Learn me Grass Roots air conditioning

Hi all, I have a 1971 BMW Bavaria project car. My build thread seems to have disappeared, but it's pretty awesome, I can assure you. It has a BMW M62 V8 swap, running for about 10 months now.

Anyways, I'm now thinking about A/C for the beast. The car originally had A/C, so there is an empty spot in my center console, but, with the trans tunnel modifications, my planned E28 evaporator and blower system won't fit. Since it's old, the heater system and A/C aren't integrated, the heater core is right under the dash and the A/C system sits underneath that.

I know most OEM systems are designed to fit in their spot, I don't think trying to jam some other design in there will lead me to success. What makes a system perform best?

My main questions to get started are these;

Has anyone made their own evaporator/blower system?

Can I put the condenser behind the radiator?

Go talk to your local hot rod shop. The systems that they install in hot rods and pro streets are just amazing.

You shouldn't put the condenser behind the radiator or your system efficiency will go way down (possibly to the point of uselessness).

These guys are a good source of parts etc. You might try calling them:

http://www.danhard.com/ac.htm

whenry wrote: Go talk to your local hot rod shop. The systems that they install in hot rods and pro streets are just amazing.

This^ just google under dash ac

Can't put the condenser behind the radiator, it has to stay as cool as possible.

Putting you own under dash system together out of random stuff wouldn't be too hard if you have the tools to deal with the big lines and the typical AC service stuff (vacuum pump, manifold gauges). I don't think component sizing is terribly critical, you'll just end up with a performance bottleneck somewhere.

Or you might thumb through the catalog these guys put out, either for parts or a whole system http://www.vintageair.com/

Ive installed all the hot rod systems. Vintage would be my choice in this case.

I have made my own blower/evap/air manifold setup out of fiberglass once. It sucked balls. Absolutely a waste of time and money.

I've also attempted to adapt another factory system to a classic. Did not end well.

Really, the street rod guys got thiss E36 M3 down cold. Use em.

Grassroots AC?

Someone had to do it. Sorry.

Thanks all! I have done a bit of research and Vintage air looks like the place to go. I was initially discouraged by their focus on big vintage American cars which have much more room under their dash than my compact (for the time) German auto.

Thanks for the condenser advise, I'll need to do more fab work to get it in front of the rad, but I'll figure it out. I don't want to do a bunch of work and end up with a barely working system.

rcutclif wrote: Grassroots AC? Someone had to do it. Sorry.

Yes, someone had to do it, I've got that system working already, but a V8 in a small car in California don't make it as effective.

bmwbav wrote: Thanks all! I have done a bit of research and Vintage air looks like the place to go. I was initially discouraged by their focus on big vintage American cars which have much more room under their dash than my compact (for the time) German auto.

They also cater to the 30s hot rod crowd, and old trucks, which often have no room under the dash.

http://newlaunches.com/archives/dude_attaches_home_windows_ac_to_his_car.php

Ya I am no help am I.

My first car was a 1965 Chevelle. The car didn't come from the factory with air. The previous owner to me bought a system where the evaporator is in the trunk under the parcel tray. The air vents were in the back. The lines ran under the car to the compressor. System was put in in the mid-Nineties. Worked great.

Maybe someone still makes a system like that.

If it's really, really tight under the dash, remember this: The evaporator doesn't have to be up front.

Vintage air still makes a trunk mount kit. Not nearly as good as the underdash gen iv, but sometimes necessity is a mother berkeleyer.