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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 5:36 pm Post subject: Air conditioning repair SoCal? |
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Are there any recommendations for '87 Vanagon air conditioning repair shops in West Los Angeles/SoCal?
Aloha
tp |
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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 12:51 pm Post subject: Re: air conditioning repair SoCal ? |
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BUMP
Hoping to get a reply.
Aloha
tp |
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TommyBoyGomes Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2005 Posts: 1531 Location: L.A./Dublin, Irl
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Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 2:55 pm Post subject: Re: air conditioning repair SoCal ? |
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Foreign Autohaus in Marina Del Rey did mine. Ask for Pete, nice guy.
I needed a complete re-do on my system, so it wasn't cheap, but it would've been pricey no matter who did it. _________________ 1969 Squareback, 1776cc
1990 Vanagon Multivan |
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llilibel03 Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2008 Posts: 767 Location: Redondo Beach California
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Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 3:07 pm Post subject: Re: air conditioning repair SoCal ? |
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Try calling Automeister in Manhattan Beach and see who they recommend.
310 545 0037 |
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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 5:06 pm Post subject: Re: air conditioning repair SoCal ? |
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TommyBoyGomes wrote: |
Foreign Autohaus in Marina Del Rey did mine. Ask for Pete, nice guy.
I needed a complete re-do on my system, so it wasn't cheap, but it would've been pricey no matter who did it. |
I have an appointment with Pete on Thursday. Thanks for the reply.
Aloha
tp |
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Abelabelabel Samba Member
Joined: November 17, 2014 Posts: 336 Location: Santa Ana, CA
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Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 10:47 am Post subject: Re: air conditioning repair SoCal ? |
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Tom Powell wrote: |
Are there any recommendations for '87 Vanagon air conditioning repair shops in West Los Angeles/SoCal?
Aloha
tp |
HB Auto & AC in Huntington Beach
I've had okay luck with these guys. What they lack in quirky VW specialization they make up with the best customer service I've ever had from a mechanic. I'm happy so far, although I'm having some minor trouble with a rebuilt compressor they installed. It is under warranty though, so I should be made whole again soon. _________________ 1991 Vanagon GL / Carat Interior / Auto - White "Daily"
1990 Vanagon Carat / manual / Cherry Red "Bella Rouge" |
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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:48 am Post subject: Re: Air conditioning repair SoCal? |
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I went to see Pete at Foreign Autohaus this morning for an estimate. It was a very pleasant experience. He is well acquainted with Vanagon AC. I expected a high quotation and that is what I got. $1500-2000. I live in Hawaii and use my SoCal Vanagon about twice a year. Half of those are for ski trips. I'll be driving North to Oregon along the coast for the eclipse this month and hopefully avoid high ambient temperatures.
Bottom line: I won't have any work done, but I would recommend Pete to anybody that needs Vanagon work done in the LA area. I'll use the MightyKool swamp cooler from my '69 camper in the Vanagon when needed.
http://www.swampy.net/k2.html
Aloha
tp |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32432 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: Air conditioning repair SoCal? |
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djkeev wrote: |
If that is for a complete rebuild of the system, that was a fair price.
Dave |
I agree.
Pete made the observation, that with a poptop there is no ducting to the front and that the AC has to cool down the whole interior before the driver and passenger get any cool air. He also commented that if you use Vanagon AC in very high ambient temperatures you should have a new radiator. I thought these were both very astute observations. I recently had the AC recharged in my '87 tintop in Hawaii. $80 and the cold air blows directly on me.
Aloha
tp
Last edited by Tom Powell on Thu Aug 03, 2017 5:22 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32432 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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swissarmychainsaw Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2019 Posts: 279 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:30 am Post subject: Re: Air conditioning repair SoCal? |
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djkeev wrote: |
As I've mentioned many times, my rebuilt 86 camper unit freezes my Wife out in just a few miles. I just did a wet bulb test, I'm pushing 38* air out of the vents, the Van cools off quickly on hot days. I'm in the Hazy Hot & Humid Northeast.
Dave |
Dave,
Old thread, but what is your set up? Front & rear AC? |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22568 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:42 am Post subject: Re: Air conditioning repair SoCal? |
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Old thread and OP has passed away. Dave hasn't yet, though
RIP , tp
-Aloha _________________ .ssS! |
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designer Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2009 Posts: 484 Location: Idaho-but just the tip
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 8:05 pm Post subject: Re: Air conditioning repair SoCal? |
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djkeev wrote: |
As I've mentioned many times, my rebuilt 86 camper unit freezes my Wife out in just a few miles. I just did a wet bulb test, I'm pushing 38* air out of the vents, the Van cools off quickly on hot days. I'm in the Hazy Hot & Humid Northeast.
Dave |
Dave is your AC just an outlier with it's capabilities or did you do something to make it work so well. I still have all my guts (or at least it looks that way) and have thought many times to try to get it to work, but don't know enough about it or where to start. Or just tear it all out and get that rear closet space and overhead space back for other things. _________________ __________
87 Syncro Westy : 2.5l
"It is that annoying, accelerating downhill so I can make it up the next hill in the same gear. Foot to floor hoping I can get out of the way of other cars getting onto the highway." - somebody on here around 2013. |
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dhaavers Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 7733 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:20 pm Post subject: Re: Air conditioning repair SoCal? |
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Dave was running rear AC only...van has since gone on to his daughter's family.
FWIW... I did a similar AC ressurrection with good results. July in Moab, UT...
- Dave _________________ 86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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