Air conditioning retro to MK3

Technical Area Electrics & ICE
2

I’m not the first to ask this I’m sure but a search returns nothing of any help, probably my dodgy searching skills. I’d like to know whats involved in retro fitting AC to a car that was not originally fitted with it.

 

My investigations so far indicate that I need:

 

Evaporator & expansion valve to go in the heater box (probably replace box?)

Condenser for the front of the car

Compressor, mounting bracket & different belt

Condenser to compressor, compressor to evaprorater and condenser to evaprorater hoses/pipes

(Ambient, cabin and solar sensors for auto climate control, don’t want that unless it’s easier to find the right parts vs manual)

AC switch gear although a simple on/off switch would be as good for my purposes

 

I’m not looking to fit a full climate control system unless the wiring is already present for all the extra sensors required for such a system. A simple switch that activates the AC part of the system will

be ideal.

What parts & pitfalls am I missing, am i mental to even consider it, does the steering column really need to be removed to get to the heater box, does anyone fancy helping once I’ve got the bits?

 

I’ve seen that removing the entire dash board is a requirement and people looking to do this in the past have been recommended to just buy another car with AC fitted but I’ve become attached to this one now so it’s either retro fit AC to this one or live without AC.

3

Given everything involved it’s got to be cheaper and a lot easier to sell your current car and buy one with AC fitted. I understand you are attached to the car but you may get equally attached to a new car with AC.
Just my thought.
D

4

I did mention that in my first post as not going to happen, it’s this car with air con or without

 

Probably not true anyway if my calculations are even vaguely close to correct, All the bits on Ebay I can get secondhand for about £250 for the lot plus a gassing. My experience of changing cars is that it’s always gonna cost more than that and then it might be a lemon.

 

I don’t mind spending the time on it as the satisfaction of making it work will be worth the trouble and I’ll learn something in the bargain