Air Conditioning in a Bug???

bugsandoil Slammed & Awesome Dubber

92 posts · joined Aug 2010 · 27 Feb 2011, 7:05 am

#828428

Has anyone put Air Conditioning in a 1500 bug?

Can the compressor be fitted to a standard 1500 engine?

Is there someone who does it in the Brisbane area?

waveman1500 Also rides a Honda

1,346 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 27 Feb 2011, 10:41 am

#828459

I wouldn't want to try it. It would take a lot of power out of your engine and it would be quite an expensive exercise. You really don't need air conditioning anyway, just use your quarter vent windows to direct air and wind your windows down. Air conditioning is what modern cars are for.

1972 VW S-Bug - For Sale!
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Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 27 Feb 2011, 10:57 am

#828463

Mines installed in an Lbug so not much help but I've noticed more and more at shows with it installed.

Waveman, todays modern rotary compressor only cause minimal power loss.

There were 1000s of beetles sold in the US and Japan new when they only had huge old piston style compressors availble which robbed alot more power than modern ones.

you'll certainly notice when it's on but a 1500 engine will still cope fine.

Gilmore reckons even 1200s can handle their systems.

bugsandoil Slammed & Awesome Dubber

92 posts · joined Aug 2010 · 27 Feb 2011, 11:41 am

#828469

Thanks for your replies.

I was hoping it could be done because we are considering getting rid of the Barina and making our 1500 our daily.

Sitting in Brisbane traffic with no AC is not really fun anymore.

Joel! is yours a Gilmore Unit? Would you recommend it?

ratty 63 Custom Title Time!

1,083 posts · joined Oct 2003 · 27 Feb 2011, 11:41 am

#828470

The new multi-piston compressors use a lot less power than the older type A/c systems. A good condition 1500 should be able to deal with A/c OK.

Talk to Jack at Gold Coast V-dub (Labrador) - they have fitted A/c to a couple of Bugs, Kombis and even a Karmann Ghia over the past couple of years.

R 🙂

40hp, 6V and ...er... slowly making improvements 😂

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!

Founding member of the Gold Coast Dub Club Inc. 🙂

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 27 Feb 2011, 12:19 pm

#828478

bugsandoil wrote:Thanks for your replies.

I was hoping it could be done because we are considering getting rid of the Barina and making our 1500 our daily.

Sitting in Brisbane traffic with no AC is not really fun anymore.

Joel! is yours a Gilmore Unit? Would you recommend it?

People seem to forget the smokers windows only work when your on the move, not fast enough to slam them shut.
They do nothing when you're sweating your ass off sitting at the lights.

Mine is a home grown setup, but heres some info on it and A/C systems in general just to show what's involved.

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=68443&page=8#pid813309

Gilmore setup is pricey, especially being shipped from US but a reasonably well thought out setup if your car isnt lowered.

If you can find an automotice A/C technician they could probably mount a universal underdash consol in the car and fit the compressor, condenser etc cheaper than importing a kit.

People on thesamba speak highly of Gilmore kits though.

waveman1500 Also rides a Honda

1,346 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 27 Feb 2011, 4:00 pm

#828510

Driving fast enough to slam quarter vents shut? Yours must be too loose I think Joel! Mine stay exactly where you leave them even at 110km/h and beyond. I did have a Type 3 with loose quarter vent hinges which annoyed me immensely.

I certainly do understand why you would want A/C, it's a very nice luxury to have.

1972 VW S-Bug - For Sale!
1968-onwards Beetle panels and glass for sale

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 27 Feb 2011, 7:58 pm

#828562

They were speed limited to about 80km/h when I bought it but I tightend the clamps up when I resprayed the bug.

They still blow shut but not till I get over 150km/h now.
I never use them anymore, they get in the way of my mirrors.

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 27 Feb 2011, 8:35 pm

#828580

I've been thinking about somehow squeezing aircon into my Ghia project, but without having anything visible at all.

Current thinking is the main guts similar to a Gilmore system, but instead of an underdash unit using a VintageAir Gen II Mini mounted under the back seat and plumbed thru the existing heater channels, controls mounted in the glove box.

http://www.vintageair.com/catalog10/2010%20VintageAir%20Catalog%20web%20hi-res%20(Page%2017).pdf

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Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 27 Feb 2011, 9:11 pm

#828592

You would be better off ducting it up and out of the parcel tray.

A/C + metal and condensation = bye bye heater channels

THeres a guy on the goldcoast with a sweet WRX powered ghia with a/c that all hidden. I've got pics of it somewhere his evap was mounted in the boot i think and ducted in to small outlets under the dash.

