Heater channels...need some opinions.

[turbo dub]

Has anyone used the Dansk heater channels from Cip1? I have a 63 rag sedan that needs channels. Ive done a search and did not come up with any actual comments on which Denmark channels to use (dansk or klokkerholm?). I live in the northeast and finding a good donor car is not easy. Im trying to find a rear apron now and not coming up with anything.
Im trying to find the best parts i can for this car.

[MNAirHead]

The Wolfsburg weld together ones are best.. once they're welded, they're average.

I'm not sure if the different brands of Danish parts are from the same punch presses.

[volkaholic1]

I'm sure you already know this, but heater channel replacement is major surgery. welding in cross bracing is super important, even for a hard top, especially for a convertible. I tried saw horses, but hoists is the only way to go for me. Here is what I did.

http://www.awesomepowdercoat.com/Rons_super.html

[turbo dub]

This will be my 3rd set of channels. Ive got it x braced A to B pillar with braces across the x, b to b and a to a. The first one was my 68 and i used brazilian channels (i think) and they were thin! Very little weight to them. The second was a 73 super and they were supplied by the cars owner and were cheap junk. For this car i dont want junk parts. Ive already made that mistake once.

[Oldbugss]

I have installed 2 sets of these Danish 'channels offered by CIP1.
They are superior to the Brazilian type and actually function.

I was extremely happy with the fit and look after getting these in. This is my experience and Tim here has seen my work.

Now, someone else may say that they are garbage. Many confuse the quality with their abilities to perform a proper 'channel replacement. You already know how to do this as you have stated.

I am interested in the weld together set sometime in the future. A little bit of fudge room for them bolts.

Dennis C~

[turbo dub]

I have actually cut/drilled out the old channels and have rebuilt them. The Danish channels i got were not even close to fitting (without major surgery in the a pillar area) and were not correct looking. I took apart the channel and heat tube, got rid of all the rust, treated the inside of the channel, the entire heat tube with metal ready, and Por-15 them. This was the only way to have "correct" side members of excellent quality, with heat. Lots of time, but the final product will be worth it.

[MNAirHead]

Turbo.. any pix.

Did you use Dansk type heater channel bottoms?

Timmy

[Oldbugss]

Correct looking for a show judge? No.

As far as fit, my danish 'channels were spot on. No problems not even in the pillars. I have installed 2 sets. The Danish 'channels were of are of excellent quality in my opinion. I even have heat.

I wanna hear more about the weld together ones. That sounds tempting for fine adjustments.

Dennis~

[MNAirHead]

Cross Braces w/Turnbuckles
Does anyone have pix of the door cross braces that use turbuckles?

I may fab up some to take pix..

After doing so many channels I've gotten lazy and just bought cars with better channels



WELD TOGETHER
If you look closely there are options that are clips.. top.. bottom.. middle.. they don't stitch weld them together.. you basically fit them together.. they have the ability to rust proof the inside and then minor tweek the sides with small serrations etc.

Yes .. Dennis work is some of the best out there.. you can tell he loves german steel..

[turbo dub]

I will post up some pics soon. Ive taken pics at every step and i just have to organize them. I just finished up the passengers side of the car tonight and turned it around to tackle the other.

Oldbuggs, the problem was at the bottom of the a pillars. the channels i had were squared off in the corner (next to the defrost outlet), were as the originals were rounded. I would have had to cut about an inch off of the corner and radius the outer edge of the channel to fit the car. Also the def outlet was too far towards the inside. I dont want a perfect show piece but if im going to cut something apart to fit , Ill cut up the original channel and make it new again.

I used a Klokkerholm bottom on the pass side. The bolt holes lined up with the old one. The stamping isnt the best, but im on a tight schedule and it had to due.

[turbo dub]

here are some pics:
channel before:


After:


after inside:


Fabbed panel for cross member:


Everything hanging to dry. The heat tube was split and por-15 inside and out and welded back together:


A bit of motivational material the wife gave me:


I am still looking for the side by side pics of the original and aftyermarket channels.

[turbo dub]

Ive got a story for ya. I cut the drivers side channel out of the car to start rebuilding that one last week. This one was much worse than the other one. Barely anthing left. Well, I was going through a condemned property a friend of mine is re habbing this weekend and youll never guess what i found. Under an olg rug was a 68 and up decklid. As any vw nut would do, i started my search. I figured if that was here ther had to be more! I saw a pile of bed rails/frames and when i look a bit closer...voila a brand new drivers side heater channel for an ealy car coverd in years of dust. Now i dont know who makes it but it is much better than the ones i had before (which i lost the pics somehow). The a pillar is radiused (not enough but radiused none the less) Unfortunately that was all that was left. If i was to pick anything up from this place I would hvae thought it would be a terrible disease not a heater channel!!

[slowtwitch]

I've done heater channels on 2 cars, using the one piece channels. If I have to do another channel job, I'm going with the Wolfsburg weld together ones. With these units, you can coat the insides (weld flange excluded).

Also, I've never used a brace when installing the channels. I like to install a door and adjust accordingly, making sure all the gaps and body lines are even, then tack weld.

[MNAirHead]

Twitch

Any clues of how you do the measuring etc.?

[MNAirHead]

turbo dub..

How did you form that cross member piece.

Not sure if you're aware.. there is a market need for this small clip.. it's a failure point on field find cars.

T.