AC for the TR6 update:
Last year I developed a AC unit for the TR6 with the aid of
Vintage Air (just happens to be 70 miles from here, these
folks make retro kits for a bunch of cars, hot rods, etc.).
I was able to use their stock "short" stack unit and crowbar
it under the TR6 dash (actually, it fit perfectly) and used
a "new" freon compressor mounted on the left side of the
engine to avoid PI, Weber, etc. complications.
I used existing bulkhead holes, so the unit was truely bolt
on. Myself wanting a unit that I could move from car to
car in a Saturday morning.
With a freshly rebuild radiator using the newer, more efficent
core, I had no engine cooling problems with the stock fan, etc.
(Austin, TX with 104 degree heat is a fairly good test)
BEFORE you start to duplicate this, READ THIS:
The biggest problem was the routing of the heater lines, not
only were the sizes wrong, but the whole angles, etc. were
messed up. The routing of the existing ducts to the unit
was just as bad. I installed this in August in a non-AC
garage, I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Last big problem
was air leakage through the firewall, all those holes MUST
be tightly plugged, same for the trans tunnel, otherwise
you cannot get the car cold for all the other hot air
blowing in (really not a big deal to fix this, but something
else to consider).
This year, I'm doing it again, but I'm fixing the routing
problem by just building the same thing myself with the correct
outlets. Its nothing more than a high performance fan, heater,
and evaporator core. This will be a major improvement. I
will pay $$$ to have this fabbed along with a new bracket
that will work on all the TR6's (ever notice the top raditor
hose changes and alt bracket changes... yep its another problem).
In any case, I'm planning on 10 kits at cost plus 10% to get
this off the ground. Get your $1k ready, its coming soon.
One additional note, the "new" freon compressor didn't load
the engine much, I never re-adjusted the idle screws.
Roger
|