Fresh Air Intake

[Alex and Angie]

I am looking at putting the heaters and defrosters back into my bus and I would like to not have it rust out this time. It seems to me that the few differences in my Corbeil built bus are all bad ideas. The front and rear caps on the roof are fiberglass and caused the metal surrounding them to rust. Also the fresh air intake just pools water and has rusted out the vent as well as the interior of the heater.

Can anyone please tell me how better bus builders have done the fresh air intake for the heating system that won't rust and if possible can be closed. Thanks for your help.

[Alex and Angie]

This is what the vent looks like on our bus.

Does anyone else have photos of the vent on their bus?

[chev49]

first, no wonder the parts rusted - the way they designed it. i would just fabicate some new parts if i couldnt find some in a scrapyard.
second - you can easily make up a metal flap and put something like rubber tubing around the edge. if i were making one of those, i would have it pivot in the center on a rod that was welded to it, with an arm on the outside so that something like a car universal choke cable that you push in and out would open and close it. that would be the simple way.. was the way that cars like my 49 chevy car had the vents open under the dash.
course you could get fancy and use electric solinoid or actuator, etc for the control.

[Alex and Angie]

Looking through the gallery I believe I have found a pretty good solution that shouldn't let too much water in. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this design? It is original to Wayne built busses.

The picture can be seen at this link, apparently the board attachment quota has been reached.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5575