Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

I am working on a 66 Jaguar Mk10 with a Delanair system. I posted here with some questions in 2020, but didn't get very far, as the car turned out to be completely derelict mechanically. So now after a few hundred hours of work including new drivetrain, brakes, suspension, fuel and cooling systems, I am about ready to think about A/c again. I need to figure this out before I install the new carpeting.

The problem is that the old system has the evaporator and associated fans, etc in the trunk, set up to blow air into the cabin through the rear parcel shelf. The thermostatic switch ran from the front of the center console, through the left sill, behind the rear seat, and into the fins of the evaporator. This is a big car, and the distance was probably 15 feet - of course, only fragments are left. The shortest distance along the center tunnel is a bit over 10 feet. I don't find any capillary tube replacement parts over 73".

Is it possible to use an electronic system in place of the capillary tube style? It would solve a lot of problems.

Just use a present thermostat.
MT0759

Thanks for the suggestion. I think I have only a partial understanding of this. I presume a preset thermostat would just keep the evaporator from freezing, cycling the compressor off if it gets too cold? This would be wired into the hot wire to the compressor as an on/off? At that point, would my only control be to run the fans at slower or faster speeds to control air temperature? I'm including a photo which shows the original control panel configuration with a dial type thermostat in the center (missing completely on my car) and separate right and left fan rheostats, plus an on/off toggle switch.

I don't think I got the image to post - not sure what I'm doing wrong. Anyways, it's just a rotary dial thermostat with a LONG capillary tube.