Air Conditioned Series

[adkrover]

I just completed installing a very nice AC system in my '65 109. The unit is a universal underdash model with a four port adapter plate. There are a few companies out there that sell them and as far as I could tell they are about the same. Most likely coming out of the same factory somewhere overseas.

I purchased mine from Hot Rod Air http://www.hotrodair.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=94/category_id=9/home_id=2/mode=prod/prd94.htm because their "kit" came with a true Sanden compressor (others sell China knockoffs) and what I thought was the smallest condensor around. The condensor is the thin radiator that mounts in front of the cooling radiator. There isn't much room in the front of a IIA.

Unforunately, they sent the wrong unit. I ordered a unit that would do heat and cool but they shipped a cool only. The dimensions they gave me of the condensor when I placed the order we also not correct so the condensor wouldn't fit without heavily modifying the radiator mounts. When I shipped the evaporator unit back, I also shipped the condensor back for a refund because I found a smaller unit at Classic Air http://www.classicautoair.com/Custom.asp that really fit great. if I were to do it again, I would get the entire "kit" from them.

The installation was overall easy. I had to fab a custom mount for the compressor and fabbed a box under the passenger seat to mount the evaporator. The evaporator was a tight squeeze but it did fit without any modifications to the seat box. I had to think ahead when building the box so it wouldn't require removing the AC to get the seat box off for gearbox swaps etc.

The controls for the AC mounted through the front of the seat box under the passenger's left knee (remote control units are available if dash switches are preferred but I liked keeping the dash more or less stock look). I was able to run 4 insulated flex ducts under the seat box so now I have a vent blowing hot or cold air to all four main seating positions. The fan is a 3 speed that has plenty of power to get the air from the floor up into the main passenger compartment.

To maintain maximum engine cooling and get as much air through the small condensor, I fabbed a full radiator shroud. The truck was running a little hot before so I managed to kill 2 birds on that one.

So why AC? My truck is not designed to be a show truck so keeping it bone stock is not a personal problem for me. It's meant to be driven. Because it is all concealed under the seat box, it does still appear to be stock so there's no loss in the cool factor (pun I guess). I do have a 4 cylinder 3.0L engine from Robert Davis so there's plenty of engine power to turn the compressor. I'm based in the Adirondacks so opening windows is not a good idea in the summer unless you wear a full mosquito net or bathe in DEET. If I ever want my wife and daughter to join me on an adventure or trip to town, they definitely want AC. Plus, because it is a heat unit also, I now have floor heat both in the front and REAR seats.

I'm sure AC in a Series truck is not for everyone but for me and my family, it's pretty trick! Anyone looking for more photos or info, please feel free to send me a note. I'd be happy to share any info I can.

[adkrover]

887

888

[greenmeanie]

Very nice sir. You beat me to it as I am doing pretty much the same thing to my NADA 6cyl. I'm in Phoenix so it is necessary for a family truck.

When I was researching I was told that a dual evaporator kit would be best for the volume of a 109. Mind you it's trying to keep up against 30+ days of 110°F and 100+ days of 100°F. It rather sucks here in the summer.

I'm looking at one of the kits here:
http://www.hotrodair.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=results/Category_ID=31/home_id=2/mode=cat/cat31.htm

I'll mount one in the spot that the old heater occupied on the bulkhead in the engine bay and the other will go in the location you used. I'll feed air from the front one to the front seaters using the original ducting and the underseat unit will cool the rear of the truck by feeding air up through a modified Tuffy center console. I'll make a plenum in the bottom and eyball vents for the rear passengers. I may even get fancy and put in a cold air vent fort my malamute all the way in the back.

I've got a Chevy 292 inline 6 mill so AC isn't an issue. The rad panel has already been butchered by the PO so I'll just clean of the old rad mounts, put the new rad in with the heat exchanger in front of it. A taurus fan with a custom shroud will keep everything cooled.

I'm interested to see hear how your unit works in practice. Post an unpdate on this thread once you've ru nit for a bit please.

Cheers
Gregor

[adkrover]

Green,

The PO of my truck installed the MT Mansfield heater from our hosts in the front location and since it works so well I didn't want to tear it out so I went with the single unit only. As far as it working, so far so good. Blows ice cold and doesn't bog the engine down much at all. We'll see how it can cool this summer and certainly the heat in the Northeast isn't as bad as AZ but everyone here says "it's not the heat, it's the humidity". I also just completed a full interior and headliner and installed 1/2" Dynaliner insulation over all of the exterior skin including above the headliner and inside door panels so it's pretty well insulated.

I will say that my experience with Hot Rod Air was difficult to say the least. When I placed the order, they said the units were in stock. After about 2 weeks, I called to find out why I hadn't received it and they said they were out of stock but would have them soon. Once it shipped, it was the wrong unit and I had to wait for a replacement. The returned parts took about 4 phone calls and 3 weeks of waiting to get them to process the credit even though they said they would do it "that day". It also was supposed to include "easy to follow instructions". HAH! I received a one page diagram of how to route the hoses and wiring. I guess it's pretty easy to follow a single page sketch but when I had questions, I followed the 5 pages of easy to follow instructions I downloaded from one of their competitors. If you've already made the purchase and had good luck, then congratulations. If you're still shopping, you may have better luck with someone else. Like I found out, it's all pretty much the same stuff, made by the same people, just packaged and marketed differently. The product from Hot Rod was very good quality but the customer service su**ed.

Good luck on your install. It sounds like a good design and should work out great. I'll try to update the forum this August if it does warm up here. Pretty cold and rainy today.

