Club 80-90 Forums

Eve all

I just wondered if anyone knows anything about these vents, I have open vents with plastic grill inserts but the panels look original, it's a 1980 bus and i have read that typically early vans have bodyworked metal slats, rather than the black inserts... so I'm interested to know what anyone else has on their van, and what year etc.

Ta
Dave

My Dad's 1981 'W' reg 2.0 ltr Petrol M.I Xplorer with spacemaker roof had metal vents. My '86 van was plastic, as is my '90. Only very early vans have metal I believe.

1664 wrote:My Dad's 1981 'W' reg 2.0 ltr Petrol M.I Xplorer with spacemaker roof had metal vents. My '86 van was plastic, as is my '90. Only very early vans have metal I believe.

Hi, thanks for that. I also thought that, but my bus is early, also W suffix (1980), also an xplorer, and the vents are the plastic insert types. Panels appear original.

A quick flick through eBay brought up a bunch of Aircooled early vans that also have the black vents.. Not to say the panels are original though.

I'm wondering if they perhaps weren't specific to a year but maybe a van type insted? L-Bus vs Bus vs Panel Van etc?

Dave

My 1980 Devon has metal vents which has factory fitted windows. Not sure if there is any link between Caravelle or buses with factory fitted windows Vs panel van conversion campers ?? Just a thought?

I'm proud of my metal vents, one of my favourite things about my van.

Have you read the history on the Brickyard...http://brickwerks.hostinguk.com/Vehicle ... istory.htm

October 1981: The water-cooled boxer engine in 2 versions (44kW/60PS and 57kW/78PS) were then offered. Rear air intakes no longer pressed steel, plastic inserts are now screwed in affairs.

So a 1980 van should be metal airvents, what is your vin number (just the letters in the middle of it is needed for the year identification) Yours should probably be WV2ZZZ25AHxxxxxx

Lots of reading for you from here.....http://brickwerks.hostinguk.com/Vehicle ... o/menu.htm

You can't really judge a vans age by its number plate, you need to look at the chassis numbers... The very first T3's came with metal vents, then came plastic. So some ac's had metal, some plastic. I has a 81 reg bilbo which had metal vents, chassis number had it nearer 79
Ah, beaten to it...

That said I've seen loads of Aircooled T3s with black plastic inserts. I've even seen someone who actually cut out his pressed vents in preference for plastic ones.

Cheers for the links - will have a butcher's in a bit...

Re VIN number, will also check that when I get the van back from the shop... should be next week, but I do know it's was registered in '80, have all the paperwork at home.

I don't really have a preference for the vents, but I am currently trying to restore my van back to an original look, it's definitely a 1980 bus (with factory windows, not a panel van conversion) so it is confusing why the vents are seemingly from a later vehicle, the panels did look original but I think I will take a closer look next week, may have been replaced I guess.

Will let you know what I find out!

Cheers
Dave

my air cooled has metal and it is a panel van .x reg..1981 on the register

Hmm, okay well just double checked my VIN number and it's a 10 digit number, and it confirms it's a 1980 vehicle.... gonna have to get right in there and see if those rear quarter panels are original, or if they were cut to fit the black plastic sections in...

i run the rear scoops as at motorway speeds it improves engine cooling

I meant to finish this post a while back... so it turns out that my original metal vents were cut out and replaced with the plastic ones some time in the past... no idea when though, I should trawl through the service folder, try and find the receipt!