Thread: Driving the A/C off the drive shift!!!

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I am just about to order a 32 3 window from ravon rods (from Randy) But hes at the slat flats for 2 weeks.
Ok any ways
I want to hind my a/c i want to try to make my coupe look like 1947-1954 some where in there. So i dont want a a/c haging out up front.
now i know that the A/ wount work in stop and go.
but what hot rod can you run air in stop and go.
So i was thinking i would run it of the drive shaft.
i would like to put the unit in the trunk and feed the A/C in from the back (hidden under the seat or parsel shelf)
So what do you think?
let me know Dave Larsen in So Cal

But you could run the A/C compressor off the motor and put the A/c, heater (HVAC) unit itself in the trunk as you wanted and run it in under the seat. That would work. You could even put the dryer in there too. You'd just have to run longer lines.

See, Denny, I told youse I was only brain dead half the time.

You could upgrade your alternator,,,,then mount the compressor motor and all the other crap in the trunk,,,then run the compressor off an electric motor,,,,if you do this,,you'll need to know how much % of horse power it takes to run the compressor motor,,,,,,,,,think about it,,,,,if it works for your electric camper fridge,,,it'll work for your car trunk also.

It's gonna take a huge electric motor to run an AC compresser. The alternator won't keep up. A camper fridge is tiny in comparison.

A local guy with a semi-sorta restored A coupe - Miller head, full pressure oil, pair of 81's - used an A/C unit out of a Ford Windstar.

He mounted it under the package shelf and a little way into the trunk.
Worked good and the controls beside the driver and having to reach around to get them wasn't too bad a deal.

It sure kept the resto flavor of the A and he was able to cruise on 100 degree + days.

I wouldn't try the drive shaft idea - too many problems. I work in the helicopter industry and we occasionally use electric motors to drive the compressor so we can get cooling without the rotors turning.

If your interested, I'll get supplier and specs for you.

Sounds good !!!
thanks Dave

Here is some info from the Oasis Off Road Compressor site
http://www.oasisoffroad.com/p3.html
They make penumatic compressors that are built from York air conditioning compressors. They run up to 200psig (less than an A/C system). Using a 12 volt DC series wound motor, the puppy sucks about 180 amps. The unit is 62 lbs and is 20 inches long. It uses a 5 hp motor!!!

A helicopter usually uses 400 Hz, 3phase motors......I doubt that it would be a DC motor. 400cycle motors are much smaller for equivalent horsepower but few road vehicles have 400Hz power!

the good old method is the simplest, cheapest, and most reliable.
Putting the evaporator behind the seat is a viable idea that should work. Some argue that the a/c blast should be hitting you in the face but???? I still like the idea of a/c in the seat cushion and backs.......and then have a little periscope outlet to cool the family treasures......

Putting the evaporator behind the seat is not a bad idea, I just wouldn't be to thrilled about cutting a hole in the floor for the condensation tube.

DennyW, I am not sure what you are trying to say except that it sounds just like me coming home today on I95. From the city streets of Richmond at 5 PM and the on ramp it was the hottest I can remember with the top down in my Sunfire and my face was just hot all over, BUT that was nothing compared to what it would have been if I had kept the top up! I guess I am saying that top down breeze is almost as good as A/C. For some funny reason when it gets hotter I try to compensate by turning up the volume on the radio/CD!!!!!! Anyway at Interstate speed the heat is not so bad and I only use the A/C if the wife is along and she has to have the top up with the A/C no matter what, except I do remember she does like the top down on cool summer evenings. I just can't see my way clear to bother with the expense and complications to put an A/C in a roadster anyway, SO (!) I bought my wife one of those things you put around your neck with a built in fan and a sponge of water inside as the A/C for her in the roadster. So far she didn't think much of the idea but I will keep that gadget in the roadster just in case she needs it!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Dave Robot was correct about the 400htz motors.. they are powered by a 28VDC, 200 amp, 3 phase alternators running though rectifiers to equalize power usage. Not impossible on a car but expensive.

thumbone....just a small correction.....400Hz motors cant be DC, because DC is 0Hz. Also, a 400Hz motor usually screams!! The sound would be pretty bad in a car.