Installing an air conditioning unit
 

Does anyone here install an air conditioning unit for a Carrera 3.2? Is there an idea of how much this will cost? The 911 in question doesn't have an AC unit at all just the fresh air blower. We are looking for an estimate or anyone willing to do the work. Any ideas?

It will be expensive no matter who you hire.

It would help a lot to give a little information. Like where do you live? Downtown LA will likely have a dozen places within a few hours drive that can do it. If you live in northern Nevada you will have a longer drive to find someone.

Your best bet is to start check in the for sale section for the parts needed and call Charlie Griffith at Griffith's technology for a package of what he sells and a list of what parts you will need. Expect to spend 3 or 4 grand.

Are you interested in doing any of the work yourself? That will save you a lot of money.

I installed an a/c in my 1981 SC Turbo last winter. I bought the kit from Retroair and It took about 40hrs to install it myself. Total cost was about $3g. Can't live without it in West Texas. Here is the link to my post: :cool:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-930-turbo-super-charging-forum/842475-retroair-complete-system-my-non-c-car.html

You might wish to consider "swapping" (trade, sell, however) your car for one that already has A/C, especially if yours is black on black or a close equivalent. Lighter exterior and interior colors help to reject heat from radiation, the sun.

Might be cheaper in the long run.

If you do decide to start from scratch I would strongly advise you to forget the engine lid condenser in favor of ZIMS condenser/fan mounted in the front of the driver's side rear wheelwell.

Depending on your actual requirement for A/C you may not even need the front lip condenser.

In the interim I would suggest side and rear window tint to the darkest legal tint and maybe the new 3M CLEAR IR filtering film for the windshield.

You are going to need to get a used smugglers box evaporator box. Apart from that source the rest from Griffiths. Most here want to upgrade the factory unit, probably easier to start from Scratch.
Retroaire makes a kit, but they're under dash unit is not very original unit.
You'll need condensers, compressor, mounting brackets, hoses, receiver drier, evaporator, fan. Vents from Griffiths.
It won't be cheap.

Have you read this entirely through??

Single condenser/fan... IMPRESSIVE performance.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-930-turbo-super-charging-forum/842475-retroair-complete-system-my-non-c-car.html

At 80 degrees outside anything will do. Lets wait till its tested at 95+
Been there , done that.

A/c
 

Was there ever an A/C unit in the car?

It is my understanding that all 3.2 cars were equipped with A/C as a
standard package, and not an option.

Maybe you have a car with A/C delete?

Best,

Gerry

How can I tell if it had it from the factory? Its a Euro 1985 if that helps.

A picture of the inside of the smuggler box will help...

SmileWavy Euro..

Not this time. That link is impressive. Outstanding install. On par with Ronnie quality . Thankfully it's not Ronnie's car. See below.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1436495963.jpg

I did just look at one of Peter Morgan's books on the 911. I found where he said the Club Sport 3.2's were not fitted with air conditioning in areas/regions where it was standard equipment.

Not completely clear but does indicate (outside of the US/Canada?) it may be optional.

Bob, yer just jelass of all the hanky panky that goes on in my 930 WOOD Panel Luv Wagon - BUTT you can borrow it any time, long time!!!

Wait, you are busting Griff's balls because his stuff is expensive, and yet you endorse this? WTF?

This is exactly the price you'd pay to Griff for similar performance.

First, I already get "similar" (PNW "wet side") performance just by adding fans to help cool the rear lid condenser, disabling the front lip condenser blower in the process.

So, Griff has nothing to sell that is of value to me.

It's primarily the configuration I'm endorsing, plus being "FROM SCRATCH" installation, no decisions to make about what to keep vs what to discard..

Single condenser at least 1/2 the size of the N/A factory rear lid condenser.

Why is this working this well even in 80dF climate..???



FAN?

Reflective condenser surface?

Evaporator/fan "upgrade"?

I went to Griff first but he had no kit for a complete install. My 81 ROW SC had no history of ever having a/c. I tried to pick up used parts to complete an install such as evap box, front condenser, front condenser blower (was going to be a problem). The retroair kit is not perfect since it is a universal kit made to fit all Porsche's from mid 70s thru 80s. It worked for me and I am happy with it.

I'll remain anxious to hear the 100dF 80% Rh report.

Coming soon?

omgitrobby

What you need all comes down to:

Minimum basics, comp mount, comp, stock deck lid condenser plus more depending upon your climate, evap box and evap, barrier hoses, drier, low high pressure switch, controls in center consoles.

If the car never had AC (meaning there is no cut out in the smuggler's box well for the evap box inlets), no ac comp brackets on motor, you are looking at 40 hours. If those items are there 25-30 hours.

