Air Con: To fit or not to fit, opinions please.

Hi all
I've reached a point in my Tornado build where I have to decide whether to fit A/C or not. Given the expense and extra work, and the fact that here in the UK we don't get a huge amount of hot days I'm completely undecided and need tipping one way or the other. Like most builders my finances are not unlimited and I can think of several other areas I could spend the money.

Have many of you fitted it and found you never used it here in the UK? or didnt fit it and wished that you had. Also has anyone found it made a significant difference when it came to resale value.

Thanks for your help.
Jason
 
I vote yes.

I'm in Tasmania - during the warmer months the car would be undriveable without it.

Depends on usage though of course.

Tim.
 
Hi Jason

When I built my car I lived in the UK. I now live in north west France. I have not fitted air con and never regretted it. I have more of a problem with the screens misting up in damp and wet conditions and can't wait for the car to warm up.

Even when doing the Parade des Pilotes in the Le Mans 24 hour week, it wasn't a problem for me. The car was stationery for long periods, and when moving generally never got out of first gear. The crowd also want you to rev the motor quite a bit, so tended to run at a reasonable temperature.

However, like most things its down to personal preference. May sound strange, but I'm fine with heat, its the sun I can't take.

Stephen
 
Jason

I have had two 40's one with and one without air-con.
If you open up ventilation and insulate the coolant pipes etc and duct the hot rad air so the bulkhead is sealed then it is mostly OK, however if it is sunny there is serious solar gain greenhouse effect; also, if it rains it will leak and you will be fighting a de-misting battle.
Air con fixes these issues, as apart from cooling, the air is also dried.

I am in Halifax, if you are this way you can look over my car for ideas etc. Drop me a PM

Regards

Stephen
 
The greenhouse effect is the biggest factor. Walk up to the car even on a mild sunny day and open the door and slip in. You will be sweating in short order. My a/c went inop the first of this summer. I had a few events to do before getting it fixed/recharged and removed the side windows to survive. It was actually quite pleasant with the windows out. You get a lot more sound inputs of whats going on with the cars suspension and brakes, plus the stereo sound that comes out just below the number plate out back!!!!!......
 

Mike Pass

Supporter
Fit it. Make sure your cooling at the rad is good so you can use it when it's really hot without overheating the engine. You may well end up on the continent at the LMC like two years ago. 40deg C and sunny and sitting in a queue of traffic - you will wish you had air con. I use mine even in the UK. Also fit a helicopter vent in the side windows - very good when you are moving.
Cheers
Mike
 
Fit it - you'll have to fit a heater matrix and vents for the IVA anyway. Cheapest option is from the states and they'll send everything you need including hoses cut to length if you give them measurements. I think mine was about £400+ shipping but that was 8 years ago or so.
 
Thanks for the input guys, looks like I might have to bite the bullet and go A/C. I'll just have to sacrifice some shiny bits somewhere:)

Jason
 

Ian Anderson

Lifetime Supporter
Wimps!

If it s hot unscrew a window or two

I'f it fogs up wipe the screen with a cloth or chamois

But I ducted from the front brake duct inlets into the cabin so get a great flow of through air at anything above about 20mph

That said if I was doing it again I would fit aircon it also becomes a selling point when you want to sell on later

Ian
 
I can't argue with the selling point as a new buyer wants it all. I built mine with extra measures to keep the radiator heat out of the front bay. I added a dam that helps keep the radiator air flowing out the nostrils. See the first pic. I also built the nostrils to cover the entire frontal area of the radiators. I filled the center console with closed cell insulation, and that with the Dynamat and Dynapad on the outside, feel comfortable. I have been working to try and refine the pedals and hydraulic lines. In order to do that I have the top of the footwell uncovered for access.
P9110057_zps1fb246ab.jpg


