Adding AC to a Coupe

CSteve

CSteve

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How difficult is it to add original AC(with all the new upgrades) to a stock 3.0CS? Availability of part? Ball park figure if a worthy shop does the job?

Thanks,

Steve
 
I’ll play. Assuming you can find usable interior parts that are expensive when you do, my guess for a shop to do it per oem design including parts and labor would be $10k.
 
Another question, and I am sure there will be more. Do any of the aftermarket systems work effectively. and leave the console basically stock? Thinking of units I have seen with the ducts on the parcel shelf.
 
Steve - I will contact you via PM. I would think that an A/C retrofit can be done on a smaller budget, using aftermarket parts and 3D-printed parts. This assumes you are able to do most of the work (+ sourcing of parts) on your own. Asking a shop to do everything would be an entirely different matter.
 
CSteve said:
How difficult is it to add original AC(with all the new upgrades) to a stock 3.0CS? Availability of part? Ball park figure if a worthy shop does the job?

Thanks,

Steve
Click to expand...
I'm interested in this subject as well. I have the original parts, even the muffler. I am wondering if a new, modern compressor requires a different bracket and if replacing the 1973 condenser with modern, parallel flow would be advisable. I've done all this on Volvos, but have a CS that I want to put the AC back into.
 
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ES 1800 said:
I'm interested in this subject as well. I have the original parts, even the muffler. I am wondering if a new, modern compressor requires a different bracket and if replacing the 1973 condenser with modern, parallel flow would be advisable. I've done all this on Volvos, but have a CS that I want to put the AC back into.
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Jim - PM me for details - the answer to your questions is

-yes - the Sanden is better and requires a different bracket (2 in fact)
-yes - the parallel flow condenser is cheap and performs much better with R134a
 
Blinkling

Thread 'DIY - Aftermarket Evaporator Installed In A Coupe'

Hi Team. I set out this year to find a replacement evaporator for the AC systems in our E9s and E3s (and E12s and E21s).

I found one (originally made for a 2007 Land Cruiser). It fits in the original box pretty well and it’s in my car working now. I’ll show you how I did it and then update you at some point in the near future as to whether there’s any advantage to it over the original parts. This is a work in progress and you are joining me in the experiment!

I want to emphasize that many members on this board have made their AC systems work pretty well using the original BMW...
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Post #2 here:

Dan Wood

Post in thread 'Sanden compressor bracket question'

Socrates said:
Thanks for the replies, will follow up. PS: I found this great post, but unfortunately all the pictures are no longer available.

One more question if I may: why are folks here apparently preferring old Sanden compressors like the SD508 and SD709 that are designed for R-12 refrigerant over newer models like the SD7H14 or the SDH14 that are designed for modern R134a refrigerant?
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I know for a fact that SD709 is for R134a (I have used on 2 cars) and believe that SD508 is also.
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I've been on this same road for a very long time, slowly acquiring parts when the opportunity arises. Like others have said, the tricky part here is the interior bits. Just for the interior, you need:

1. complete evap assembly (blower motor, evap core, blower resistor, etc)
2. new center consoles with the holes cut out (thanks, Alberto!)
3. covers for those holes (several people make them now, including me)
4. the intermediate duct (I made my own design for that based on the original part, Don seems to like them!)
5. the metal base plate
6. the AC faceplate
7. the switchgear

Everything other than #1 is unique to the coupe as I recall. A very long time ago, I bought a set of the parts for a Bav for ~$200 and I've been building most of the E9-specific parts myself, as they are ridiculously expensive. Plus, if you have a radio, you'll likely have to modify the AC faceplate, as that's where the radio goes. You also lose the really nice wood cubby under the heater controls.

Going through all this has made me work on making a combo kit using the original space of the base heater box, and instead turn the system to a combo unit like on other modern vehicles. Given how my day job is going, though, that is a long way out.
 
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x_atlas0 said:
I've been on this same road for a very long time, slowly acquiring parts when the opportunity arises. Like others have said, the tricky part here is the interior bits. Just for the interior, you need:

1. complete evap assembly (blower motor, evap core, blower resistor, etc)
2. new center consoles with the holes cut out (thanks, Alberto!)
3. covers for those holes (several people make them now, including me)
4. the intermediate duct (I made my own design for that based on the original part, Don seems to like them!)
5. the metal base plate
6. the AC faceplate
7. the switchgear

Everything other than #1 is unique to the coupe as I recall. A very long time ago, I bought a set of the parts for a Bav for ~$200 and I've been building most of the E9-specific parts myself, as they are ridiculously expensive. Plus, if you have a radio, you'll likely have to modify the AC faceplate, as that's where the radio goes. You also lose the really nice wood cubby under the heater controls.

Going through all this has made me work on making a combo kit using the original space of the base heater box, and instead turn the system to a combo unit like on other modern vehicles. Given how my day job is going, though, that is a long way out.
Click to expand...

#1 can be repurposed across E3/E9/Early E12 and E21 (with some minor changes on the hard lines)

#2-4 and 6 are E9-specific and require finding original or recreated/3D-printed parts

#5 can be repurposed across E3/E9/Early E12 and E21 and even E24

#7 outside of the knobs the wiring can be created easily and for switches standard aftermarket parts can be used
 
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