I'm looking for a photo of a installed defroster vent on a VS. I purchased two vents which I'm not thrilled with for the price as they are just rough stamped pieces but thought I might still install them when and if I change out my cracked windshield.
Thanks
Michael
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I bought same for my CMC. I went to great lengths to mold fiberglass inlets to use all the vent area. At the time I lived in Northern VA and thought heat/defrost was important. I still had the black plastic ones from the VW donor car and used them as a rough mold. Once done I bonded them up under dash with resin and fiberglass cloth.
A tube is routed out of the heater vents at your feet. This tube is located outside in the front wheel wells. It comes out of the lower box, up the wheel well wall and back in at the top to the defroster funnels you bought...........Bruce
Wolfgfang...You did a really nice job on those defroster funnels !...........Bruce
Yes for sure... very nice.
@WOLFGANG - Why did you make fiberglass vents instead of using the black plastic ones from the VW donor car? And what year VW would you get the vents from to use as molds? Where do y'all buy the dash nets from?
Mike , order a new glass for @Carey ( he'll delver to Carlisle - I think they are coming ) we can install it there....
Quick and easy vents like Greg us showing: Go to Lowes and get two shop vac those small pieces auto carpet vac pieces similar to what is shown. All you need to do is rough up the plastic and underside of the dash a bit and lay a bead of seam sealer around the oval and duct tape it to the underside of the dash until dry....
@Wolfgang How far are you along on the speedster to date ?
The VW was a 1971. I didn't use them because I wanted vent opening longer to cover near all the area on the dash vents. (HA, anything to stretch my build time!) I got them fro Klasse356 but SierraMadre has them for $18.36 each.
https://sierramadrecollection....er-59-62-p17630.html
I am building a speedster and just fabricated up some vents. My question is a bit different that the previous asked question and my speedster will be electric. I plan to put in a ceramic heater in the gas tank location. I am wondering if someone has the exact measurement of the location of the vents by chance. I am worried that if I put them too close I will have issues with my VDO gauges that I still need to purchase. Any suggestions welcome. Attached are some photos of how I made my defrost vents. Total time was about 3 hours. Was going to make the positive out of clay.. but then I started humming the beach boys... wooden it be nice! Sorry for the bad pun!
Those fabricated vents look absolutely awesome.
However, when you say ceramic heater I'm assuming electric?
This has been covered MANY, MANY times. 12 volt electric just doesn't have the juice/power it takes to produce meaningful heat. It is like trying to use a candle when you need a blowtorch.
If your vents are using something OTHER than electricity to warm the windshield they'll work great.
I have an 8000 btu gas heater, and it works pretty well for heat and defrost in an open car. You'll need approx. 2344 watts to make the same heat electrically.
At 12v, that is 195 amps. Nobody has 195 amps on tap unless they have a Tesla-type electrical system. The problem is voltage, as the current drops in inverse proportion to a corresponding voltage increase. Make it a 48v system and you're down to 50 amps. Being an electric Speedster, what voltage are you going to run?
More importantly, how will using the heater affect your range? I'm betting a lot.
Anyway, like I said, those vents look great.
Um........ Swytech said it was gonna be an electric car.
@Alan Merklin posted:Mike , order a new glass for @Carey ( he'll delver to Carlisle - I think they are coming ) we can install it there....
Quick and easy vents like Greg us showing: Go to Lowes and get two shop vac those small pieces auto carpet vac pieces similar to what is shown. All you need to do is rough up the plastic and underside of the dash a bit and lay a bead of seam sealer around the oval and duct tape it to the underside of the dash until dry....
@Wolfgang How far are you along on the speedster to date ?
That is exactly what I did, although I used foam tape and screws to mount the "shop vac" pieces turned into "vent ducts" LOL! I believe the hose size is 1.5"
@Gordon Nichols posted:Um........ Swytech said it was gonna be an electric car.
Um, edited my response Mr. Jump-the-gun. I'm only on my first cup of coffee, got up late today.
I am now seriously considering using the 111v power supply now for the heater and not the 12 volt. Thanks for the idea. Here in Canada it is required that we have defrost vents. I was also considering running the motor chill plate coolant line and lines off the battery to a typical heater core but seems like I would need to stomp on it to warm up the batteries and the motor. Adding a photo of the car because 356s are purdy!
That was a very crafty fabrication job you did on the vent ducts ! Hats off and a bow to you Sir.............Bruce
Another method to fabricate defroster vents is to use a couple of vacuum furniture hose nozzles. I cut a slot into the dash smaller than the defroster grills then scuff the underside of the dash fiberglass and glue the vacuum nozzles in place with automotive seam sealer. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fit-A...?hash=item2f2d9a1526
Good Point Robert !.............Bruce
Thanks for all the help. I have them glued in and ready for glass later tonight. I had to modify the pipe location on the vent. The angle went right into a 2” quart tube bar instead of running along it. I need to drill out some the rivets for the windshield mount as I would rather have the glass go a bit wider than 1/4” over and the existing rivets. The rivets will fit sure complicate upside down under dash work - go go anti gravity machine. I will replace the rivets and then need to do that again when I get it painted as well. I am surprised that no seal is present under that windshield metal track and that water could go right under the dash liner. So I will probably cut some pond liner as a gasket or something to go between the paint and the metal; maybe just a good sealant or high grade automotive silicon after paint or do what they do on iPhones - double faced tape. Hopefully these photos help someone else. I have decided to put a basic 12 volt heater just for the defrost in; I know the issues with the fact it won’t blow enough heat but I will do it for just so some air comes out of the vents. It’s a summer car only anyways; more for the caught in rainstorm day.
A nice bead of clear silicon caulk under the bottom trim piece before installation should seal it right up.
