I didnt really find that things were flopping all over the place when I cut
out that old heater channel. I left my doors on and closed, I did open them
to take pics, but I had the body supported pretty good (Especially under the
hinge) and the new channel was just C-clamped into place... to check door
operation. Note: do only one heater channel at a time!!! Once I started it
it was pretty straight foward and not really THAT hard to do. Lots of pics
how I did it:

http://www.ramva.org/dragenwagen/heaterchannel.html

Safety 1st!!as the body does weigh over 200lbs... more with glass doors,
bumpers ect... Any questions... just ask... been there done that. Still
one heater channel to do

PICS Pics Pics can never have enough pictures!!! pictures tell me more
than reading about it!
************************************************** **************
dragenwagen
1966 Type I - Daily Driver
1969 Type I - Undergoing heater channel replacement
http://www.ramva.org/dragenwagen
"Old VW's Don't Leak Oil, They Mark Their Territory."
************************************************** **************


>
> 1 - Don't open the doors - ever! I could just weld one spot to make
> sure this won't happen, or could just lock the door. Welding is more
> fun

no need to weld em shut!

> 2 - Weld cross braces in the door openings before the body off is
attempted.

You could... if it is a vert...definately! But measure them BEFORE you
cut!!!

> 3 - Be sure to line up the holes in the floor panel/heater channels. I
> figure I'll make a template out of plyboard and index it to something
> that won't change to make sure nothing moves. Not sure what a good
> common index would be.

Good idea.

> 4 - Learn to curse like a boatworker and blame stuff on your tools when
> something goes wrong - got that covered

hehe this is a must!!!

> Should I put a cross brace across the width of the bug?

I didnt.

> I'd imagine that everything will start flopping around when the old
> heater channels are cut out.

not really... the back seat support works