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S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 8:06 pm
by 65ginetta
Quite some time ago I started to design/adapt and install an aftermarket Heat and Air Conditioner Unit into my wife's S3 Coupe. I have finally completed the exercise and I did received several requests from Elan.net followers for a more detailed explanation of the process.
I realize this has very limited appeal to the normal Elan user but I have prepared a simple Microsoft PowerPoint explained the steps, with pictures of my efforts. I have no commercial connection or any interest in the System vendor or in supplying the conversion or offering technical services, but I did agree to produce some basic explanation to those interested parties when I had time to document it.
If those people who requested information would 'private mail' with a conventional email address for reply, I will send my document. It is not definitive but should be sufficient to replicate the installation. I repeat, I have no intention in making this a commercial venture.

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:14 pm
by elansprint
Vernon thanks very much for the email a very neat job the car looks great also where do you find the time ?
Ian

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 10:33 pm
by 65ginetta
I'm lucky in that I only require 3-4 hours sleep per night and always need a project.
The restoration of my cars provide me with thinking time for my business interests and above everything I have a wife who understands my motivation. That's why the S3 Air conditioning project started. The car is for Jacqui and she suggested air conditioning.
I still have a 1966 Square tube Ginetta G4 and a 27' steam launch to finish so things don't look like they will change anytime soon.

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 9:54 am
by Elanman68
Just sent you a PM with a request for info. Not something I'd ever considered, but very interested in how you did it, thanks.

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:25 pm
by 65ginetta
Since I posted my information on fitting AC to my wife's Elan S3 Coupe I have now received 54 requests for the Powerpoint Presentation. I did the conversion for fun and have no interest in making a commercial enterprise but with such response I'm wondering how many people have actually proceeded with the exercise.
I travel constantly on business and wondered if there was somewhere to put the presentation on the site as I only occasionally look at the elan.net site and am still receiving requests.

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 10:08 am
by Spyder fan
Vernon,
You could add the file as a Dropbox link to your first post, and Jeff could also make this a sticky topic for you perhaps for a limited time so that it's easy to find. I'm sure a lot of people are interested from an engineering and problem solving aspect rather than actually wanting to do the conversion, but as virtually every new car in the world comes with air con these days perhaps more people want it than I think.

I can host the file on my Dropbox and give you the link if you don't have the facility, I don't think that you can upload PowerPoint files to elan.net and hosting off site saves bandwidth for Jeff.

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 4:49 pm
by stugilmour
Alan, great you are offering to host.

I have loaded ppt files here, but they were only a few slides. The file size may create an issue. I don't think the newt pptx format will load here though.

Stu

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2016 6:16 am
by pharriso
PM sent. Send me the PowerPoint, I will convert to PDF & post a link so everyone can download & read the file.

Very interested myself as well.

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 4:21 pm
by lotustastic
Hello,

Has there been any update on this? I just sent another PM to 65Ginetta as I'm very interested as well.

Thanks!

David D.

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 4:40 pm
by pharriso
Here is "65Ginetta"'s Powerpoint Presentation converted to PDF format - http://www.lionheartsolutions.com/lotus ... ersion.pdf

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Sat Sep 10, 2016 5:31 pm
by vernon.taylor
I'd like to have a look, too.

@+

another Vernon

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 2:24 pm
by pharriso

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:12 pm
by Elanman68
Thanks very much for hosting this much appreciated. I've downloaded the file and will study at leisure, glorious looking car with stunning attention to detail.

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 9:33 pm
by bitsobrits
For those looking to put A/C in a Lotus, you might want to check out SouthernRods.com for their new super small evaporator. Just received one, and it looks as if it should fit an Elan pretty well. No heat, though, if that's a consideration.

http://www.southernrods.com/a-c-and-hea ... ooler2.jpg

Re: S3 Coupe Air conditioning Conversion

PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:10 am
by 65ginetta
I did consider these individual cooler units, but chose the heater,demister, cooler combination because you do sometimes need to demist the condensation from AC cooling in certain environmental conditions.
We get 6-8 weeks of cooler weather here in TN so we thought for the trouble of fitting a compressor, condenser and evaporator and relocating the alternator for the conversion to AC, having a heater demister was the better route.
Thanks to P Harrison for covering my internet ignorance, I'm into 65 requests to date so best of luck to any converters.