Hello I'm in Melbourne and the Summers get rather hot down here. It was about 40C in my car on a trip to the country... woaaaaaarh!!!! it felt like a sauna!!!! Apart from moving to Tasmania, where the summers are cooler, I'm thinking of installing an air-con unit in my 1965 Beetle.

I dug up some old emails from usenet - see below - but has anyone here done it or knows any mechanics in Melbourne who could do it?

Cheers!!!!

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I just installed one of the I.C.E. units in my bug. A very nice kit.
There were some areas of it that were difficult to do, but I kind of expected
that. ..... I put a T4 oil cooler conversion on my new beetlemex engine just to be sure I wasn't overheatng it. I also did not mount the sub-cooler condenser on the engine firewall - so as not to draw
already warmed air from it into the engine cooling. I mounted it above the transaxle and added an additional 9" radiator cooling fan to it to pull air thru it. The system has 2 condensers each with
it's own cooling fan. The thing will freeze your kneecaps off (I have an under the dash blower unit). Good luck, its not that bad.


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With all due respect, I think when it comes to air-conditioning, everyone should look to Singaporean Bug owners. We get 30C+, 90+% humidity here all year round, so air-con is... How we mount the air-con? Simple. Blower in the car. You have a choice of in front under the dash or behind in the luggage compartment. Both ways make you lose some space, but I personally, I prefer Smurfette's luggage space setup. The space is usually unused anyway. (Who climbs behind to stuff things there?) The rear setup is good also because the
cool air goes all round the cabin, while the front setup freezes your
knees and knuckles... :-)

For the compressor, we use a rotary type that is mounted on the LEFT of
the carb, about where the alternator is. With this, there are no bubbles
on the decklid. The brackets may vary from shop to shop, but the idea is
the same. I've got pics of you guys want to see. Looks like a Judson
SuperCharger if you ask me! :-0

And lastly, the condensor/evaporator is mounted under the pan, in front
of the rear left wheel. Don't ask me why. They are just set up so. Over
the years they get dinged a 'lil, but they don't leak. This way, you get
to keep your spare tire spare and once the car moves, the air gets
cold... fast.

ALVIN


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To Chad,

You can do it yourself like I did - cost approx $400AUS, have pics.

I have air conditioning in my '62, it works great and I'm real COOOL!
The underdash unit is an after market "Mark IV", small and neat, two
stage fan and temperature control, ducts etc, the rest - ie rotary
compressor (Sanden), condenser, receiver/dryer are from a Holden
Commadore (local Australian built car). The condenser unit with twin electric fans is mounted in the spare tire well. Air scoops at the bottom and escape holes at the back, sealed over the top to stop water entering the luggage compartment. The compressor is mounted to the right of the alternator on a bracket from under the alternator stand. Extra pulley welded in front of standard one. Had to have a slight bubble put into the engine lid to clear the electro-magnetic clutch on the compressor. Has a sensor fitted to shut down the compressor under 1000rpm (is adjustable, allows for easier starting and idle. Does not effect the performance that much on my warmed 1600TP. Disadvantages are - it only recycles the air inside the car (need to
open a window every now and then), and I have lost some space in the luggage compartment (now taken up by the spare wheel). Advantages are - my wife will now go travelling in the bug!
From
Grahame

I was wondering about a compressor off one of those little jap jobs, Suzuki Swift or Holden Barina, they only have 900-1300, motors, so a used compressor off one of these should be OK for a Beetle, engine.
Any comments!
Rob......

Using custom parts would be a lot better - BUT you have to do a custom job. Count on a lot of money if you think you are just going to take it somewhere and get it done.

ICE and a few others sell the kits but they are a couple of $k's when landed in australia.

I have been thinking about this.
Get a dual belt pulley
Diahatsu etc compressor
mount condenser above gbox - too much work getting a late spec US front apron with the slots already in.
Mount the evap in a shelf on the parcel tray and blow up and return air could be slots beside it.

Luckily i work in the AC buisness so i might be able to get someone to help me

I've got a '76 Beetle Cab with standard air con. Perhaps hunt out a wrecked Beetle of similar year and pull out the kit. I'd try to stay standard, even if the year of the componentry is different. Does anyone know if this would be compatible with an early Beetle. I can't think of any issues, short of converting to 12v.

Squiz......

Fit a rex engine



:vader

Well, you dug up an old email of mine.
If you want pics email me

Grahame,

Would your setup work in a Kombi ?

Hi, would it be possible for you to post the pictures of your air con in the Picture section of this forum?

Thanks!:alien

Available by special order - RHD AC kits with moulded under dash unit (suit all 58 up flat dash beetles), directs air both sides of steering wheel. compressors & brackets that fit under decklid with no mods. Cost about $2500





Email if interested guy@hardingeuropean.com

I have a full kit for sale, similar to the Flat 4 ones shown above. Its the one with the blower that mounts in the parcel area, and has a remote controlled on/off switch and cooler setting. Comes with a compressor, condensor, blower etc etc. Eveything you need.

Only $250 which is a fraction of the cost of the above kit.

Pics at:-


http://www.matara.net/ebay/AIRCON_2.JPG

http://www.matara.net/ebay/AIRCON_3.JPG

http://www.matara.net/ebay/AIRCON_4.JPG

http://www.matara.net/ebay/AIRCON_5.JPG

http://www.matara.net/ebay/AIRCON_6.JPG

http://www.matara.net/ebay/AIRCON_7.JPG

http://www.matara.net/ebay/AIRCON_8.JPG

http://www.matara.net/ebay/AIRCON_9.JPG

http://www.matara.net/ebay/AIRCON_10.JPG

Cheers

Steve

Steve/Matara
you have U2U
Cheers
Chris (Penguin)

Sort of like an email, but sent through the forum (I think thats the best way to describe). Look up in the top right of your screen, below the last active line, you should see a message saying you have 1 new message. (I just sent you one)
Click on it, and a new window will open, and you can open the message from there.
Its also a quieter way of talking than posting it on the boards.
Cheers
penguin

> Would your setup work in a Kombi ?
> Fatboy

maybe?


> Hi, would it be possible for you to post the pictures of your air con in the Picture section of this forum?
> Blue65

Will get them together and put them in the members area asap