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Feb 2011, 1:40 am

#828618

waveman1500 wrote:I wouldn't want to try it. It would take a lot of power out of your engine and it would be quite an expensive exercise. You really don't need air conditioning anyway, just use your quarter vent windows to direct air and wind your windows down. Air conditioning is what modern cars are for.

I don't drive My beetle a lot in Nov-Dec-Jan-Feb because of the Very hot temperatures in the Upper Hunter area..

even today at only 34C but with very High Humidity because of some very light rain...
I couldn't drive My beetle...

Normally in those summer months I very rarely drive My beetle as the temperature is over 36C and this year We have had up to 45C here...
so, being in a car or even out of a Car...
its just too hot....

Virtually ALL cars have Air Con in Malaysia and the Phillipines
including beetles... otherwise you would sweat away and have to change your clothes all the time....

Under 32C the quarter windows do work great when you are moving..

You can tighten the bottom quarter window Hinge by removing the door trim.... and tightening the hinge...
You can have them as tight or as loose as You want...

Joel,
Air conditioning air is Humidity Free.... so no moisture in the heater boxes... and treat them with Fish Oil... First..

cheers

LEE

PS: You can use the late type 3 fresh air vents in a ghia...
just a hole about 45mm... and push them in and connect to hoses..

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 28 Feb 2011, 6:25 am

#828623

68AutoBug wrote:Joel,
Air conditioning air is Humidity Free.... so no moisture in the heater boxes... and treat them with Fish Oil... First..

Lee, you're talking to an ex refrigeration mechanic here.
The average car air conditioner on a 80% humidity day creates 1L of condensation every 15 mins.

haven't you ever wondered why there's a big puddle of water under your car when you park after having the A/C on?.

Watch the video tour of my bugs A/C on youtube, you'll see how the temp coming out of my vents is 4c.

4c is normal air off temp for car A/C, when you feed 4c air into a metal tube that is 40c underneath it's gonna sweat, that's science.

On one of these 40c Scone days put the swifts A/C on the windscreen and watch how quickly the outside of the glass starts sweating.

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 28 Feb 2011, 11:55 am

#828686

Joel wrote:A/C + metal and condensation = bye bye heater channels

Yeah, "plumbed thru the heater channels" wasn't the best way of wording it.

What I'm thinking of is running dedicated a/c ducting, but having it inside the heater channels so you can't see it at all. So the cold air will be contained within rubber/plastic ducting, and so shouldn't come into contact with metal until it's coming out of the dash.

Means I won't have heaters of course, but then that's not really an issue here in Brissie for the like 2 week long winter we normally have.

😂

VWDCQ vice pres & web dude - vwdcqinc.org.au
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'60 KG Coupe - resto kinda started
01 New Beetle - gf's car, but I turn the spanners

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Feb 2011, 12:43 pm

#828699

Hi Joel

Yes, the water comes from the condenser ..
and pipes...

and OK on the moisture on the outside of the metal..

and running tubes down the heater boxes is the way to go...

but Heaters are needed in Scone just as much as an air con...

thanks for the info Joel...

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

reub VWRX is gone...

2,054 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 28 Feb 2011, 2:32 pm

#828712

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxTzePjYwGE

http://shop.vintagespeed.com.tw/aircondition.html

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=784758

Reub

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 28 Feb 2011, 4:23 pm

#828727

Cheers Reub... that's a VERY neat setup IMHO !!!

👍

VWDCQ vice pres & web dude - vwdcqinc.org.au
Join a car club - get car peeps

My toys
'70 Hillclimb Bug 'Jezebel' w/- Haltech EFI - http://bit.ly/VwTNtQ
'60 KG Coupe - resto kinda started
01 New Beetle - gf's car, but I turn the spanners

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 28 Feb 2011, 5:31 pm

#828738

Its such a bummer the decklid doesnt shut with Vintage speeds compressor mounting cos it's an excellent idea, an engine you can actually work on.

Can you imagine trying to replace the points and set the gap on this?

The only let down to their setup is the Crank pulley is too small.
It would work fine out on the motorway but sitting idling in bumper to bumper slow moving sitting traffic when A/C is needed most and working the hardest with the compressor underdriven it will constantly trip out on HP.

EA and EB falcons used to be shocking for it with the viscous drive cooling fan and no condenser fan.

You can get Idle up solenoids from any 80s carbed car with A/C so that a normal sized pulley can be used.

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 28 Feb 2011, 6:29 pm

#828746

This is a nice setup, Aussie too. 👍

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