QUOTE(Maltese Falcon @ Aug 20 2015, 11:54 PM)
QUOTE(Tom_T @ Aug 20 2015, 02:53 PM)
However, the humidity caused condensation to form & chill on the rear plastic ductwork box & drip on the back seat & rear cargo area, since VW didn't plan for all that water & a way to drain it outside, which required another sort of "Vanagon Hack"!
Tom
///////
On my 3.2 carrera/4wd vanagon synchro I also discovered my rear cushion soaking wet one hot afternoon.
I did some digging around the rear ductwork and found a drip hose leading out of the plastic tray, then runs down inside of the right rear 1/4 panel. Apparently dust mixes with the condensation, moves into the tube and clogs the flow. A straight piece welding rod cleaned that out.
Then I vacuumed out the rear condenser with a small shop vac, adapted to a small piece of 1/2" Dia rubber hose, any larger won't get in there.
Worked well, on hot days the condensation would stream out of the bottom of the right rear fender
Maltese -
I did regularly check the condenser drip lines @ the L & R corners, & they were always draining fine, but the humid air back east would condense on that huge plastic shroud with the 5 air ducts facing forward & 2 downward, where the fan (usually on Hi to blow cold air from over the rear seat to me up front) would then blow out the cold condensate out those vents. So it was well forward of & the duct/shroud wasn't set up to drain into the condenser's drip pan.
The key was it would always start & stop the frigid rain forest drips about Amarillo when the humidity got up there & continue for all of the east, south & midwest areas we visited (CA, OK, AR & IN were the regular stops with various routes & fun or biz stops along the way).
Never a problem with it in dry CA or Southwestern states - ever.
So I got some spare leftover clear pvc 1/4" tubing & straight tapping cock used for Refrigerator water supply lines (for the ice maker & water), & a heavy duty plastic tray used for wall paper (about 4" w x 66" L x 4" D), then drilled the bottom of the pan near one end & screwed the tap in & the clear line ran from there & out to the bottom sill of the rear of the sliding door. The pan was then attached to the front of the shroud below the ducts to collect the drips & run out the tube at the sliding door, & all were secured with velcro tabs to add/remove only when back east.
If I were more ambitious, then I'd have figured out something permanently mounted inside the shroud to drain into that condenser drip pan & out the dual rear drains. But we stopped driving the Westy our long trips in the early 2000's, when it got in the 150k+ range & after gas got so high after 9/11 & since, that we could just fly for less - with my wife & kids on the free Southwest flights I'd earn from biz trips.
The kids & I still did the Indy to Tulsa leg in a rented car though for some road tripping fun, & a stop at Lambert's Cafe in either or both Sikeston & Ozark (Springfield) MO!
John -
We had the same problem on grades, which I solved by screaming downhill at 95 & hoping to not drop below 60-65 at the next hill, but in the Rockies on I-70 going east the reality was down to 35 halfway up on the first grade, 30 on the second, & 25 on the third grade! We just learned to be patient & pull over to the right on the bigger grades!
That looks like it was a sweet set-up. Back in the 80's I'd longed for a 911E -6 for it's better power & MFI for stable fuel delivery at all altitudes, but didn't want to hassle the water to aircooled conversion on our later waterboxer.
Today if doing a Porsche -6 WBX swap, I'd probably look for a wrecked 996/997/991 or 986/987/981 & swap in the full running gear (engine/transaxle/cooling & fuel systems/brakes/suspension/wheels/tires) & would do the IMS's "PMS" fix if the earlier engines.
Of course in reality for our needs & for practicality, ease of swapping & for the 48 mo/48,000 mi warranty coverage - I'd probably most likely just do a GoWesty 2.4-2.7L -4 WBX upgraded engine, then use it with more assurance that I'm covered much longer than any other engine rebuilder will. I plan do have my guy Hans do that whenever ours next needs any major engine work, but it's still the stock 2.1L H-4 WBX (new engine when original blown in 1999, top end done again in 2005).
Ours as recently restored/refurbed at the June 2015 Steve McQueen Boys Republic charity car show, now at 214k mi & original owners:
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment Click to view attachment Click to view attachment .
Cheers!
Tom
///////
BUT could be scary at top speed 
