Sunday I’ll see you at 8 PM Eastern
We dont have JB weld in Australia. Can anyone tell me What an alternative product could be please.
If you want real heat in a Beetle, do some plumbing and install an oil cooler under the dash. Or put it under the hood ahead of the dash. You could probably even rig up a fan and ductwork to the defroster vents and floor. You would need two coolers, one outside the cabin for warm weather use with a diverter valve.
There used to be a company that made some high CFM fans that went in under the rear seat. It was a full kit, and pretty nice, from what I saw when my friend installed it. The beetle still wasn't "hot" inside, but you didn't have to drive with chattering teeth.
I can't imagine the need for any sort of auxiliary heat. Maybe in some older beetles, which had an older style of heater boxes, but my 1968 Beetle, with heater boxes like those shown in this video, had the best heater of any car I've ever had. Engine warmed up quickly (thinks to the thermostat) and the engine started blowing a huge volume of painfully hot air into the passenger cabin. Kept the cabin 80 deg F when it was -10 outside the car - even as the car aged and the heater boxes began developing holes. I am at a loss for why anyone thought these vehicles did not have good cabin heat. Even my VW van had plenty of heat and its passenger and cargo area was much bigger than the Beetle. Now, I saw some air cooled VW's where the wire cables that open and close the hot-air flaps in the heater boxes, were either unattached, or were attached improperly, so of course the cabin did not get heat. But this was not the fault of the design of the car. It was the fault of someone who repaired or maintained the car improperly.
Yah ... right ....
Running oil up under the dash....
Clearly ... getting quality medication is an issue .....
How do people come up with hair-brained ideas like that ?
@@thestove2407>>How do people come up with hair-brained ideas like that ?
@@frankschwartz7405
I was mistaken, you don't need better medication ... You need to knock off the crack ! Oil cooler bwahahaha ....
If you knew even the simplest of things about beetles ... you wouldn't suggest such silliness .... 😂
Thank yoy
I bought some used/new heater boxes locally for $120
That was actually a very good price Wyatt, I try to check the marketplace once in a while for things like that.
Those heaters are good candidates for a sand blaster.
There is a product that neutralizes rust and is good to use before painting those heater boxes.
👍
Thank you for always being here my friend