Need advice on air conditioning selection

[68RGR]

Almost forgot about this one:

http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalog/1 ... 51359b2703

What do you think of it (other than the cost)?

[sargentrs]

I like that one better than the UD-150. The separated LH vent, IMO, would look cleaner and neater. I had that one already bookmarked.

[abyars111]

This is great info guys. Thanks for sharing. Bill, I'd like to know how that big condensor fits and mounts when you get it.

[sargentrs]

So I went to the basement and looked around for my damaged unit and couldn't find it anywhere. Tickling me in the back of my mind is the thought that I was so PO'd about it being damaged that I chunked it in a house cleaning episode last year . Oh well back to the drawing board. We'll keep each posted.

[68RGR]

Anthony - Sure, I'll post the result of the condenser fit/mounting when I get around to mounting it. It might take a while because I want to get the compressor mounted and "belted" first. Then I plan to get to the drier and condenser. The compressor mounting is really the major concern. The rest of it looks fairly straight forward.

[Mancar1]

Sargentrs attached r some pics of my A/C for you.
John

[sargentrs]

Thanks, John! That's almost exactly like the one I bought off of Ebay, damaged in shipping, and I tossed last year. That's really a bummer. Great looking unit! That would be the style I'd prefer.

[Mancar1]

Your welcome, hope ya find another one.

[motzingg]

I know this is kinda a threadjack, but the mighty fine writeup from mr Sargentrs on the heater unit rebuild has got me thinking... has anyone hacked an evaporator coil into a stock heater unit? It doesn't look like it'd be all that hard, plenty of room around the heater core... the only challenge would be junkyarding through a bunch of late model compact cars to find the tiny evap coil...


seems to me like most of the room taken up by those cheapo evap units (which are for sure my second choice if they have to be... hell i'll strap the thing to the roof! ) is the fans, ducting, etc. It seems silly to cram two fans under your dash when one would do just fine.

[motzingg]

This is my crazy crackpot idea. You could either cut the flange off the heater box and rivet aluminum right to the side or make a whole new box out of aluminum (which would also let you seal it and put a drain tube in it) and bolt/rivet it to the existing flange.

I left my truck at home today so i'll have to measure it when i get back, but i think there is room to push that bellows back about 2".

I'll see if my auto parts dudes will let me dig through a stack of evap coils and measure them all... for the hassle of pulling one out of a junk car, its probably cheaper to just buy a new one.

[abyars111]

that would be nice

[motzingg]

after a bit of research...

most of these evap cores are 45-65 bucks on rock auto... kinda high for general quackery. The honda civic one is only 35 and it has a built in valve that is kinda cool. would make that part a little easier.

I'm liking the one out of my '95 escort because the lines come out in the right place, but thats not insurmountable.

there is a 98-2000 dodge grand caravan rear AC core for one of those deluxe vans that have the rear HVAC console. it looks tiny from the photos but i don't have measurements. Either way that would probably be a lot easier to get at and might have a generic-mountable control panel with some useful switches.

I think alls i'd need would be to turn the heater off (existing dash valve lever) and a toggle switch to kick in the AC compressor. I know modern systems automagically cycle that compressor for one reason or another, but if my windows start to frost up i figure i can probably kick it off by myself.


I also like the mini compressors that the compacts use, they mount funny- like the sanden instead of the 'pivot' mounting... but if you're going this far, making a bracket is pretty cake.

[Norse]

Many thanks to all who have posted in this thread and Sargentrs for starting it!

I have been making my upcoming build list and getting things in order. One item was to get the AC working in my 250 again. Somewhere in it's murky past a PO hacked out most of the AC save for the compressor (pulley rusted in place) and the condenser (dealer installed under-dash unit with missing vents). I really, Really, REALLY did not want to spend the money on a Vintage Air unit, but did not like the idea of piecing together parts from the salvage yard.
Everything you all have posted saves me money and allows me to get AC back in my bump.

THANKS!

[Mancar1]

Many thanks to all who have posted in this thread and Sargentrs for starting it!

I have been making my upcoming build list and getting things in order. One item was to get the AC working in my 250 again. Somewhere in it's murky past a PO hacked out most of the AC save for the compressor (pulley rusted in place) and the condenser (dealer installed under-dash unit with missing vents). I really, Really, REALLY did not want to spend the money on a Vintage Air unit, but did not like the idea of piecing together parts from the salvage yard.
Everything you all have posted saves me money and allows me to get AC back in my bump.

THANKS!

Don't know if I helped out any, but I will say your welcomed.

[sargentrs]

Glad someone else got as much out of it as I did!