Air conditioning

Gitnrusty · Jul 1, 2012

Have any of you darksider, desert dwellers, had success with air conditioning the Alpine with a 2.8? It frequently tops 100 ( temp. not speed ) around here and since I have my S1V completley stripped now's the time to think about how to install the evaporator/blower. My concern would be cooling the motor. Any experence out there? A few photos!
After all the car is a GT. How can it not have A/C

............Chuck...

Mike snyder · Jul 1, 2012

Years ago a friend of mine installed an aftermarket air conditioning system in a 66 mustang. The unit was self contained (controls, blower, vents) and bolted below the dash. Two hoses ran through the firewall to the compressor and evaporator/ cooler. Unfortunately I can't remember the manufacturers name but I have seen the same model in a lot of early Mustangs. You might want to check some Mustang forums. Good Luck!
Mike Snyder

Gitnrusty · Jul 1, 2012

Hi Mike.
I actualy have most of the pieces Id need to do this, but still have concerns about cooling the 2.8 motor (engine) while cooling the cars occupants. Was hoping for a testimonial from someone who's done this. Ive looked at the hot rod sites but most have big motors and big radiators.
The mutt II my 2.8 motor came from did have AC but of course Alpines cannot use that huge OEM compressor. Ugly!

socorob · Jul 1, 2012

If you look at vintage air, old air, classic air, etc, they all use mini sanden compressors. I measured a lot trying to figure out how to make a compressor fit in the engine bay, a condenser fit in front of the radiator, and the evaporator/controls fit into the tiny dash. I think you would have to at least make a center console of some sort to put everything behind it. The hurricane a/c system is sort of like a box, so it would probably fit the best of any of the hot rod ones. Maybe if you hit the junkyards and start looking in very small cars, maybe you could cobble something together from different OEM parts to work, but dont know many cars that have as shallow of a dash as an alpine. It would be the most inexpensive route. The next issue would be a/c compressor. I don't know if you could make a serpentine belt system for the front of the 2.8 easily. If not, you would need 2 pulleys on the crank, one to drive whats there now, and another to drive a compressor. I would have to take quite a large notch out of the crossmember on mine to make it fit. Does anyone know if you can drive a compressor off the alternator or water pump with a double pulley? From what Ive read, the key to a good a/c is as large a condenser as possible.
http://www.oldairproducts.com/catal...00/hurricane-2100-complete-system-p-4298.html

Gitnrusty · Jul 1, 2012

air conditoning

Yeah Robbie. Driving the compressor will be trickey, OEM instalations wrap the drive belt around the crank pulley to mimimise slippage when the compressor kicks in. Belt needs to be pretty tight! Hate to think of notching the crossmember for clearance for second pulley. Driving from the water pump pulley would tax the WP bearings but may be balanced by the altenator belt pulling the other way. Smallest compressor Ive seen was on a Chevy mini front wheel driver made in japan (cant rember the model name). It should have enough capacity to cool an Alpine.
Thanks for the input guys.
...... Chuck.....

socorob · Jul 1, 2012

You can get the sandens set up for 2 belts. Maybe 1st belt could be crank, water pump, compressor... then a belt from the compressor to the alternator off the 2nd belt. I dont know what that would do to the bearings on the compressor or if it would be ok, but that would get rid of the crank pulley problem. Next thing would be where would it fit in the engine bay?

Bill Blue · Jul 1, 2012

Robbie, I mounted an Old Air Hurricane unit in my Alpine. Ain't easy and some mods were required (at least the way I did it) but it works, gives me AC, heater, defrost and is not too obnoxious.

I tried using one of the "505" (well, two to be exact) and it did not work very well. Did not produce the proper pressures and did not cool. The "508" works just fine.

Bill

socorob · Jul 1, 2012

I think I saw the hurricane one from you. It looks like the new 2100 has the pipes coming out the side, so you could put the long measurement of it north-south in your car. I'm not sure how hard that will make the ducts to run, but I plan on making a console and having 2 of the ducts in it.

socorob · Jul 1, 2012

What condenser did you use, and do you have any pictures of it installed?

Gitnrusty · Jul 1, 2012

.Since I will not be using a brake servo I expect to have plenty of room on the pass. side for the compressor (where your air filter is Robbie)
I like the idea of running alternator off compressor double pulley. With AC will probably need to have a electric fan and this may provide more space for drive belts.
Robbie, is your electric fan aftermarket or volkswagen OEM? Since it fits so well some more info. would help. Thanks.
......Chuck....

Bill Blue · Jul 1, 2012

socorob said:
What condenser did you use, and do you have any pictures of it installed?

No pictures, but I used a 12 X 20. I got it off ebay, but this guy has them. The ebay price was about 50 bucks.
http://www.nostalgicairparts.com/ac/painted-black-aluminum-109.php
The 12 X 20 is as large as you can use. Let me rephrase that, its as large as I can use. Really, I see no point in getting a core that is large than the radiator opening. Speaking of opening, it pays to remove the bottom radiator panel. It covers the bottom in or so of the radiator.

Bill

socorob · Jul 1, 2012

It's not a VW fan, it's a flex a lite scirocco fan (I think that means wind or something like that in another language?) but it was about the same size as the radiator and very thin.

Bill, do you have a separate fan for the condenser?

Bill Blue · Jul 1, 2012

Bill, do you have a separate fan for the condenser?

No, I'm running a belt driven viscus drive fan. Lot of work to make happen, but works good. I think that a couple of pusher fans would do about as good and a whole lot easier.

Bill

pcmenten · Jul 2, 2012

I just got the balancer/pulley off of my Mustang II 2.8. One of the first things I did was to turn it around to see if it would fit on 'upside-down'. I think it does. That might gain some room for another pulley without having to notch a crossmember.

Ron67Alpine · Jul 2, 2012

Ken Ellis · Jul 2, 2012

But now there's no room for my 8-track.

Gitnrusty · Jul 2, 2012

Love those red neck problem solvers. Do we have contact info. on this guy? Maybe he'd slap one of them puppys in the alpine and save me a lot of fiddley fitting

....chuck....

Gitnrusty · Jul 2, 2012

Hi Bill.
You mentioned removing the panel at the radiator botton. Did you reposition it lower or eliminate it alltogether? By the way , does anyone know why this panel is tapered from one side to the other? Maybe a hangover from the hillman husky?
pcmenten.
Thanks for the fresh thinking on the pully/balancer. Im on my way to the workshop to check this out.
Robbie.
I was hoping you meant VW scirocco. I've always beleved that origonal equipment fans on german cars were the best quality.
...chuck...

Bill Blue · Jul 2, 2012

I eliminated it altogether. At the time, I was told it was not a structural component and nobody knew why it was there. I figured its removal probably increased air flow, and therefore cooling, by 10%.

Bill

socorob · Jul 2, 2012

Well, Europe isn't known For good electronics. You have to look to Japan for that. I wouldnt put anything VW in my car after being around 3 coworkers, a cousin and 2 friends fairly recent VWs. I don't think there's ever a time when all of them don't have something broken at the same time.

Let us know what you find out about the pulley situation. It will be good info to know. If you flip it, it probably won't be in line with the water pump anymore though.