In a message dated 30/04/2004 12:54:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

(this is  probably why the rust
started inside there in the first  place!)

Not true !  Some water  may get into the fridge vent when washing the van or
in violent rains storms but  the fridge vent leads to the SEALED combustion
chamber and it has a drain below  the fridge door that you are supposed to use
to drain the combustion chamber in  the event water does get in there.  The
rusting of the Westie side  panel is caused mostly from condensation due the
change in temperatures  between the inside and outside of the van.  Also when the
fridge is running  there is heat produce back there causing condensation.  The
condensation is  collected and held there by the Fiberglas insulation and
there is no drain on  the floor pan in this area.  So.......the water produced by
the  condensation collects in there at the floor level and rusts out the
lower  seam.  The rust also starts around the cut outs for the services  because
the Fiberglas is retaining moisture there and the edges of the cut outs  were
left naked by Westfalia.  Also the horizontal box section support rib  about
mid way on te side collects moisture because it has numerous openings  in its
cross section, has no rust protection and therefore rusts  heavily.
See my _VW Vanagon Westfalia Dometic  Fridge Maintenace_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/fridge.htm)  for more information.
Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13, 2004
'87 Westy & Lionel  Trains
Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_
(http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_ (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/)  & _CCVWC_
(http://www.ccvwc.ca/)
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in  the Ottawa Valley
_STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel  Mufflers_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
or  http://frankcondelli.com