Air Con Installation

[BenW]

I know that, come summertime, it's all a bit traditional for a million people to ask how to fit air conditioning to a car that's not equipped with it, and that the favoured (and indeed most sensible response) is "sell it and get a car that has it fitted as standard".

However, I'm:

a) A sweaty fat git
B) unwilling to sell my current Calibra (it'll probably stay with me until it dies)

So with these factors in mind, I'd like to attempt an a/c installation in my current car, and I would be willing to take up to a week off work in order to do it.

My questions are:

* Has anyone actually done this?
* Exactly what parts are required? (I already have a Haynes manual and am willing to invest in a prayer mat)

If I do this, I would be happy to produce a fairly detailed How2 guide for the site...but I'd be interested in any feedback before I decide to definitely go ahead.

Cheers, Ben

[jaybv6]

This has been discussed before on .com but the general concensus was don't bother. It would be cheaper to sell you car and then buy one with Air-Con .

What you need?
Compressor - £200
Condensor - £400
Dryer - £80
Associated pipe work - £400
Replace the heater unit behind the dash - £bucks

Plus a load more other stuff like different drive belts and such.

No one I know has ever retro fitted Air Con succesfully and if they did it was done by the dealer at a cost of £3000 .

Even if you bought the bits second hand it would cost near £1000 by the time you got everything [img]/sad.gif[/img] .

Just open the windows and sunroof, it's cheaper .

[Smurf]

I know where you're coming from Ben. My V6 has aircon, and it's in the garage as I type this having it repaired... To give you an idea, just today's repair (which is involving a new condenser and drier, and a re-gas) is costing me just under £500, and that's providing they don't find any other problems along the way... they've had the car since 1130 and I haven't heard anything, so I'm hoping it went smoothly, but I'll know for sure in half an hour when I go to pick her up!

I recall a guy called Dave who had an SE4 ages ago - the previous owner of his had had aircon fitted afterwards by a specialist.

It really would be much more practical to buy another Calibra with it in already... after all, you'll spend so much money getting it fitted and will never get that money back when you sell the car on.

[BenW]

I hear what you're saying guys, and it does sound like a pain in the ***.

However, what if I could get all the parts for free from a written off Vectra with the same 2.0 16v Ecotec engine? Would the parts be a direct swap?

Alternatively I could just fit a cloth interior, I despise leather in anything but mild conditions!

[vauxhallman]

<!--QuoteBegin-ben+--><div class='quotetop'>(ben)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->So with these factors in mind, I'd like to attempt an a/c installation in my current car, and I would be willing to take up to a week off work in order to do it.

[img]/smile.gif[/img]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Been thinking the same myself. There are enough Cally's being broken these days to be able to find the parts needed second hand without too much expense or bother, it's just the fitting of it.

Would be interested to see just how hard it is.

[jaybv6]

It is hard as hell to fit it, never mind getting it working. You might get it in there but it will be a miracle if it works without more expense. With a regass costing about £80 a time can you afford to regass the car everytime you notice a leak etc. Especially if it leaks into the cabin.

You can't get the pipework off a vectra to fit to a calibra it would not match. The pipe work has different routing.

[SteveU]

Just buy a portable mini fridge from Argos and leave it open and turned on when you're in the car. Also when you're not in the car you can close it and cool your drinks for when you get back. Problem solved (and it only cost £50 and a trip to Argos)!!! God I'm a genius

[ecosseM]

ive looked at the conversion. car at a breakers had all parts needed.
hardest thing to do would be to change your front pannels, coz, your raiator fans move location from engine side to front. like the turbos and v6's as std

[vauxhallman]

That's ok, mine is a Turbo [img]/tongue.gif[/img]