<VV> Foam ball/Duct Tape

[Bill Elliott]

All designs are compromises... changing the compromise does not change 
the basic nature of the vehicle (as installing a mid-engine V8 does).

The top hose is there to provide more airflow to the heater and to 
provide a flow of cool air (such as for use for defrosting in the 
summer). It also provides a "customer expectation" of getting cool air 
through the heater as with water cooled cars... though the Corvair has 
such exceptional fresh airflow through the vents, this is not really 
necessary.

The downsides are that the mixed airflow cools the potential heater 
temps and takes valuable cooling air from the engine.

The reduced airflow issue is easily solved with a high output blower... 
and the improved heater temps give you a much more effective heater 
while retaining more cooling air for the engine. A win-win situation. I 
was not cold even while driving the Corvair at highway speeds in 
sub-zero temps (back and forth to ice-racing it).

The only real downside is that if you want air for summer defogging, you 
must use heated air.

To me this is not "eliminating a unique Corvair feature" but improving 
on one...

Bill

Ron wrote:

> I really don't understand why the air duct should be disabled for any 
> reason.  GM put it there so use it!  Why eliminate features unique to 
> the Corvair?  It's akin to installing a water cooled engine.
> RonH
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris & Bill Strickland" 
> <lechevrier at earthlink.net>
> To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 12:37 AM
> Subject: RE: <VV> Foam ball/Duct Tape
>
>
>> > > These are heater ducts right? How about good ol' duct tape for a
>> temporary seal?
>>
>> Very temporary -- the one application for which duct tape is not 
>> suitable is -- guess what -- heating ducts. The adhesive melts and 
>> the tape falls off leaving a gooey residue
>>
>> Bill 
>
>