The Quest for Cooler Air

[Toby Erkson <Toby_Erkson@ccm2.hf.intel.com>]

Volks,
Well, I trekked up to Seattle on Saturday and spent 5 hours removing the 
necessary A/C items from a '71 T3.  Luckily, the weather was sunny and 
warm.  However, the donor was in sad shape.  One of the workers there gave 
me a little story:

     The car was running, then put into storage for a little while.  When
     the owner went to remove the car from storage it wouldn't start so she
     gave it to the wrecking yard (obviously, she is someone who we don't
     want reproducing).  

I also see why you folks want those &%#$@ muffler wrenches.  I still think 
some VW angel came down and gave me divine assistance on removing the 
exhaust system.  Why did I have to remove it?  First, to remove the 
compressor bracket that was attached to the #2 exhaust studs, then to 
remove the fan shrouding the muffler *had* to be removed.  I admit, in a 
blind fit of rage, I did hacksaw the lower left exhaust flange from the 
heat exchanger.  The wrecking yard removed the pulley bolt for me.

The only thing still in good condition on that car was the owners manual.  
The body had seen too much salt air and negligence and was dead of rust 
cancer.  It had been struck in the front and rear.  If someone wanted the 
upper heat exchangers (why, I do not know) then they could be salvageable 
(hell, thanks to me they're off the car now and easy to get to!) but the 
lower ones are totally wasted in rust.  Except for the custom :) shortened 
exhaust flange the muffler may be salvageable (I try not to look at black 
magic items for too long so I didn't inspect the demon object very well).  
I tell you I am glad that I have an after-market exhaust system -- soooo 
much easier to work with and around!

Directly below the T3 I was working on was a T4.  I checked out the engine 
and here's what I observed:  Bigger deck lid, which is nice, since the 
engine is bigger -- there's no way I would want to take on the task of 
putting a T4 engine in a T3!!!  Everything is packed in on that engine that 
it would be a royal pain to work on and maintenance would be even tougher 
if it was shoe-horned into a T3.  Folks, I don't recommend it.  If you want 
a bigger engine in your T3 do what I did and beef up what you have.

The stock radio was in the T4 and it was functional (oops, someone forgot 
to remove the car's battery...).  I have no use for it but I think someone 
could use it since it's the same radio found in T3s (Doug, are ya 
listening?).

Now what I need is a wiring diagram for the A/C system as I was running 
short on time and couldn't trace everything since it was all wrapped in 
electrical tape (I'd like to get my hands on the loser who did it...) and 
one wire had 2" of it's insulation melted off.

Also, could Big Al send me a slice of Humble Pie?  I have the radiator 
(condenser?) & fan assembly with body mounting brackets, cabin vents (driver's 
side broken but fixable), compressor and bracket, fan shrouding, pulley and bolt
with spacers.  But now I have to get new components and give the venting system 
a face-lift.  I'm guessing the condenser will need replacement since the 
cooling fan was pressed into the cooling fins a tad.  Does anyone know of a 
reputable A/C shop, especially in the Northwest, who has done VWs?

     Toby "hey, I have it because it's a rare & cool item" Erkson
     air_cooled_nut@pobox.com
     '72 VW Squareback 1.6L bored and stroked to 2.0L
     '75 Porsche 914 stock 1.8L for sale