AC component suggestions

[Scott Danforth]

I'm building a 1952 Fiat Topolino with a full tube chassis, LS4 V8, AR5 transmission and Corvette suspension

The car has enough room in it for a mouse..... Not much else. Looking to add A/C. Actually, looking for Heat/Defrost/AC

The compressor will be a GM micro unit or possibly a Sanden. The condenser will be sourced after the radiator is built. The evap/heater core unit needs to be small. By small, I mean small half the size of a vintage air micro unit

I may have to custom make. A bud of mine has some 5" tall, 1.5" thick, 14" long A/C and heat cores. I may be relugated to custom make the HVAC unit
Any suggestions appreciated

[bohica2xo]

How about some pictures?

GM crammed A/C in to the Opel GT. I have seen an aftermarket unit in a Lotus Europa. Many things are possible. Let's see what you have to work with.

[Scott Danforth]

I crammed V6's in Opel GTs. The wheels base is 18" longer and the car is 24" longer than the Fiat.

The Topolino is slightly smaller than a golf cart in length, however just a tad more 4 feet wide

[ice-n-tropics]

The heavy 6 cu in de stroked A6 was a hoot in the OPAL GT. I saw body assembly in France at Chausson w/heavy use of adhesives between panels.
Sanden SD7B10 with Samari/Tracker compact evap was acceptable but maybe too much for your application.
Sanden compressors can be reduced in capacity by using thicker gaskets between the block and valve plate to allow re expansion.
Porsche 911 had a long distance between evap and louvers for a good cooling AC.
Compact R-12 Sanden SD7B09 or SD505 may be recommissioned.
TGSE05 Sanden scroll is small capacity if crpm is limited.
I've built evap consoles overhead and between front and rear seats and ducted air to the driver' s front. Need good firewall, floorboard insulation.
Air conditioned skid steers may have useful components.
May help weight distribution to locate A/C weight behind rear axle.
hotrodac

[Scott Danforth]

Since I moved the rear axle back 8" (and front axle forward 4") to get the wheel base to 90", the only thing aft of the rear IFS is a custom made set of mufflers and the rear pan

Here is the build thread. https://www.hotrodders.com/threads/1952 ... ct.550685/

BTW, Opel GTs only had 5 bits not welded together. The hood, the two doors, the two headlight buckets.

All the panels were spotwelded and/or leaded. Other than seam sealer the only other adhesive was the contact cement on the two b-pillar panel and the bottom edge of the c-pillar

[tbirdtbird]

Always great to see you, Ice!!11

[ice-n-tropics]

Opal GT- It's like bolting a joint and then welding for redundant fail safe. Saw adhesives in roof area and maybe seam filler that looked like adhesive?
I used to shrink fit outer clutch sleeve and then tack weld for fail safe.
MG w/ Alum Skylark V8- exhaust solution can be to route exhaust forward then down and back. Maybe you found another solution?
Hats off to you- your lengthened wheel base and weight distribution is first prize.
Weight of compressor and bracket can require stronger suspension on one side if borderline.
Best to mount drier in frontal cooler air stream (unless you have evap in rear}.
Plumb Crazy; I did the 77-79 Renault R-5 factory air with no room behind the dashboard like yours. I put the blower under hood mounted on the right side of the firewall, with return air inlet in the passenger footwell. The blower outlet feed to the evap tucked into the fresh air plenum at the base of the windshield. Cold air feed into ductwork forward of the dash to the dash mounted louvers. you might find one of those USA R-5s that were the first Renault factory AC cars.
hotrodac