As HotEuro pointed out we do not 'stock' all the bolt items simply because the market, number of cars, that never had air and someone wants to add it is minimal. However we have help out clients from time to time sourcing all the necessary items.
In situations like this a client fills out our Question Form which gives us all the data on the car and driving climate needs. We would provide you a detailed list of used items you can source yourself to save money; if we sourced them than naturally there would be a higher cost, and we provide a list of new items we would provide.

Some clients need minimal cooling (Europe and Northern America, say Oregon, Wa, Maine), while others (Florida, Texas, Dubai) need maximum cooling. The costs and time are relative to the cooling needs.

Read the Mr. Ice Project to get an idea as to what improvements might be necessary above a stock system.

Comparison shopping..

14,000 BTU, about equal to the one in our 28" MH.

Nostalgic AC - UD-170 Slimline Under-Dash Evaporator - Underdash Evaporators - Evaporator Units

Nostalgic AC - Universal A/C System - Select an Evaporator - Miscellaneous Vehicles - Complete A/C Kits

No you don't.

That's a complete fabrication.

And you know that, HOW?

Physics.

Sure, calculation without data, works for me..:rolleyes:

Ditto, I went with RetroAire for the same reason and with similar results. The parts are what I would call "workmanlike", but good quality and certainly good value for money.

Now to be fair, the '89 I am working on that will have a 993 condenser and a bunch of other stuff is using a whole lot of Griff's stuff, they are more elegant, well engineered and very nice parts. I am not thrilled with a few of his choices (e.g. the condenser in the rear fender), but I am impressed with the engineering he has applied and certainly think it is "good stuff".

I also give him credit for participating in these forums, you don't see much of Rock from RetroAire here and that alone will aim my future business at Griff....

Dennis

For those with no other choice the front of the driver's side makes sense, whereas in the rear near the CATALYST and EXHAUST not so much.

You might find Rock having, needing, more presence here if he doubled the prices.:):)

My 993 condenser is going into the front, here is the link to my project (which I update only sporadically I must admit).

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/185692-fitting-6-speed-g50-89-carrera-7.html

Since it is combined with a backdate, the front vent does bring some air inlet area, plus I put some extra clearance around the late valance foglights to get the airflow.

I am debating (since I will still be short of condensing capacity with the 993), whether to use the smaller Sanden 505 compressor. Might have higher duty cycle the odd time, but it is lighter, shorter and will fit the engine intake system a little better (PMO TB's).

Dennis

Again, there is no need to worry about the exhaust and the catalyst. The heat transfer is not an issue at all.

What was that about presenting opinion without calculation, again? Do you have any self-awareness at all?

I have never seen your testing data. Hoist by your own petard? (I already presented the data previously. It's not my fault you couldn't understand it.)

Elegant, well engineered, nice parts. A delta free cost vs Rock's stuff would be awesome, right?

Man, you are having a field day, Willy.

I am willing to pay for quality where I need it....and where I can afford it. Now, to be fair, the car is still in about a million pieces, the jury will remain out until such time as it is all in and working, but I am not worried a bit.

There are a number of vendors (Elephant, Rennline, Griffiths, D-Zug and a few others) where the fact that they are engineering, building and selling parts for cars which ended their tiny production run over 20 years ago is a very good thing. I do not expect "low cost" to be a factor in any of them, I am just happy they are staying in business and making the parts I want to buy.

Dennis

Obviously, wwest thinks they should be free. But for such a low-volume production, and such high quality, something has to give. Oh, and the fact that he offers help to people who don't even buy his stuff. Because he's a salesman? Maybe. But more than that, you can tell he loves these cars just as much as we do.

Seems you have not been keeping up on current events.

This is what Willy said last week when assessing CG stuff vs one of his competitors in the big Dave M thread.

We be havin' us a dichotomy here. Elegant and well engineered vs same Asian built product.

Call me quick to judge but there be a little something in the MF woodpile.

Ha ha - you said "wood"!!!

This is what trolls do. PP management would only need to read these threads once to figure out wwest is trolling. Yeah, I remember he was claiming GTI's stuff was the very same stuff that other folks sold for half. Of course, this is a total fabrication. Like most of what he writes, he just makes stuff up as he goes along. I think he's trying to get Charlie to just say "fsck it, I'm out" by acting as childishly and trollish as he can.

Why can't he just lie about his wiener size. At least that would be a masculine trait.

Instead of full on girly man.

They read them. They know.

PP management......Laissez-faire, astoundingly milquetoast, but on the upside, obsequious.

Real nice of them to let this imbecile rouge persist.

Took a little run this afternoon. Outside temp in the 90s. Stopped in the shade and scanned the windshield with the IR thermometer and it read 99.8*. My gage in the center ac vent read 45*. It was cool and comfortable in the car.:cool:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1436732832.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1436732873.jpg

Nice!