Any Air Conditioning Options?

[Uber Affe]

I live in Texas...where a heater is about as useless as a third nipple.
Don't ask.
An A/C, however; is another story entirely.
You can almost bet that you will be dehydrated by the third stop light you reach and dead by the fourth.
With that said...
Any cooling options (human cooling-not engine) for a bug that doesn't delve into one of those $1200 kits? or drain power from the engine?
Something along the lines of an EberSpacher only for cold instead of hot?
I've looked into those swamp coolers and other related marine/tent/rv coolers,
but I have been told that the humidity index is too high here. That may be true of PART of the year, but not all and I've even seen folks use electric fans in their buggies. So...

Any ideas form all you smart GL'rs?

UA

[randyj]

Uber Affe,

You are right. Here in Texas you have to have air conditioning. Especially for you in San Antonio or me here in Austin. Both of us are too close to the coast for the for the humidity to be below 40% except for a couple of times a year. You are going to have to bite the bullet and spend the money for a quality air conditioning system.

For me I am trying to decide between a system from Vintage Air or upgrade the system that came with my 75 Super Beetle to R32.

The Vintage Air system coupled with a Eberspacher "http://www.espar.com/htm/Specs/water/D4Wspec.htm" or Webatso coolant/water heater will give me cold air, heat and last but not least De-humidified Defroster. The problem is that I will have to move my gas tank to be able to install the evaporator/blower.

With the dealer installed system that came with my 75 Super Beetle, every thing but the evaporator and condensor will have to be upgraded and replaced. I also will not have the De-humidified Defroster option. But every thing will fit without any cutting!

I will let you know which direction I go.

[Uber Affe]

He says he's looking at modding a honda civic AC system to his bug.
Or maybe he meant CRX??
Probably the latter.
At any rate. I'll let him guinea pig his car first and see what happens. Last thing I heard was he found one for $100 form some kid who ditched it form his ricer.
I also gave him a perfectly functional compressor from a Volvo to mess with.
We shall see!!!

[Steve C]

Hi

Aparently the Toyota Prius have a electriclay driven compressor, would be great on a bug with limited room.

Steve

[zen]

from what i heard, Filmore Enterprises makes a great VW a/c unit. never used one though.

[krems]

interesting option....no? :D

alternative to AC (http://www.swampy.net/index.html)

[iamstumper]

Instead of Filmore, I think it's Gilmore :D

http://www.gilmore-enterprises.net/index.htm

This is what I'm currently planning to get in a '73 SB sedan. Hoping to have it in by spring / summer of 2006.

[Supa Ninja]

My 1302 came with a dealer installed unit, all I'm going to use from that is the condensor (fits nicely behind the front apron) and the evaporator unit (it too fits nicely under the dash). I've seen these items on thesamba.com. I will be putting a new dehydrator, and mating a modern style compressor to my type IV. I also have to run new plumbing cause the po decided to cut all that stuff :rolleyes: . Living in the desert, AC is a must.

[krems]

ok, so lets say can get all the mechanical parts

what on earth can i do for AC vents? :confused:


(i live in Jamaica...RHD)

[yellrhd]

Gilmore-enterprises.net in Florida made the A/C for my RHD Super
You may be able to source just the vents from him.
His kit is very easy to instal and drains very little power from the engine I've had mine for a year and it works very well though it does take a while to get the interior down from 120 degrees something I'll have to work on by tinting the windows and using a sunshade on the dash.

[vwdmc16]

aw suck it up, houstons heat suxs but I go throught it every year in my ghia. but this will soon change

[krems]

i can suck it up but the lady doesnt like it :D