Aircon installation

[RazMan]

I will need to install aircon in my Aeon at some point but the prices of new installation kits from companies like Car Builder Solutions are pretty scary (£500 ish) Has anyone found a suitable (read cheap) donor system that I could use instead?

[steve_D]

Most donor A/C are rather to well integrated into the dash and other systems. The closest I came to finding one was in a Range Rover Classic. A/C was a later edition to the model so is a bit kit like. My problem was that the guy in the breakers would not let me take the dash out unles I was buying it.

You may find an A/C company who can do just the heater/cooler unit with fan then source the condenser, compressor, dryer, fans & switches from a donor.

That £500 is not bad. You could try the Ultima one for £1312+VAT if you like.

Steve

[RazMan]

I've already got the original Ford donor's compressor although I am not sure if it will fit when the engine goes in (it might foul a chassis member) and I have sourced a suitable aircon control panel from a Jaguar. The only items I really need are the condenser, heater matrix and dryer.

Ultima option ......... how much???

[stannerz]

I thoght Keith at Aeon would have a solution from his other vehicles, or did they put you in touch with CBS??

[D-Angle]

I can't remember who is selling them, but you can get repro Lotus Elan aircon units which are very compact and lightweight, all-in-one affairs, and apparently suit kit cars to a tee. Might be worth trying Europa spares or similar.

[RazMan]

stannerz said:

I thoght Keith at Aeon would have a solution from his other vehicles, or did they put you in touch with CBS??

Hi mate, how's the car running now?

John at Aeon had suggested going to CBS and admittedly their kit is very compact and probably well suited to the task .......... but I am always looking for a bargain or two. Ebay is a wonderful source for stuff if you know what you are looking for - I saved hundreds on 'nearly new' brakes last week and even more on an Evodash.

[stannerz]

was that a late night/early morning reply????

cars going well. Took it along to Mallory park the other weekend and let John Avebury drive it as he is interested in a race car version with massive Audi (tt)power(440bhpish). I didnt drive as it was damp. He said hed buy the car off me if he trashed it. With me in a passenger seat( one of them) we had 10 or so laps wow...!!! He is ARDS qualified and can drive very well. My car has one major weekness and did it show up === the front brakes are just not up to 198bhp going full chat and then trying to scub off speed. John was impressed with it apart from the brakes (now on the Xmas list) if you want to see a little video clip shot by one of the other punters go to bookatrack.com and enter the site , goto galleries then to (AUTHOR) Paul Jeffries (GALLERY) Mallory Park Sat. 30th Oct 2004, then video 20246mallory03.wmv 1.01mb. It's not much but I enjoy wathing it every night.( completly sad or what??!!)
Hows Your project going??
Stannerz

[RazMan]

Loved the video ..... but I blinked and missed it until I slowed the play speed down a bit

Ref your brakes - I found them very scary when I took the car out with John so I have bought some Wilwood 4-pots for the front and standard Sierra jobbies for the back - doesn't your car have drums though? ... even more scary!

I am now awaiting my chassis kit - got the engine all spruced up and ready to go in straight away and I am now looking forward to getting some serious work done over the Xmas holiday. I am compiling a shopping list so that I will have enough parts to keep me locked in the garage (hiding from the festivities .... bah humbug)

[stannerz]

the set up is pretty much the same as my Fury, so I am used to the press hard to stop approach. But that has got 155pinto ponies under the bonnet not 198bhp. The difference that makes is enough for me to do an upgrade to larger discs and 4pots on the front. I will leave the rears as they are for a while as they are the large sierra drums. I feel that they should be up to the job -providing I get the balance right. (until the next few bhp are added that is).

[dontlift]

See if you can borrow one of these from somewhere when you fit it....

www.toolsnstuff.co.uk/product_info.php/pName/Air-Conditioning-Leak-Detection-Kit/products_id/6701

Always pays to check the system over and saves a fortune in re-gassing

[RazMan]

dontlift said:

See if you can borrow one of these from somewhere when you fit it.... Always pays to check the system over and saves a fortune in re-gassing

For that money I think I will just get it checked out at a service agent!

But thanks for the info anyway

[stannerz]

if youve already got the compreesor, the condenser is quite cheap from CBS any way. Could you not mount the compressor somewhere else??==new bracket n belt??

[RazMan]

stannerz said:

if youve already got the compreesor, the condenser is quite cheap from CBS any way. Could you not mount the compressor somewhere else??==new bracket n belt??

That is what I am hoping to do but I am not sure if the compressor will clear all the chassis at the moment as I haven't got the chassis kit yet. The belt is shorter anyway as I am scrapping the existing water pump in favour of an electric jobbie (the V6 apparently has a weakness here so I thought it was a worthwhile investment)

I would still need the heater/ aircon matrix, condenser and dryer which is the main part of the CBS kit anyway.

Me thinks I will have to get my cheque book out .... again.
Good fun - this kit car building innit!

[Funderbunk]

Hmmm...... Given the strength of the Pound compared to the dollar, you might save a bit buying something from here in the states. VintageAir (www.vintageair.com) is generally held in pretty high regards, and has several "universal" systems of varying capacity, some including heat, a/c, and defrost in one unit.

[RazMan]

Funderbunk said:

Hmmm...... Given the strength of the Pound compared to the dollar, you might save a bit buying something from here in the states. VintageAir (www.vintageair.com) is generally held in pretty high regards, and has several "universal" systems of varying capacity, some including heat, a/c, and defrost in one unit.

That's a useful link - I'll have a closer look