69 Beetle Original Oil Air Cooler Question
Hey gang! I have a 1969 Beetle that's pretty much all stock. At least the guy I bought it from said he rebuilt it with his grandad and kept it all stock. From what I can tell, it seems that way (and I want to keep it as stock as possible haha).
My question is about the oil bath air cooler. I've been doing some research and I should have 2 flaps leading from the intake into the actual filter then to the carb. I believe there should be a weighted vacuum flap that opens up when the engine is running, and also a cable-operated flap linked to the fan shroud that brings warm air into the carb when the engine is cold. Thing is, I don't see those flaps at all. There's just the little holes at the bottom of the intake where they should be.
I'm in central Texas, so it's pretty hot here year round. Is it bad to not have these flaps? Would it cause the engine to run hotter than it should (granted they run hotter than water-cooled engines anyway). Any recommendations on what I should do or where I can get/build these flaps if I wanted to install them?
TL;DR - My original oil air cooler doesn't have the 2 flaps that i think it should. Is this bad in a hot climate? Anywhere I can get replacements or guides to build them?