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Sir Sam
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2009
Posts: 1689
Location: Fort Collins Colorado!
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 Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 4:40 pm Post subject: What's the latest on in-dash HVAC? Tired of the Smallcar setup. |
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I have a smallcar AC setup, I used to link it was the best thing you could do to a van. But the lack of a proper heater in the smallcar setup has gotten me to the point where I am ready to ditch it.
Is there anything else out there these days thats better than the smallcar kit for a replacement HVAC system?
TIA
_________________
'91 Carat Westy
87' Syncro + '87 Westy conversion coming soon |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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ledogboy 
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2005
Posts: 578
Location: Scappoose, OR / Oakland, CA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the latest on in Dash HVAC? Tired of the smallcar setup. |
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| Sir Sam wrote: |
I have a smallcar AC setup, I used to link it was the best thing you could do to a van. But the lack of a proper heater in the smallcar setup has gotten me to the point where I am ready to ditch it.
Is there anything else out there these days thats better than the smallcar kit for a replacement HVAC system?
TIA |
Out of curiosity, do you still have the rear heater? If not, perhaps adding it back into the mix would be the thing?
_________________
1986 Westy Weekender
Now a full camper
1.8t Syncro conversion
Some people call him Maurice... |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Alan Brase
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2004
Posts: 4532
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:53 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the latest on in Dash HVAC? Tired of the smallcar setup. |
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| djkeev wrote: |
Find an old Behr unit or retrofit your own system.
Making modifications for in dash A/C has been done.
I started to once but never finished the idea.
But it would have worked.
Look in the FAQ under the HVAC section for links.
Dave |
Somebody needs to do this. There must be some other make heater/ evaporator/blower box that could be retro-fitted.
In dash a/c and ABS brakes are the two worst aspects of the T3. Weak transaxles next.
_________________
Al Brase
Projects: 67 sunroof bug, 67 Porsche 912 Targa, 70 Westy
Dec 1955 Single Cab pickup WANT 15" BUS RIMS dated 8/55, thru 12/55
To New owners: 1969 doublecab, 1971 Dormobile
Vanagons:
80 P27 Westy JUL 1979, 3rd oldest known US
83 1.6TD Vanagon, 87 Wolfie Westy daily driver, swap meet home |
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Sir Sam
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2009
Posts: 1689
Location: Fort Collins Colorado!
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 10:32 pm Post subject: Re: Whats the latest on in Dash HVAC? Tired of the smallcar setup. |
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| ledogboy wrote: |
| Sir Sam wrote: |
I have a smallcar AC setup, I used to link it was the best thing you could do to a van. But the lack of a proper heater in the smallcar setup has gotten me to the point where I am ready to ditch it.
Is there anything else out there these days thats better than the smallcar kit for a replacement HVAC system?
TIA |
Out of curiosity, do you still have the rear heater? If not, perhaps adding it back into the mix would be the thing? |
Propex heater took the place of the rear heater. I've considered redoing the propex setup to get the rear heater installed again.
_________________
'91 Carat Westy
87' Syncro + '87 Westy conversion coming soon |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:45 am Post subject: Re: Whats the latest on in Dash HVAC? Tired of the smallcar setup. |
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| Sir Sam wrote: |
| ledogboy wrote: |
| Sir Sam wrote: |
I have a smallcar AC setup, I used to link it was the best thing you could do to a van. But the lack of a proper heater in the smallcar setup has gotten me to the point where I am ready to ditch it.
Is there anything else out there these days thats better than the smallcar kit for a replacement HVAC system?
TIA |
Out of curiosity, do you still have the rear heater? If not, perhaps adding it back into the mix would be the thing? |
Propex heater took the place of the rear heater. I've considered redoing the propex setup to get the rear heater installed again. |
You can run the propex while driving. That may help, or not. YMMV.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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ledogboy
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2005
Posts: 578
Location: Scappoose, OR / Oakland, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:54 am Post subject: Re: Whats the latest on in Dash HVAC? Tired of the smallcar setup. |
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| dobryan wrote: |
You can run the propex while driving. That may help, or not. YMMV. |
Though it would be nice to get all of that heat for “free”, rather than needing to burn propane.
_________________
1986 Westy Weekender
Now a full camper
1.8t Syncro conversion
Some people call him Maurice... |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:57 am Post subject: Re: Whats the latest on in Dash HVAC? Tired of the smallcar setup. |
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| ledogboy wrote: |
| dobryan wrote: |
You can run the propex while driving. That may help, or not. YMMV. |
Though it would be nice to get all of that heat for “free”, rather than needing to burn propane. |
Definitely.
