Hi. I've got an LC 4 door that only has the vent. No fan. No heater. Nothing but a vent. It's an nt car and although it may not need demisting or heating legally it does get cool up here (when you're used to it, and last dry it was getting down to 2deg! That's cold enough for most) and you do fog up in the wet. I know! No pleasing some people.
Anyway, my question is, can anyone suggest a good but not over the moon priced ac/heating set up that will go in fairly easily? Big ask I know, but I'm hoping someone has come across this issue before or can at least offer a little constructive advice.
I've looked at vintage air but as I'm in the middle of nowhere I'd have to buy sight un seen and can't really go have a look to see what would fit best. The plan is for a cool (pardon the pun) everyday driver with a little weekend cruiser thrown in.
Thanks for any help
Moose
LC aircon
Started by
_Moose lc_
, Feb 28 2012 08:19 PM
18 replies to this topic
#2
_1uzbt1_
_1uzbt1_
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Posted 28 February 2012 - 11:31 PM
Cheapest would probably be under dash unit made by formula. You can buy them as a/c or a/c and heat.
#3
_Moose lc_
_Moose lc_
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Posted 29 February 2012 - 06:54 AM
Thanks. Is that the old knee freezer? I'll check it out. Does anyone have one of the vintage air units, and if so which size and are they any good?
Cheers
Moose
Cheers
Moose
#4
_1uzbt1_
_1uzbt1_
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Posted 29 February 2012 - 10:42 AM
Knee freeze, thats them. The only issue is see maybe the lack of airflow onto the windscreen itself due to the vents been under the dash, you can get a concealed one the you hide and then run tubing to vents etc so one could be connected to you demister. I think vntage air also do under dash units aswell, there are a few people that do them.
#5
_Mike73_
_Mike73_
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Posted 29 February 2012 - 04:29 PM
Hello,
Holden did supply an under dash unit, a Smiths or Repco unit as I recall these were under dash units and used a special cylinder head as pictured in the HK-G parts books to mount the compressor.
Unless you can use the blended gas that runs at a lower pressure I would not recomend running the declo unit as the seals struggle with the modern Gas pressures.
Original Air con setups are as reare as rocking horse manure, while I have seen a few after market ones fitted years ago I have never seen one as advertised in the Accellerator magazine of the period.
I would suggest that you try to find a compressor bracket that mounts low and to the passengers side, VB -VC Commodores used these for one of their many configurations. change the compressor to the Sanden one as these have better seals and are readily available.
Under dash units are around some are more bulky than others.
I would send you some pictures if I could find my brochure.
Mike
Holden did supply an under dash unit, a Smiths or Repco unit as I recall these were under dash units and used a special cylinder head as pictured in the HK-G parts books to mount the compressor.
Unless you can use the blended gas that runs at a lower pressure I would not recomend running the declo unit as the seals struggle with the modern Gas pressures.
Original Air con setups are as reare as rocking horse manure, while I have seen a few after market ones fitted years ago I have never seen one as advertised in the Accellerator magazine of the period.
I would suggest that you try to find a compressor bracket that mounts low and to the passengers side, VB -VC Commodores used these for one of their many configurations. change the compressor to the Sanden one as these have better seals and are readily available.
Under dash units are around some are more bulky than others.
I would send you some pictures if I could find my brochure.
Mike
#6
_Moose lc_
_Moose lc_
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Posted 29 February 2012 - 05:59 PM
Thanks again for the help. It just so happens that I have in my car port a 186 that has the combined alternator air con bracket on it. So that parts not the issue. I'll keep looking around in cyberspace for a bit. I'd prefer something to get in under the dash, leg room is at a premium as it is, but if all else fails I'll see what I can get with regards to the under dash set up.
Again, thanks. This place is a wealth of information. If the question hasn't been asked before then I'm probably just not looking in the right place!
Cheers
Moose
Again, thanks. This place is a wealth of information. If the question hasn't been asked before then I'm probably just not looking in the right place!
Cheers
Moose
#7
_1uzbt1_
_1uzbt1_
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Posted 29 February 2012 - 07:01 PM
the concealed typed can be put up under the dash/ behind glove box area if you have the room there.
#8
_Moose lc_
_Moose lc_
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Posted 29 February 2012 - 09:30 PM
Well, from what I've seen as she's come apart, she has a bit of room in behind the glove box. I guess that all I can do is measure it all up and find what I can get to fit.
#9
_1uzbt1_
_1uzbt1_
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Posted 29 February 2012 - 10:02 PM
The ev2242 is the unit I'm thinking of in this link
http://speedyairspar...T_COOL-4-1.html
Edited by 1uzbt1, 29 February 2012 - 10:05 PM.
