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Air conditioning
StenGuns - October 6th, 2007 at 04:43 PM

Anyone here successfully installed an aftermarket A/C system in an early beetle?
Just looking for Tips and Ideas..
Rob

pod - October 6th, 2007 at 04:48 PM

do a search on threads by nepat from thailand as they have aircon setups in their beetles

StenGuns - October 6th, 2007 at 05:02 PM

yeah. I've seen those mate.. not what I'm looking for

StenGuns - October 7th, 2007 at 06:33 PM

.

one4 - October 7th, 2007 at 10:28 PM

Hey Rob,

You've probably looked at the vintage air kits. They are pretty good and not badly priced. Thats the way I am going with mine with the billet 4 control knobs. But I am also running off a Subie engine. I'm sure they would have something which would run off a vw engine.

Richard

StenGuns - October 7th, 2007 at 10:55 PM

Thanks Richard
I want to mount everything at the rear of the car and duct through under the rear seat and heater channels.. Looking for a modern small unit set up.. If all that is available brings the plumbing through to the front of the car and mounts under dash, I'll probably not do it..
I'll take a look at small jap car wreckers (Diahatsu etc) and see where it goes..
Do all A/C compressors run off a belt? I was hoping that I could locate an electric one..
Thanks for your reply

ratty 63 - October 11th, 2007 at 11:51 PM

Talk to Jack at Gold Coast VeeDub at Labrador - he has fitted A/c to a couple of early Beetles, as well as to KG's and Kombis...

R :)

Flintstones - October 12th, 2007 at 11:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by StenGuns
Thanks Richard
I want to mount everything at the rear of the car and duct through under the rear seat and heater channels..


Running cold air through the heater channel is not very effective as you'd lose a lot of it through heat transfer, cause the channel is not insulated.

Quote:
Originally posted by StenGuns I'll take a look at small jap car wreckers (Diahatsu etc) and see where it goes..
Do all A/C compressors run off a belt? I was hoping that I could locate an electric one..
Thanks for your reply


On the Toyota Prius hybrid engine, it runs an electric compressor but at $3k a pop it definately aint cheap!!

Cheers

1303Steve - October 13th, 2007 at 11:53 AM

Hi

Just a thought. Could you use a 12 volt motor to turn the compressor? You would need a hefty alternator to do it but the compressor would not be running all the time.

Steve

koolkarmakombi - October 13th, 2007 at 05:20 PM

Check some of the US hot rod sites. Has been discussed here before and some electric ones were pointed out. (cannot find the thread now)

Why not the engine bay?

Baja Wes - November 8th, 2007 at 04:35 PM

I think using a belt compressor will be easier than finding a big enough alternator to power an electric compressor. I've got A/C but probably in a lot more of a complicated configuration to what your thinking.