another newbie question

[thomas swartzwelder]

I have recently acquired a fiberfab TD registered as a 1970 VW. On either side of the parking brake lever are short levers. What is their function?

[William J Collins]

Tomscs I see your a also a newby to VW,, Those are the Heater controls .. If the cars engine still has the Heater boxes as lots of the kits built left them off if the car was to be used only during nice warm weather..

[thomas swartzwelder]

Yes my TD still has its heater. There is a knob on the dash which turns on the heater fan. The levers must control the airflow. Thanks, I’m sure I will have many more newbie questions before the car is finished.  Many thanks.

[Paul Mossberg]

The knob on the dash may be connected only to a blower for he defroster vents.

The levers on either side oof the emergency brake are attached to cables which run through the center tunnel and attached to airflow valves on the heater boxes on either side of the engine. They open and close those valves and allow heated air into the passenger compartment. It is the force of the engine cooling fan that forces air over the heat exchangers in the heater boxes…and then into the passenger compartment.

It is possible your TD has a supplemental heater. But it’s not likely.

Track the wiring from your dash switch. It may lead to a blower under the dash. If you do have a supplemental heater, it will lead to that device.

And take a look at the heat exchangers on either side of the engine. If they are hooked up, you will see a cable attached to a lever on each. And there will be some sort of duct work from the front of the heat exchangers into the passenger compartment.

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[thomas swartzwelder]

Paul, many thanks. Your description of the heater cables matches what I see and there are air ducts under both seats. I have owned a 61 beetle and a 71 minivan but had not seen these levers before.

thanks again, tom

[Frank]

Tom,  If you owned a 61 beetle, these levers were round knobs in your earlier beetle.  One controls the flappers on the heater boxes, where heat from the engine exhaust manifold is exchanged with fresh air feed by the the cooling fan. Basically, your temp control lever.

  The other lever or knob controls flappers under the rear seat that would direct heat either from under the seat or through the heater channels to front cabin, usually defrost only.  While air cooled vw’s didn’t heat real well when idle, at driving speed, a good set of heater boxes can toast you right out of the car and since the temp control lever work you basic flap over the hole, I find myself tuning on and tuning off the heat in my 72 beetle to try and regulate the temp somewhat.

 

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