Once all the alterations are set, then I will reattach it. I am considering riv nuts so I can keep the access. I have been driving it around this way since it hit the ground this spring. I have taken short trips to and from work(6 miles), and long trips(80-90 miles) at various times through the summer. Temps are routinely in the 80s and low 90s outside. I also don't have the side windows in as well. As most of you know there is little if any wind noise through the windows. I doubt my wife would muss her couf with the car at speed. There is little if any heat coming from the front radiator back into the cabin. Behind the dam is the water pump so there is some heat coming into the cabin, but I feel the open windows take care of most of that. Water temps routinely are between 160-170 while moving at decent speed(>20mph). I only run the fans when stopped in traffic for more than one cycle of the red lights. May be adding a PWM this winter to automate this process. If I had a vent from the wheel wells it would be down right comfortable in the cabin. For those of you with the windows in you might consider an exhaust fan ala NASCAR. But then that assumes you have a source of fresh air coming in(which I feel is the key). I sealed mine up but I don't plan on driving when wet. I also have double insulation also on the firewall to the engine. I just can't see anyone selling one of these once you have driven it! I won't until I can't physically crawl into it.

Bill
 
One route I had thought of taking was to fit a matrix with heat and A/C capability, then just fit the compressor and radiator later on if I decide to go A/C. Am I right in thinking you could run a matrix just for heat without the A/C part hooked up?

Jason
 
Hi Jason

I have more of a problem with the screens misting up in damp and wet conditions and can't wait for the car to warm up.

Stephen

I would say fit it. Also, turning the aircon on should quickly clear a misted up screen although i intend fitting one of Southern GT's heated front screens which should help as well.
 
I think we have similar weather here in Seattle to much of the UK....there's some sun in the summer time but most of the year it's grey and 40 and drizzling..... I never turned on the A/C in my CAV....not once....however, the new owner of the car (located in Michigan) needs it there.....big time.... So, just a thought, but even if you don't need it in damp old England, it may be worth putting in for down the road if you ever need to sell the car. Just a thought.
 
I agree Cliff, It seems to be a big selling point, even if you don't need it. Not that I plan on selling it, but I'm sure it will go at some point to fund the next project.
 
Jason,
I have fitted it for a few reasons.

1/ Dave Champ did a comparison a while back when he did his. Basically changing iron heads for ally and then having aircon is basically the same as having iron heads.

2/ I had feedback from a few people that on the few hot days in the Uk it is worth it's weight in gold as the car becomes a fishbowl of heat. I was once told a story (not sure how true) of a group od GT40EC or GTD club members who went to Spa one summer and the ones who didn't have air con drank a considerable amount of water and didn't have to pit stop once...

3/ For the demisting and as other have said resale at some point, as I plan to do another GT40, but with all the lessons learnt from this one!

Brett
 
Thanks for the info Brett. I think I'm going to go down the route of fitting a combined matrix just for the heat to get me through the IVA, then source the rad and compressor later on.

Jason
 
I've got the same intention. Buy a ID-255 ( Nostalgic AC - ID-255 Heat Air In-dash Evaporator Unit ) or very similar and use it without the aircon part to start with. I also intend to put the compressor in as it affects the belt run/length and may interfere with other components in the engine bay and it'd be easier to plan round that now). It won't do anything due to the mag-clutch.

OK so you need to sort out getting an ID-255 from the US but it's not much more than just a plain heater unit in the UK.

Then once I've got the car on the road I can think about fitting a dryer and condenser and all the rest if I need it. My only concern is the hoses for it, if I should fit some during the build or not.
 
Hi David
Just looked at that Nostalgic AC unit and it seems a pretty good price. Have you any idea how much they want to ship it to the UK?
Ive also looked at the universal kit that CBS sell. Its a fair bit more expensive but includes the drier, and the hose connections.

Jason
 
No idea, I'm going to Florida next month so I figured I'd bring one back!

They're about 5kg, call it 6kg as a package.

Condensers and driers are pretty cheap even here, a brand new condenser for many cars starts from only £50 and should be no problem to find one to fit. I think the compressor is the one piece you might struggle a tiny bit with and I'm sure plenty have fitted one to the SBF so even that shouldn't be too hard.
 

Julian

Lifetime Supporter
As another alternative Vintage Air had a booth at Hot August Nights and I spent some time talking to them, they have done GT40 kits and seemed to know what they were talking about.

Vintage Air

Julian
 
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