But it may be easier to stay filled up on propane for those those really cold days than go thru the cost and effort of doing something different with the in dash unit?
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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Howesight
Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2008
Posts: 3274
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 1:54 pm Post subject: Re: What's the latest on in-dash HVAC? Tired of the Smallcar setup. |
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| Sir Sam wrote: |
I have a smallcar AC setup, I used to link it was the best thing you could do to a van. But the lack of a proper heater in the smallcar setup has gotten me to the point where I am ready to ditch it.
Is there anything else out there these days thats better than the smallcar kit for a replacement HVAC system?
TIA |
My DIY front AC system is better than the Smallcar unit. Mine keeps the stock heater box with some modifications and the AC output is vastly superior to the performance of the smallcar system, so far as many have described the Smallcar system’s performance. As it turns out, I have to pull my dash as part of prep for a paint job. When in there, I will have to remove my DIY evaporator box. I am going to then make a “plug” that can be used for ABS plastic vacuum molding copies. The shape, size and location of the evaporator was the single most time-consuming part of designing my system. Whether I go further with a “kit” is doubtful since I already work 60 or more hours a week, but the evaporator enclosure with B5 Audi evaporator installed would get many DIY folks a good jump start. Hmmmm . . .
_________________
'86 Syncro Westy SVX |
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whafalia
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2009
Posts: 685
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:09 pm Post subject: Re: What's the latest on in-dash HVAC? Tired of the Smallcar setup. |
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I have vague memories of your build Howesight, you do amazing things.
Would the modern version of a plug be a 3D scan converted to gerpix (I made that up) and 3D printed in the privacy of ones own garage?
_________________
84 westie 2.2 w/ digijet, AT |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:36 am Post subject: Re: What's the latest on in-dash HVAC? Tired of the Smallcar setup. |
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| Howesight wrote: |
| Sir Sam wrote: |
I have a smallcar AC setup, I used to link it was the best thing you could do to a van. But the lack of a proper heater in the smallcar setup has gotten me to the point where I am ready to ditch it.
Is there anything else out there these days thats better than the smallcar kit for a replacement HVAC system?
TIA |
My DIY front AC system is better than the Smallcar unit. Mine keeps the stock heater box with some modifications and the AC output is vastly superior to the performance of the smallcar system, so far as many have described the Smallcar system’s performance. As it turns out, I have to pull my dash as part of prep for a paint job. When in there, I will have to remove my DIY evaporator box. I am going to then make a “plug” that can be used for ABS plastic vacuum molding copies. The shape, size and location of the evaporator was the single most time-consuming part of designing my system. Whether I go further with a “kit” is doubtful since I already work 60 or more hours a week, but the evaporator enclosure with B5 Audi evaporator installed would get many DIY folks a good jump start. Hmmmm . . . |
You should contact 10c about your design.
This seems right up his alley.
People will be (are) clamoring for A/C, especially in dash A/C.
A kit of this type that uses the existing heater box seems like a perfect answer to meet a growing need (want).
Creating a Vanagon A/C kit would be largely comprised of common off the shelf components.
The engine compressor mount and adjustment system and the Evaporator are the two exceptions.
Someday, someone is going to step in and satisfy this wide spread desire. I watched desire for A/C grow just last Summer.
Sell a complete kit, or just sell the speciality components ala carte and let folk assemble their own system from local sources.
Dave
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos
Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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joetiger
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5078
Location: denver
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:26 am Post subject: Re: What's the latest on in-dash HVAC? Tired of the Smallcar setup. |
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I added a pump to the heater circuit per this thread:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=534812
I didn't spend a lot of time in stop and go traffic last winter so I never really used it, but this year I have and I'm surprised by how effective it is. When I'm idling and flip the manual switch to spin the pump, the different in heat output is immediate.
That plus the rear heater keeps it toasty.
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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GaryW
Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2005
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 7:54 am Post subject: Re: What's the latest on in-dash HVAC? Tired of the Smallcar setup. |
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| Howesight wrote: |
My DIY front AC system is better than the Smallcar unit. Mine keeps the stock heater box with some modifications and the AC output is vastly superior to the performance of the smallcar system, so far as many have described the Smallcar system’s performance. As it turns out, I have to pull my dash as part of prep for a paint job. When in there, I will have to remove my DIY evaporator box. I am going to then make a “plug” that can be used for ABS plastic vacuum molding copies. The shape, size and location of the evaporator was the single most time-consuming part of designing my system. Whether I go further with a “kit” is doubtful since I already work 60 or more hours a week, but the evaporator enclosure with B5 Audi evaporator installed would get many DIY folks a good jump start. Hmmmm . . . |
I'd definitely be interested in your evap box and a parts list.
Gary |
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