Has anyone fitted a Southern Rods Aircon system?

[Mike Rowe]

Hi I am trying to research which aircon system is best in terms of size and performance to fit in place of the normal heater box in my square tail light 2002.

The engine is an M10 with a 2.3 M3 stroker crank and 3 pulley crank pulley.

I will possibly get a Sanden 508 compressor in Australia, and one of the US after market compressor brackets (expensive!)  I will also probably get the condenser, hoses etc in Australia as well.

What I will need from the US is the Evaporator unit to fit in the dash.

So has anyone fitted a Southern Rods or Vintage Air or other universal unit inside the dash and then run vents through the console or cut the vents into the fascia of the dash itself?

[Highnote1]

I’m on this same track right now. I have made the center console with vents and decided on a system. I am going with the vintage air gen 2 mini. They have been around forever and it will fit without the heater box in place. I am planning on trimming a notch out of the glovebox but other than that…it will all be hidden. 
If you search you can find some others looking at doing the same thing. In another website you can even find a pic that the Hack Mechanic took of someone’s car with it in there and the glove box open. 

[Mike Rowe]

10 minutes ago, Highnote1 said:

I’m on this same track right now. I have made the center console with vents and decided on a system. I am going with the vintage air gen 2 mini. They have been around forever and it will fit without the heater box in place. I am planning on trimming a notch out of the glovebox but other than that…it will all be hidden. 
If you search you can find some others looking at doing the same thing. (on 2002FAQ or somewhere else?) In another website (any idea of where?)you can even find a pic that the Hack Mechanic took of someone’s car with it in there and the glove box open. 

Thanks Highnote for your info, very helpful.  I note it has rectangular outlets - do they supply the hose to fit?  Also do you know what power/cooling output the system has?  Just wondering how you determine if the system will be cool enough for the cabin?  Also are the measurements of the unit on their site somewhere? 

regards Mike 

[Mike Rowe]

Found the size 19 x9 x 7.3 inches.

 

Are you going to use the BMW defrost vents on the dash rather than the universal ones supplied?  Will the defrost hose size of the Vintage Air evaporator fit the BMW standard defrost vents?

[Highnote1]

I bought the biggest ones I could find from them that were plain black plastic and made this panel. Just waiting for car to come back from paint and I will start the process. I am excited. I will drive it more if it has ac. Hot as hell here these days! Put a cup holder in too! I am going to put one on the drivers side in the spot for the original hvac controls too. 

 

Edited July 2 by Highnote1

[Highnote1]

Read again. I am going to use the stock defrost vents. There are adapters available to make all the connection issues go away if something is too loose on the hose connections. 

Edited July 2 by Highnote1

[Mike Rowe]

Found the Hack Mechanic post you were talking about.  Was that with the Vintage Air unit or the original system fitted by Dealer? The photo shows the system protruding into the RHS footwell, which is fine for you guys, but with my RHD car that maybe in the way of the clutch pedal?  Do you know if the Vintage system you have suggested also protrudes into the RHS footwell?

[Highnote1]

The one on your picture is the factory Clardy. I found hos picture on google on another bimmerforum. There are some other ones recently by someone else who had already modded his glovebox too. 

[Highnote1]

Found it!

 

[Mike Rowe]

Can you give me the link to where the post is so I can look at whole post?  Again I'm a bit concerned that my clutch pedal may be in the way?  I notice the pedals on US cars come out of the floor, whereas my pedals hang down from the top?

regards

Mike

[Highnote1]

That’s a screenshot I kept in my photos to reference. I think you will be fine but take a tape measure and touch your steering column and go left…see where it goes. In the us it bumps up against the column and steals room from the glove box. 
Also…summit racing and a couple other vendors will send you an empty ac box for 50 bucks to fit before you commit. You can even return it! You got this!

Edited July 3 by Highnote1

[Mike Rowe]

Thanks mate, appreciate your support, guidance and mentoring!

[g_force]

Just a note for you both - the center vents don't distribute the air well enough to really cool on hot, hot days. If you can accommodate it, build in additional vent locations.

 

I daily drove my tii in Houston and Dallas for years and ran an upgraded Behr system with a Sanden compressor, bigger than stock Behr condenser, stock Behr evaporator and stock (but rebuilt) Behr cage fan. The Behr system has two vents at the top of the center console that consume the whole available width and are bigger than @Highnote1's vents.  While my system would get plenty cold and the air volume was fine, the air coming just from the center console doesn't distribute the air well enough to keep you cool on the hot, hot days (i.e., July and August in TX). It could keep your side nearest the vent cool, but the side toward the window was uncomfortably hot. Couple that with back-sweat-inducing vinyl 320is Recaros and the big greenhouse, and the system, despite upgrades, was marginal for daily use.

[Highnote1]

6 minutes ago, g_force said:

Just a note for you both - the center vents don't distribute the air well enough to really cool on hot, hot days. If you can accommodate it, build in additional vent locations.

 

I daily drove my tii in Houston and Dallas for years and ran an upgraded Behr system with a Sanden compressor, bigger than stock Behr condenser, stock Behr evaporator and stock (but rebuilt) Behr cage fan. The Behr system has two vents at the top of the center console that consume the whole available width and are bigger than @Highnote1's vents.  While my system would get plenty cold and the air volume was fine, the air coming just from the center console doesn't distribute the air well enough to keep you cool on the hot, hot days (i.e., July and August in TX). It could keep your side nearest the vent cool, but the side toward the window was uncomfortably hot. Couple that with back-sweat-inducing vinyl 320is Recaros and the big greenhouse, and the system, despite upgrades, was marginal for daily use.

Thanks man! I’m gonna add one on the left side for the driver as well in the hole for the original hvac sliders and will have the defrost vents too to try different things. I am hopeful it will be great for a weekend cruiser. 

[Mike Rowe]

Sounds like we have to put more face level vents in.  Can the dash material (what is it made of?) be cut ok to install say 4 vents and none in the centre console?  Also is there room for the hose to fit behind a vent in the dash or does the dash fit snug up to the firewall?