T3: Re: What are these parts, between the cylinder/head and rear engine hanger?

[stans4@ibm.net (Stan Schaefer)]

Not sure from your description, but could they be the bottom "bib"
pieces of the engine tins?  There's short pieces that are formed to
fit under the fan outlet on each side, tin screws keep them in place.
They're the same length  and profile as the cylinders and extend down
to meet the wrap-around cool tins(at least on my '71).  You didn't
mention any screwholes or anything like that.  If that's what they
are, don't chuck them, they're definitely needed.  They are one of the
first pieces to be put in place, I've gotten caught a couple of times
with all of one side on and there they are sitting on the floor beside
me.  Chances are that the last guy to put the engine together left
them out and folded and wedged them back up in there.  Doesn't help
engine longevity if they fall down out of place, air isn't directed
where it's need then, like through the oil cooler..  

Re: thermostat, your engine will live a lot longer with it than
without it, even in Florida.  Leaving it off won't help anything,
unless someone has already ripped it off.  

On Sat, 28 Feb 1998 19:40:37 EST, you wrote:

>There are two of these things, one for both sides.
>Okay, on the rear engine hanger in my type 3, there are these little things
>that seem to hang off of the rear engine hanger and are kind of wedged
>between the cylinder and head assembly and the rear engine hanger.. They are
>shaped like this
>			(side profile)
><-rear of car			-----|     front of car ->
>                                  hanger|cylinder/head assembly
>                                            |
>                                            |
>                                            |
>                                            |
>the dots indicate the side profile of the things...the way it was sitting when
>i found it, it was not bolted to anything....it has contours on the front
>(front is front of car) which "mold" it into the cylinder/head assembly's
>curves.
>
>What do these things do? are they important? I hesitate to put them back on
>thinking they might be thermostat doors, with no thermostat ( i live in
>florida) which would starve my engine of air.  (i've already put the air
>deflectors on, so they aren't those...).