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

Jason, I'd fit the nostalgic unit and any associated lines down the centre of the car, fitting the compressor and back-end stuff later.

FYI,.... I have removed the standard water pump and am fitting an electric one in the front bay with a bypass thermostat, so don't have the heater hoses down the tunnel, which means I can fit more insulation round the main cooling pipes, I also plan to deepen the nostrils, rad fans are controlled from the water pump control unit.

Oh BTW, Andy Green has AC fitted to an SBF, have a look at his log.
 
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Julian

Lifetime Supporter
The kit from these guys looks good and includes compressor etc. Price is really good in the states unfortunately for us in blighty they want $1000 to deliver :( , I may try and contact them to get a revised shipping quote as that is ridiculous :(.

Southern Air Heating and Cooling Kits and Units

That is ridiculous, get a weight and dimensions and I'll get you a shipping quote, got to be a cheaper way even if you have it sent to a US forum member to forwars on.

Julian
 
Jason,
Don't order over the net with Nostlgic, contact them directly over mail or phone to get the shipping quote, that is what the owner told me when I ordered way back and have ordered subsequent bits.

Brett
 
I've been looking at that £479 kit from CBS. Looks a lot like the Nostalgic one. The control panel certainly looks identical. I don't think its a bad price when you add up all the stuff you get with it, and at least its already in the UK with free shipping. Anyone had one of these?

Jason
 
You still need to get the compressor and condensor with CBS. My Evaporator unit looks like the first link.

If I remember correctly I used Nostalgic because Paul Walton and some others had. I just told him that I needed it for a Tornado. Mine came through on snail freight and let's just say it came out to less than the CBS kit (but the exchange rate was better then)...
 
Thats the thing. The a Nostalgic kit for $749.99 comes with the compressor and condensor, I believe to add these to the CBS kit would be another £300 plus vat. Even with todays exchange rate as long as the shipping is reasonable its cheaper to get from Nostalgic
 

Mike Pass

Supporter
Check out Martin Gough's build thread of Southern GT no. 8 which fitted the CBS one. You can get the other bits from Southern GT.
Cheers
Mike
 
OK, I bought an ID-255 from Nostalgic and brought it back, for those considering it total weight was labelled as 15lbs of which the evaporator itself was about 4Kg.

20131021_163650.jpg


Compressor I already have (I'm using the one my engine 'originally' came with) and I'll sort a dryer and condenser later in the build.

I don't plan on using the manual controls though, going to use a fiesta/puma heater control valve instead of the manual one so will have to do some more electronics!

Has anyone got any pictures of where they installed their evaporators?
Found one in Martin Gough's http://www.gt40s.com/forum/gt40-build-logs/20463-southerngt-no8-8.html#post261048 and http://www.gt40s.com/forum/gt40-build-logs/20463-southerngt-no8-10.html#post271576
 
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Dave Hood

Lifetime Supporter
Mike, if I didn't have A/C here in Charlotte I'd be able to enjoy my car for about four months each year. Whenever I sell the car, having A/C will also broaden my potential market. Unless I sell to someone who lives in your lovely state! Then I'd need to equip my car with chains and a plow attachment.....
 

Mike

Lifetime Supporter
Ha I agree on being able to sell but still... has everyone gone soft? How about power steering and brakes? Nice stereo? Cup holders? No thanks. When I get done driving I want to be deaf, sweating, and feel like I just got in a fight and won! BTW I drove mine many times in 90 degree weather and the only time it approached being unbearable is in stop and go traffic. I avoid it at all costs not because of the heat in the cabin but just because driving a GT40 in stop and go traffic should also be grounds for confiscation. Those should buy a sedan... this is a race car!

PS mine does have AC, I just never use it. Really want to take it off.
 
Each to their own.

I see no reason to be unnecessarily uncomfortable and on a practical note Air Con is wonderful for stopping the windows from misting up when it rains (although I don't intend to drive it much in the wet I live in the UK, it's going to happen ;) )

Lets not forget that LMP1 and LMP2 Coupe's run Air Con...
 
Hi Brett,
I was looking to your pictures and the routing of your heating hoses to the heater matrix.
They are directly tapped into the main hoses which sounds to me the cleanest and lightest way but I doubt if it works properly.
There is a large air bell sticking in your heater matrix.
How did you removed the air ? And is it circulating enough water ?
Regards
Skorpion
 
Don't know, still not finished it.

I originally want the take-offs at 45 degrees i.e. in the direction of flow, but the person who did them for me didn't do what I asked. Worse case I will add a small booster pump
 

Glenn M

Supporter
Compressor I already have (I'm using the one my engine 'originally' came with) and I'll sort a dryer and condenser later in the build.


David,

Depending on the age, you might want to confirm that the compressor is compatible with the gas used nowadays. I only say as mine wasn't.

Glenn
 
Hi Brett, Skorpion is right, you will not get any flow in the tee-offs to the heater. Unless the branch pipe goes into the middle of the flow on the larger pipe. What I did with mine was a 45 degree tee for the branch offs. The smaller branch pipe is not flush with the inside wall of the larger pipe, rather it goes into the middle of the liquid flow and has an angle cut so the liquid will be forced into the smaller pipe. K
 

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