#10
_Moose lc_
_Moose lc_
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Posted 29 February 2012 - 10:32 PM
Ha. That's funny. I've just spent the last hour or so pretty much on that exact sight. I was leaning towards the gen II vintage air with basic controller. I'm fairly sure it will fit, just need to take the dimensions and check exactly whether it will fit were I want it. I guess it can go behind the glove box if it needs to but above the transmission hump would be better. I guess time will tell. The ev2242 looks pretty good too but. Too many choices now!
#11
_1uzbt1_
_1uzbt1_
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Posted 29 February 2012 - 11:21 PM
It depends on what you want to spend I guess, the Gen II system is far more high tech than the other ones but comes with increased price tag. I was also looking at the vintage air system because its real compact but didn't offer what I was after .
Edited by 1uzbt1, 29 February 2012 - 11:22 PM.
#12
_Moose lc_
_Moose lc_
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Posted 01 March 2012 - 05:41 PM
That's true. You still need a comp, condenser, hoses, receiver/drier and the list goes on. But it just looks like it will be an easier fit for some reason and I'm thinking about maybe putting in a custom centre console and running ducts through that so it all cools down quicker. It's still early days yet but they're on sale at the moment with a basic controller so thet are tempting.
#13
_Moose lc_
_Moose lc_
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Posted 23 April 2012 - 09:16 PM
Well damn and crap! I've pulled a bunch of stuff out of the old girl and built a box (cardboard) the same size as the vintage air unit. She no Gunnar fit! Not without a fair old massage of bits that don't ake to kindly to massage. Next plan......... Maybe a hilux unit or something. I'm lead to believe that these fit in ok. They'd be a pretty small unit I think and hiluxes aren't exactly huge in the under dash area either. I'll google and measure and come up with something...... I hope.
Windows still wind down I guess. :(
Moose
Windows still wind down I guess. :(
Moose
#14
_1uzbt1_
_1uzbt1_
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Posted 23 April 2012 - 11:59 PM
You can buy plastic moulded cases of the vintage air unit which arent super exy, are a replica of the unit to help with mock ups. I'm currently trying to fit a corolla evap which is very similar size to the hilux units into a hq. They take up alot of space. They are about a 300mm cube just about so quite largish.
#15
_Moose lc_
_Moose lc_
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Posted 24 April 2012 - 08:28 PM
Well! I guess that's that then. I'll never get one of those in the old girl. Upon further investigation I've got maybe an inch(at best) behind the glove box. I'm pretty well resigned to un under dash now. I wanted a hidden one, but there's just not enough room. I'm thinking about the vintage air cool/heat/defrost unit. I know, I know, vintage air vintage air vintage air. They just seem to have the units with the things I want in them. The only real piss off about them is that they're American and all the controls are on the wrong friggen side! I'll keep looking I spose I'd just like to decide on something so I can work around it with ducting room and stuff like that.
Moose
Moose
#16
_1uzbt1_
_1uzbt1_
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Posted 24 April 2012 - 08:35 PM
Old stuff really doesn't have the room behind the dash for alot of things. You may just have to go the under dash route. You can get period style unit that have the chrome vents etc. You can only work with what you have got.
#17
_Bomber Watson_
_Bomber Watson_
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Posted 24 April 2012 - 08:51 PM
There are factory plastic ducts that run up behind the dash for LC/LJ, the models with heater/demister standard.
Perhaps scope some of them out, that will get you a demister atleast.
Then there is a fair bit of room above the trans tunnel under the dash.....
Cheers.
Perhaps scope some of them out, that will get you a demister atleast.
Then there is a fair bit of room above the trans tunnel under the dash.....
Cheers.
#18
_Moose lc_
_Moose lc_
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Posted 24 April 2012 - 09:24 PM
I'm starting to think that I'll just have to put up with the heat and just sort a demister or something. This just keep going around and around. Thanks for the advice anyway. If I do finally get something sorted, I'll let you know.
Moose
Oh and bomber, you don't happen to know who might sell those do you?
Cheers
Moose
Oh and bomber, you don't happen to know who might sell those do you?
Cheers
#19
_stapla22_
_stapla22_
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Posted 27 April 2012 - 09:37 PM
I'm considering selling my air cond kit recently removed out of a LJ red motor 6.
It was under dash unit running R134a, compressor, alternator bracket was out of VB commodore.
PM if your interested.
It was under dash unit running R134a, compressor, alternator bracket was out of VB commodore.
PM if your interested.
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