Quote:
Originally Posted by strelnik
I have several cars which are in great shape or soon will be. NONE of them have AC because of their age.
The MBs:
1949 170 4 door
1958 180D
1959 220 S
1972 220D
The others:
1953 Citroen 11CV Limousine de Ville
1972 Citroen DS21
1982 Dodge Power Wagon 318 4WD stick
I'm leaving Groucho's 220 4 door Webasto stock because I'm selling it afterwards.
I tried to take a course in auto AC but the schools here don't want to accept a certified mechanic, they want you to take a series of course, like 45 hours, and get an associate's degree. More money for them.
So I'll use correspondence courses, get a state AC cert and install them myself.
The question:
Has anyone installed a generic AC kit or made their own?
The main questions for me:
1. Where to get kits or non-kit components? What's worked for you?
2. R-12 vs R 134, which is better?
3. What tools, gauges, etc are needed? Which make life easier? Which are frills?
After this, I ought to be able to do my own no problemo.
Especially interested in comments IF you have done this, versus just opinions. I need info here from people who have experience and / or suggestions. If you have gone to school for auto AC: was it worth it?
Need to know that too.
Thanks!
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The DS, 220D and Powerwagon were all availible with AC, so I'd look into whatever original hardware may be availible in salvage yards, club-sources, online or elsewhere.
Most 220Ds came with a Behr semi-integated AC unit mounted in the center-console.
For all your other candidates, you'll need to custom fabricate something.
Earliest common Mercedes AC were the Kuhlmeister hang on units on the Fintails.
Many years ago, I adapted a salvage-yard Fintail Kuhlmeister to my '61 Ponton 180b.
Modifications included, rotating the Kuhlmeister blower 180 degrees, as the Ponton lower dash had no cavity behind the glovebox to accomodate the blower motor. To drive the AC belt, I adapted a Honda waterpump pulley to the engine balancer, as there was no room for the bulky Fintail AC pulley. Also, my Ponton's limited engine-space and passenger-side cooling system plumbing, prevented using the Fintail's York compressor & brackets, so I made up custom brackets to mount a Sankyo (Sanden) compressor on the distributor-side of my engine.
Compressor and condenser were salvaged from two different '70s Mazdas. My cobbled-up Kuhlmeister looked good and cooled well enough using R12, but took alot of engine power. Prolonged AC operation also made my car run hot.
If I had to do it over today, one big change I'd make with the Sanden compressor, would be to fit a much smaller drive pulley to the engine, This would reduce power usage and load on the cooling-system.
Unfortunately, the old Kuhlmeisters have now become quite pricey on eBay, but you may still luck onto one in a salvage-yard somewhere, or pick up one with a cheap, rusty Fintail parts-car.
But any of those old AC systems may not work that well with R134.
Adapting one of the Vintage-Air kits may be your best chooce for most of your candidates.
Happy Motoring, Mark