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Air conditioner/Cooler.

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ecurie_ecosse

ecurie_ecosse

Luke Skywalker
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My wife had a Midget back in the seventies,and says it had a cooler/conditioner box.Do any of you have any info on this? Or if there is something "out there" that would cool the cockpit,so that we could extend our driving into summer?

Stuart. :cheers:
 
Get some of those reusable blue ice blocks and sit on them...

Seriously, I am very interested in this thread as it is already fire hot here in Central Texas.
 
I once saw a 1275 with aftermarket AC. I was told you could only use it going down hill in fourth or third gear on level ground. :smile:
 
GEO Metros were available with AC. Seems like a junkyard might hold a candidate for consideration.
 
I saw a classic Mini that had added a "Vintage Air" compressor and other needed parts to add "modern" A/C. I wasn't able to ask the driver when it was hot enough to need it and cool enough to use it.

Glen Byrns
 
I think it would be better to install some heat shielding between the hot stuff (exhaust) and the foot wells.
I'm thinking of aluminum metal plate and some standoffs so there is a layer of insulating air in between.

Hmmm... I have a dented up aluminum MGB hood sitting out back & I have a saw.
I might just get started on this project soon!
 
Swamp coolers are OK in the desert, but not much good where the relative humidity hangs out at 75%.
 
Glen_B said:
I saw a classic Mini that had added a "Vintage Air" compressor and other needed parts to add "modern" A/C. I wasn't able to ask the driver when it was hot enough to need it and cool enough to use it.

Glen Byrns
Click to expand...

If you have a Mk1/2 Mini like mine with sliding windows... it would always be hot enough to use AC if you had it. For those who wanted AC, late model Japanese spec Minis did offer it. I would think that if you really, really wanted AC you could find a Japanese Mini's AC unit and adapt it to virtually any A-Series engine.
 
I adapted an Austin Marina AC unit to my 1275 in my Austin A40. It worked really well, very cool inside the car but you had to decide on AC or up hill, not both.
I still have the set up and maybe someday will see if I can stuff it in the Sprite.
 
I used to see smallish ice chest that you could buy that had a small, lighter socket powered fan that would blow air across the ice an into the cab of the car. I have been thinking about getting one for a while, but my expectations are low.
 
spritenut said:
I adapted an Austin Marina AC unit to my 1275 in my Austin A40. It worked really well, very cool inside the car but you had to decide on AC or up hill, not both.
I still have the set up and maybe someday will see if I can stuff it in the Sprite.
Click to expand...
The AC in my VW caddy diesel had a similar impact on performance. I set up a WOT cut-out switch so I didn't have to reach for the AC control at every hill.
 
Most modern cars got a vacuum switch that kills the AC when you gas it. It should not take much to A/c a midget but I never thought about it. Hmmn, The wife's fesiva has a 1.3 with 64hp and good cold a/c and power steering. Similar weight and power as a midget. It could be done, but be prepared for a power loss and figure a way to fast idle the engine when it is turned on. Most aftermarket a/cs are not very efficient at all, unfortunately. You need an eltric fan as well, to keep moving the heat out when the car is not moving.
 
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