Need cold air!

[Charlie1717]

So my brother and I are taking a trip to Texas this summer and I'm looking for some sort of portable air conditioner. I've been looking on google and all I find is the ones with the coolers and fans or window ones that just spit out the air and put in the outside air.

Does anyone have any good solutions? Do the cooler ones work well? I'd like something fairly cheap but would love a/c (I hate the heat!)

Thanks!

[Festiva_tunner]

put up a WTB in the FS fourm for a complete A/C system

You could also look into aftermarket units for hot rods

[wybnrml]

You could also look into aftermarket units for hot rods

I looked into this one time and was told by a company that specializes in Hot Rod A/C and aftermarket A/C and they told me that one of there universal systems would work but you would have to get a Festiva Compressor, Drier, and Condensor.

[Charlie1717]

Those options sound expensive! If I bought an a/c system from a forum member I assume I'd need to have it professionally installed then?

[wybnrml]

Those options sound expensive! If I bought an a/c system from a forum member I assume I'd need to have it professionally installed then?

No, you can do it yourself, it isn't that hard, there is a how-to in the Other Articles section.

[Festiva_tunner]

You can install it yourself no problem - you can even charge it yourself with the off the shelf products - however I would recomend having it charged by a professional so that you can draw a good vaccume to remove any moisture and then leak test the system. It will be pricey if you stick with teh original R-12 and if you convert to R-134a you may notice some decreased efficiancy - although if you've never felt the system with R-12 in it you won't really know the difference.
Personally I am having my filled with R-12 and then topping the system every year after that with the aftermarket Freeze-12 if needed.

[Charlie1717]

You can install it yourself no problem - you can even charge it yourself with the off the shelf products - however I would recomend having it charged by a professional so that you can draw a good vaccume to remove any moisture and then leak test the system. It will be pricey if you stick with teh original R-12 and if you convert to R-134a you may notice some decreased efficiancy - although if you've never felt the system with R-12 in it you won't really know the difference.
Personally I am having my filled with R-12 and then topping the system every year after that with the aftermarket Freeze-12 if needed.

Thanks for the info. It would definitely be a learning experience. Which is another great reason why I love Festiva's great cars to learn on.

Anyway what are some price estimates to do all this. I'm a pretty poor college student

Cost of Used A/C unit?
Conversion to R-134a? (a decrease in efficiency isn't a problem since some is much better than none :p)

[Festiva_tunner]

Depends on who you buy the a/c set up from but you should be able to pick up a complete set for 150-200 if its in good shape - 75-100 if you pull it yourself
the charge depends on the shop you take it to - I've seen them range from 50-300 depending on what they do to your car and what shop it is.

[CharlieZ]

There's always this ingenious option found on strange vehicles dot com.

[Tim]

What part of Texas? If you're in Houston, be sure to swing by and say hi!


-Tim

[Charlie1717]

What part of Texas? If you're in Houston, be sure to swing by and say hi!


-Tim

I will be very close to Houston, (I was born in Katy). But my Gma lives near Houston I forget where and I plan on taking a trip with my younger brother down their towards the end of summer. So if I come I will most definitely come! Maybe we could get that A/C installed :p

[Charlie1717]

There's always this ingenious option found on strange vehicles dot com.

That could work.... I'm afraid the window conditioner might tip over the festy

[Tim]

I will be very close to Houston, (I was born in Katy). But my Gma lives near Houston I forget where and I plan on taking a trip with my younger brother down their towards the end of summer. So if I come I will most definitely come! Maybe we could get that A/C installed :p

I'm in Friendswood, which is south of Houston. Let me know when you're coming down and maybe we can install the A/C.


-Tim

[Pu241]

That could work.... I'm afraid the window conditioner might tip over the festy

Not if you mount a hitch to the tow points on the festiva and attach the gen unit to it, then mount the AC unit in the rear hatch window.
Down side is you then have to get a passenger side mirror!