Installing Air Conditioning

[spanx]

OK here's something I brought the Mrs's a Vn Commodore which was all well and good, but little did i not look hard enuff to discover that the damn unit does not have air conditioning and was never fitted to to (one of the rare ones i have been told) yet it has the air con button on the console. The whole reason for the purchase was so the Mrs and bubs could drive around in confort of air con. Now has anyone ever installed air con from scratch and if so how hard is it to install or does anyone know who could do the job i am prepared to pay to have it done. Help would be very appreciative...Cheers..

[Nikkojoe]

Im assuming that you have a Berlina. If so, they came factory with aircon and has probably been disconnected because it was out of gas/compressor was stuffed. If it never had an aircon installed, it would not have the A/C button on the console. To get it running, you probably need:

-A new fan belt for an A/C
-A working second hand vn-vr compressor (try to find a low km vr compressor as they take the new R134a gas)
-New R134a spec orings/seals or get the system retrofitted
-R134a Gas

My compressor was stuffed so I found a nice low km (used for 70,000km - looked like new ) VR compressor for 40bucks. Paid a few dollars for new R134a seals and orings, bolted it all up and got the rest of the system retrofitted and regassed. All up cost 300-320 and its been going strong for 2 years . Alternatively you can get a new compressor for $500-$1000 and add ontop the 300 for retrofit and regas.

Hope this helps

[MyVPIsFasterThanYourVP]

nice address spanx, i am in brisbane southside if you want a/c bits off my spare VP. Let me know.
Colin

[1vngal]

Well, I do have one the rare ones that didn't have A/C. And after these hot days we've been having, I wouldn't mind getting it.

Would it be possible to get the stuff out of a wreck and install it myself? Or does it have to be put in by a qualified person, with all new parts?

[Nikkojoe]

You should be able to do it yourself providing the other car does not have gas left in it....