What brilliant Pelican invented this?

Jerome74911S · 02:41 PM

Someone posted this idea on PP a few years ago. I always thought that it was a clever concept, but never did anything about it. Today I came across some junk pieces of 2" plastic drain pipe and the thing popped back into mind. So, I made this:

Two pieces of pipe of arbitrary length are installed into a 90 degree elbow (maybe you don't even need the horizontal piece, but that is the way the original was constructed), and I cut a slot into the piece that projects into the car.

I made the slot just wide enough so that it is a very snug fit over the glass. Press the 'air conditioner' onto the glass where you want it and roll up the window. You can cut the angle of the slot so that the pipe blows air at the height you like.

My car is plenty hot without any air conditioning, and the ventilation is otherwise poor, unless you open the windows fully - which is not as effective as I had hoped for. This simple pipe gadget is fairly unobtrusive, and it really blasts you with air at highway speed. I found that I enjoyed my car more, because I could remain cool without the noise and diminished aerodynamics of fully open windows.

It was a warm day for this location (28C, or low 80sF), but I was totally comfortable, whereas I would have been much hotter without this invention. I agree, it is somewhat peculiar, but the success of it makes me ignore this completely.

Who is the bright person who deserves credit for thinking this up? It works very well. It makes a small amount of noise, because the air blows through it at a speed roughly equal to your road speed. It's worth it.

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

Strange and cool.

timmy2 · timmy2's Garage

Just add a bucket of ice and you have a cooler like was used as poor mans A/C since when, the 1930's in cars?
There are many variations on the theme out there. Seen them in a number of car museums.

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

Now, if only your rear windows opened....

manbridge 74 · 06-07-2014, 02:37 PM

I'm thinking cool on the one hand, take the clock out and run a hose up to the high pressure area near a partially adjusted open hood on the other....

dyount · dyount's Garage

Probably the same guy who the week after posted on WTB passenger side window

dicklague · dicklague's Garage

you need that 10 days a year in Quebec!

Jerome74911S · 06-07-2014, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dicklague

you need that 10 days a year in Quebec!

Maybe 9.

dipso · 06-07-2014, 04:25 PM

You can already buy something that takes the fresh air from the cowl vent and blows it through the clock
Opening.

Quote:

I'm thinking cool on the one hand, take the clock out and run a hose up to the high pressure area near a partially adjusted open hood on the other....

Rodsrsr · Rodsrsr's Garage

Im sorry....Please remove that hideous pvc pipe from that beautiful Carrera right away.

jeffbottman · 06-07-2014, 04:50 PM

Polished copper pipe would be way 'cool'!

steely · 06-07-2014, 05:08 PM

Google: volkswagen window air conditioner under Images
You'll see some nice painted and chrome versions.

I saw something like that at a German Auto car show (Deutsche Classic) in Fleetwood, PA years ago, and it was vintage then. :-)

Someone adapted it- Hey, if it works, great!

manbridge 74 · 06-07-2014, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dipso

You can already buy something that takes the fresh air from the cowl vent and blows it through the clock
Opening.

Fail.

Cowl vents are best left undisturbed unless you like feeling the spray of dead road killed bugs due to short length of air passage.

Ronnie's.930 · 06-07-2014, 05:41 PM

Jerome, have you checked to see if yer "look, Im'ma super nerdy nerd" a/c unit can double as a bong?

JFairman · 06-07-2014, 08:21 PM

i remember seeing something like that in a JC Whitney catalog around 45 years ago...

sacoffee · sacoffee's Garage

Uh, that is redneck engineering at its best. Congrats. Where the roll eyes and geez! button?

fransdecourt · fransdecourt's Garage

Have you thought of a 'rally car type' roof vent; it's very efficient and if you get the right design/look it won't be too obvious. I've experienced them especially in the 106 Clubsport (you guess what car!) and it works brilliantly.
See ; 'images roof vents rally cars'
By the way, I don't hve an airco either in my Carrera 3.2 and will find out next summer here in Auckland, N.Z. how hot it'll be.
Cheers from N.Z.

Jerome74911S · 06-08-2014, 07:00 AM

It's a platitude that ideas that do not conform to a narrow expectation or frame of reference are frequently mocked, because some individuals simply can't handle the challenge. That's human nature; too bad. So, this simple gadget is the subject of dumb jokes and the like, but, really it's a good idea.

The PVC mock-up I made at a cost of zero $ is basically a proof-of-concept, and it proved the concept nicely. Some are shocked that anyone would kludge up a sacred 911 coupe by sticking a plastic pipe in the window, but my view is that the silly car is just too hot in summer, and that air conditioning in this car is out of the question. Therefore, the idea is to find a solution and I'm well along on that track.

I like what steely (Dan) said above: "I saw something like that at a German Auto car show (Deutsche Classic) in Fleetwood, PA years ago, and it was vintage then. :-)" That's great - I'm on to a classic idea.

As well, fransdecourt mentioned that a rally car roof vent would also work well. Very true, but it involves serious surgery to the car and I'm not that brave.

So, my first intention is to reduce, or eliminate the longer horizontal portion of the pipe to see how this affects function. Maybe less will even be more. Then, when function is better understood and refined, I'll make an example of the device in copper, which could be a little classier and easier to live with.

The idea is to enjoy the car by creatively seeking solutions to its assorted problems, thereby making the car more agreeable to use. In other words, it's not necessary to bow down to a tightly focused Porsche dogma in order to have fun with the car.

fanaudical · fanaudical's Garage

I think you have good "proof of concept" there. My grandparents had a similar device on their old Mercury - as I recall, it was a factory accessory (was even painted same color as the car).

This isn't too different from the "replace the side marker light with a scoop to get more air to the oil cooler" trick. If one were to get creative with fiberglass/composites, you could make a more stylized version. Perhaps something that ran full width of the window at the top and had a shallow 'D' shape, with the flat portion of the D laying along the glass with a rectangular boss/slot that gets captured by the window.

Rodsrsr · Rodsrsr's Garage

With all due respect, its not a new idea. In fact the 1930's version was even better because it actually cooled the air instead of just blowing hot air in the car. Besides....now your driving around a Porsche with a piece of pvc pipe shoved in the window. Its just not a good idea thats all.

Car cooler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia