Air Conditioning.

[lotuselanman]

Gidday,
I broached this topic some time ago with a varied response.
I live in Queensland Australia hence forth referred to as "Godzone".
Now Godzone is a bloody big dry state with the Tropic of Capricorn only part way up. It tends to get a tad warm at times with 40 degree not uncommon. Now this old flatulater turns 70 this year becoming more sensitive to heat and humidity.
Only a couple I weeks ago I was made aware of a +2 an hour away from me that that has under gone a major restoration with a Toyota Muti valve Injected engine an box fitted.
But wait there is more ! It has Air con !! I have made contact and along with a friend will venture forth and check it out in the next few days.
Les.

[robertverhey]

Ha old flatulator indeed! I'll stop complaining that I've just turned 59 then. And that it's gonna be 30degrees in Sydney today. Will follow the A/C story with interest. Robert

[65ginetta]

I'm currently installing a Heat, Defrost and Air Conditioning system in a 1966 S3 Coupe.
I'm hoping to have the installation completed over the next month or so, it has been quite a task but I'm very encouraged now that I have relocated the compressor where the alternator was, dual crank pulley and a Denso alternator on the opposite side of the engine, under the dry sump oil pump.
I'll post some pictures when I'm back at the workshop. Its very tight fitting it all in but we get pretty hot here in Tennessee (100 F+) and the car is for my wife.
Hope this helps.

[rfurzer]

My plus 2 - ex WA used to have AC. I have the brackets to support the compressor in my scrap pile.
I do not have any of the ac system- it had been "put right" when I bought it.
The brake booster had been moved to the boot- not enough room in the LH side of the eng with the compressor. It is still there and works normally.
AFAIK it was a dealer option in the unpleasantly hot mainland states.
Russ

[elansprint]

Just a thought but i believe some citroen & peugeot cars use an electric aircon compressor this may help with engine bay space although i suspect you are too sensible to buy french cars in the USA & Australia
Ian

[Gordon Sauer]

This is one of those plus twos that had dealer installed air conditioning and I put in a rotary compressor using the original brackets and otherwise it is unchanged from the dealer. The dealer also used a smaller Motorola alternator which you can see in the picture and then this servo was moved to the nose Gordon Sauer

[Gordon Sauer]

Here's the picture of the air-conditioning layout. One thing I did change was putting a combined heater, evaporator unit (Vintage Air San Antonio Tx) behind the dash which fits nicely when you remove the fiber glass Plenum and glass over the vent holes. In the dealer version they did keep the heater box and then put the evaporator in the foot well of the passenger compartment. There were also sliding metal plates that went over the intake vents that allowed you to open up the car for fresh air. Gordon Sauer

[mbell]

As another +2 owner in a hot location I am very interested to know more about the components used and fitting locations for them. Photos and part numbers would be great.

Have to admit that AC is more of a pipe dream for me, as need to get the car on the road first. I am building a mental list of work for when I am restore it rather than just recommissioning it, which AC is on.

[Gordon Sauer]

Twin Spal fans VA 09 AP 50/C ? 27S on a 20 inch wide by 12 tall parallel flow condenser butted up to the original radiator although with three row core. Sanden 508 compressor. Vintage Air combined evaporator/heater 01000 Series Mini Space Saver--It is 18 1/2 inches wide 8 1/2 inches tall and 7 inches deep. 134a refrigerant system, binary switched (hi and low pressure cut off) on drier along with hi pressure service port; Low-pressure port is on the line that goes from Compressor to evaporator and spliced in just below the solenoid.

[Gordon Sauer]

Here's the fan picture and radiator assembly and one caveat is that I haven't run all this yet so we'll see how it goes and knowing that of the dealer installed systems many of them were pulled by the owners because they overheated I think but I think a coup In Texas without air-conditioning is not going to get the use that it would with Air Gordon Sauer

[Gordon Sauer]

Heater evaporator assembly behind dash Gordon Sauer

[mbell]

Thanks for the information and photo's. Very helpful.

Fully agree that not having AC will limit the us of the car. Going to have the reverse problem to a lot of people, car will be parked for the summer and come out for the winter!

[trw99]

[quote="rfurzer"]My plus 2 - ex WA used to have AC. I have the brackets to support the compressor in my scrap pile.
I do not have any of the ac system- it had been "put right" when I bought it.
The brake booster had been moved to the boot- not enough room in the LH side of the eng with the compressor. It is still there and works normally.
AFAIK it was a dealer option in the unpleasantly hot mainland states.
Russ[/quote]

I do not believe that A/C was ever offered as a factory approved dealer fitted option. I am aware that one or two dealers were able to fit A/C to +2s but it would probably be more accurate to call them an after-market fitment, rather than dealer option. Happy to be proved wrong with evidence though!

Les, you might like to review these links:

lotus-elan-f19/anyone-ever-install-t20807.html
elan-archive-f16/plus2-air-conditioning-t2419.html
elan-mods-f31/air-con-t26065.html

And, although it is clearly very different, it might also be helpful to speak with Banks Europas about the A/C they manage to squeeze into their Europas.

Tim

[Gordon Sauer]

As far as I know there was only one dealership that was ever putting them in and I believe it was in New Jersey. I have talked to people with it on to their +2s and they had almost the same vin number as mine suggesting they came to this same dealer at the same time perhaps. I also have the booklet for +2 air-conditioning system that was manufactured by Koolaire in Florida and I also have a booklet where they manufactured fitment for the Europa. As far as I know this was just one perhaps rogue dealer doing his thing. I think one thing is for sure that I don't believe anybody ever took a Lotus delivery and then went out and sought to put air conditioning in. It's an extensive fitment per the manual that includes drilling holes in the fiberglass and screen ing them over above the wheels for venting, the availability of the sliding sheet metal pieces that covered all of the vents on the car, the moving of the servo and redoing the brake lines and fitting a different alternator with an external regulator and doing all the wiring accordingly. All the parts came in a kit and they all had stamped numbers on them that were referred to in the manual. Gordon Sauer

[lotuselanman]

Gidday,
Good feed back on the Air Con topic.
The owner of the +2 with the Toyota engine swap and the AC should be home by now. I plan to contact him and along with a Lotus / Westfield, Ferrari Tragic I plan to visit him this week and have a good look.
Les.