Air conditioning

[fishhunt22]

What was the first year and model Land Rover put air conditioning units in the Defenders or Series? Just curious.

[Tim Smith]

You mean in a series truck?
I didn't think there was such a thing...

[msggunny]

A/C?

The Series has always had A/C. its the 2/2/55 kind. 2 windows open, 2 vents open, 55 miles per hour (that is if your series will do 55)

Or just take the top off.

[archaeologistjen]

That kind of "A/C" wasn't much comfort for me when I had my '69 Series IIa as my daily driver in south Florida, especially stopped in traffic.

[Tim Smith]

That kind of "A/C" wasn't much comfort for me when I had my '69 Series IIa as my daily driver in south Florida, especially stopped in traffic.

<cornyjoke>No but I bet you were probably in the coolest vehicle. </cornyjoke>

[TeriAnn]

You mean in a series truck?
I didn't think there was such a thing...

You could order air conditioning starting somewhen in the mid 1960's.

They were bulky things, with the main unit sitting high on the bulkhead poping up through the bonnet. They made adjusting valves a pain but they did indeed provide a nice flow of cold air.

This is what one looked like from the outside sticking up through the bonnet.

Here's a picture with the bonnet up. You can see the top of the compressor next to the relocated air filter. The voltage relay and fuse block had to be relocated to the wing side.


This picture shows where the air conditioner outlet vents were located to blow cold air on the faces of the driver and front seat passanger. The conrols were push bottons on their own aux. panel.

The long answer is Yes, you could have ordered a Series Land Rover with air conditioning. I'm sorry that I do not know the exact years in which it was offered nor the cost.

[Tim Smith]

You could order air conditioning starting somewhere in the mid 1960's.

TeriAnn, you are a veritable fountain of information.

Was this a Land Rover option or was it under contract? Kind of like the doormobile was, as I understand it.

[TeriAnn]

Was this a Land Rover option or was it under contract? Kind of like the doormobile was, as I understand it.

Like the Dormobile it was "approved by the Rover Co. Ltd, for use with the Land Rover" Which indicates that like a Dormobile, you could order a Land Rover equipped with Normalair air conditioning at your local Land Rover dealer.

as an aside, I have a January 1962 USA Land Rover price list that includes Dormobile campers built on the 109 station wagon platform. They were listed for $5,280.00 At the same time the 109 station wagon was listed for $3,925.00. So, rich Americans could just pop down to their local Land Rover dealers and order a Dormobile!