[adkrover]

OK, so we've officially had our first heat wave in the Northeast. People aren't dropping dead in the streets the way they will come August but it's still pretty dang hot. I was driving my truck today and the thermo at the bank read 100 degrees (pretty hot for upstate NY) but I was very comfortable inside my 109 with all of the vents closed and the AC cranking. In fact, it cools just as well as my new Silverado pickup truck.

My only complaint with my install is that having the vents blowing from the seat box is that you don't get that satisfaction of having it hit you in the face like in a "normal" car. The vents do swivel so it will aim up into the passenger compartment but it is flowing toward the dash rather than toward the driver. I'm considering adding an extra fitting to change the angle but the overall effect is the same. Nice comfortable passenger compartment. In the rear seat, the air blows perfectly at the rear seat passengers. Now if i could only drive it from back there.

[Willard]

Thanks both of you. This is one area i have been looking into. I will be installing either a Chevy 350 or a Chevy 6.2 Diesel (still looking into the diesel) so setting AC up on these would be very easy. but the kit is what i have been looking at.
Both look good, GreenMeanie, let me know how yours works out as i would like to do something similar by using the old heater mounts in my 109.

[greenmeanie]

Hey Adkrover,
I've been meaning to ask this for a while. DO you know the BTU rating of the evaporator unit you put in your truck. It does not say on Hot Rod air's website and they are rather useless at answering e-mails.

Cheers
Gregor

[adkrover]

Green,

Sorry, but this week I am away from my truck and paperwork so I can't recall. You should be able to get someone on the phone to tell you that. I never emailed with them but was ussually able to get someone on the phone. I think it's a small outfit so if you call and ask for tech support you'll get the guys in the shop. If you can wait a week, I'll dig out the paperwork when I get home. They were definitely dissorganized so I'm not surprised about the slow email but in the end I am happy with the equipment.

[Regan]

I am getting ready to install an a/c in my series IIA Land Rover. We just rebuilt the engine using all Turner HO parts, so we should get a lot of power as well. My issue right now is finding a way to install the compressor, bracket and all. If you have a picture of how you had or have it installed, please send my way as space is pretty tight. Thanks in advance, Regan

[singingcamel]

Air conditioning in a series , god I must be geting old.
I'd show my air conditioning but I would'nt want to turn Les on.
Heres my air, open up the front vents, strip down to the undies ( no thongs Les) socks optional but must be black and get going..
All fun aside , looks good you guys..
www.singingcamel.com (http://www.singingcamel.com)

[Donnie]

I just completed installing a very nice AC system in my '65 109. The unit is a universal underdash model with a four port adapter plate. There are a few companies out there that sell them and as far as I could tell they are about the same. Most likely coming out of the same factory somewhere overseas.

I purchased mine from Hot Rod Air http://www.hotrodair.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=94/category_id=9/home_id=2/mode=prod/prd94.htm because their "kit" came with a true Sanden compressor (others sell China knockoffs) and what I thought was the smallest condensor around. The condensor is the thin radiator that mounts in front of the cooling radiator. There isn't much room in the front of a IIA.

Unforunately, they sent the wrong unit. I ordered a unit that would do heat and cool but they shipped a cool only. The dimensions they gave me of the condensor when I placed the order we also not correct so the condensor wouldn't fit without heavily modifying the radiator mounts. When I shipped the evaporator unit back, I also shipped the condensor back for a refund because I found a smaller unit at Classic Air http://www.classicautoair.com/Custom.asp that really fit great. if I were to do it again, I would get the entire "kit" from them.

The installation was overall easy. I had to fab a custom mount for the compressor and fabbed a box under the passenger seat to mount the evaporator. The evaporator was a tight squeeze but it did fit without any modifications to the seat box. I had to think ahead when building the box so it wouldn't require removing the AC to get the seat box off for gearbox swaps etc.

The controls for the AC mounted through the front of the seat box under the passenger's left knee (remote control units are available if dash switches are preferred but I liked keeping the dash more or less stock look). I was able to run 4 insulated flex ducts under the seat box so now I have a vent blowing hot or cold air to all four main seating positions. The fan is a 3 speed that has plenty of power to get the air from the floor up into the main passenger compartment.

To maintain maximum engine cooling and get as much air through the small condensor, I fabbed a full radiator shroud. The truck was running a little hot before so I managed to kill 2 birds on that one.

So why AC? My truck is not designed to be a show truck so keeping it bone stock is not a personal problem for me. It's meant to be driven. Because it is all concealed under the seat box, it does still appear to be stock so there's no loss in the cool factor (pun I guess). I do have a 4 cylinder 3.0L engine from Robert Davis so there's plenty of engine power to turn the compressor. I'm based in the Adirondacks so opening windows is not a good idea in the summer unless you wear a full mosquito net or bathe in DEET. If I ever want my wife and daughter to join me on an adventure or trip to town, they definitely want AC. Plus, because it is a heat unit also, I now have floor heat both in the front and REAR seats.

I'm sure AC in a Series truck is not for everyone but for me and my family, it's pretty trick! Anyone looking for more photos or info, please feel free to send me a note. I'd be happy to share any info I can.
If U don't mind sharing, what does this unit cost? just the kit, no labor included.

[chrismccarthy]

i second that request, from the website, i can't fiqure out what kit, or equipment is needed for a Series truck, and that means the costs aren't apparent...

[Donnie]

Thanks for all the detailed info. It was much more than I expected..I appreciate it BIG time, & I'm sure others do too........keep the greasy side down..Donnie:thumb-up: