Big THANK YOU to my dad who did basically all the work on this one. ALSO: Gilmore Enterprises has since upgraded their pulleys to fit and center on CB Performance crank pulleys.
@@peytonsalehinasab1889 Just A/C. The bus has a heater originally, just need to make sure that the heaters are in good shape (no rust on J pipe things) since it uses the exhaust heat for interior heat.
I live in Indonesia, a tropical country with an average daytime temperature of 36°C. I have a VW T2 that also uses AC. The compressor uses Denso with 2 belts, the condenser is below and the evaporator is located above the driver, so that the rear passengers also feel the cold wind. When used, the power is reduced, so I increased the engine capacity from 1600cc to 1800cc and used a double carburetor. I also replaced the alternator to 72 amps to overcome the lack of electricity when driving at night where music and head lamp are on, plus the condenser blower and evaporator blower.
We bought a 76 Bay Window Westy from Texas. We live in Connecticut. The previous owners installed a Gilmore AC in it. This past summer was HOT. Even for Connecticut. It was a blessing having the AC. Great video!!!.
FYI it is already really hot for summer driving in a air cooled bus. Watch your engine temps. Then you ad the drag of an ac compressor and it is really pushing it to the limit.
Yup, this engine has been full flowed and has an external oil cooler with a thermostat activated fan. I also have a larger fan and oil cooler than normal and an extended oil sump. The AC hasn't really made a difference in heat or power.
What a project. I completely replaced AC on my 87 Westy, everything except evaporator (flushed well), including all new lines and new components. What a learning experience! Wife wants a bus but I had questions about AC kits, this video is perfect.
Thanks for watching! I'm actually going through my Westys system now trying to find what must be a really small leak. If you replaced the Westys system, You should have no problem with the bus install. Good luck with it!
Great job, and kudos to Dad for the help. To be honest, I didn't think that small engine could power the compressor, and thus, the reason VW didn't offer AC on these buses. But my hat is off to you guys, Great job!
I’m in Miami too and I want to get VW Bus in the future. Let’s do a video for our channels. I would live to learn more about the VW Bus before committing to it.
You must lube your Orings with refrigerant oil otherwise they will grab and damage the Oring and that will come back and bite in the long term, also the A/C drags heat out of the vehicle so regardless the whole vehicle will cool down the people in the back do not need cool air blowing on them to cool down, An ac or fridge or anything like that removes heat though the evaporator and the condenser they do not put cool air in as such if you understand what I mean, but great job guys in any case well done from down under A/c Tech of 30 years.
ha!! this is awesome.. I live in OhiO but I added TWO! compressors and 2 large condensers plus 3 indoor evaporators to my Mobile Ofifce DEV bus.. thanklfully its an old school bus so its a LOT bigger inside.. but it was still a Shoe-horn job to fit 2 A/C compressors in the engine with a bus that already has air brakes compressor, fan, alternator and such running from the belts.. I find myself ending up in Texas and florida in the summer months quite Oftern.. I like the heat *BUT* not when im driving!!
I have the same bracket and compressor, I mounted the compressor sideways, Same as you you did to overcome clearance issues with throttle linkage bar above compressor, had in car since 2019, compressor recently stopped compressing the refrigerant, an engineer told me the compressor died an early age because I mounted compressor on its side, fittings are apparently supposed to be located on top of compressor, I have not yet installed the new compressor, also watching another TH-cam video it was recommended to use the smaller pulley to not over load the engine, the larger the pully the larger the load placed on engine, I have not had time to look further into this but thought I'd pass on the info. Great video, I like the roller ball bearing throttle cable tube, got one on order, thanks.
dude, sick vid! not that you don't have enough projects going, but ever consider doing an electric conversion on your bus? Thats one of my dreams, but boat work has kept me busy
Thanks!!! Not to the bus for now, but I actually have thought about doing either an electric or propane conversion to my bug. That's far down the list of projects though haha. Btw, love your channel man. Whenever I think I've got it rough with metal work I always think about how I could be grinding fiberglass and fixing broken bulkheads 😆. You're a legend for doing that work your self!
So nice that there are a lot of manufacturers making stuff for the air cooled vans. Hoping small company's also start making stuff for my LT. Enjoy your A/C! We luckily don't need it that much. It was hot when we went to france, but meh, just went with it, shower afterwards.
Thanks! Having so many after market parts is both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes it's difficult to find a good product that fits, works correctly and lasts.
Man this came out great!! Good video too!! I like the single belt better as well, and you’re 100% right about it wearing out the crank bearings if out of balance. Love the little roller for the throttle cable!! That’s sweet!!💪 Great video dude✌️
great video! just recently fixed the AC (not a gilmore kit) on our beetle and I am having problems with fixing the tins for the compressor brackets, I wished you would create another video on how you cut the tins to make way for the compressor brackets.
Really it's just trying to put the tins in and cutting away the parts that are in the way of the brackets. if I remember its only a circular hole in the forward most tin and a notch near the exhaust flange on the rear most tin. Just be sure to cut a small amount at a time. better to have to take the tin on and off a thousand times than to cut too much the first time.
Fantastic video! Great you covered so much amd also an honest insight into.the troubles of fitting a kit like this. Nifty little kit for the throttle cable. Had it before the throttle cable got jammed before now. Engine revving it's tits off haha. That got swiftly sorted 👌 Great video really is!
I'm doing a Subi swap on my '68 and it looks like this answered a lot of my questions. Just need to find a place to fit the blower and whatnot in the front with everything else chassis or belly mounted. I was wondering if I'd have a problem with having to run tubes so much further than normal and if the compressor could keep up with that.
Well AC is necessary if you drive in the summer in FL for sure. Honestly I would do one of 2 things. I would not drive my bus in the summer or put in a different system. The rest of the year you can drive with no AC it is great there just crack the wind wing. I was thinking about making a generator stand at was a bit shorter (machine a 1/8 to 3/16 off the bottom of it then put a piece of plate under it to make the bracket, also I would have gotten a universal Evaporator and put it under the seat. then have tubes route around the seat and have them point up at the driver and pasenger. Possibly use the heat duct to push air through the dash area. and attach diverter clip on lexan plates to make the air point at your face.
Sounds like a good idea for a system. I just don't have the time to put together a home built AC for the bus. I'm sure there will be complications with running AC up through that tube since it is not very insulated and has no fans to blow the air. As it is, the AC works pretty hard to just cool down the bus. I drive my bus on pretty long journeys at all times of the year, so that little black box under my dash doesn't bother me too much if it means I get to enjoy my bus more.
@@gottasplit5707 for sure I noticed you dont run a heater and I am sure you dont need one in FL. I would have used that void under the front seat and insulated the heat pipe and used that for part of the ducting. then 2 more ducts on either side of the front set. Yea But again I would be more worried about the engine running too hot and burning up. I am not sure which gears you have in the trans. or engine size. But FL heat is really hard on the engine without air. with air that drag and the FL heat might be a new engine pretty quickly. Get a head temp sensor much over 300 is too hot. Or when your driving it floor it once in a while and if you hear any pinging it is overheated.
@@Mikefngarage I have a stock transmission with gear reduction. I agree that I need a temp sensor just to be sure, but so far I have had oil temps around 186 in the summer. Hasn't gotten any hotter than that. The external oil fan has only ever switched on once while I was in bumper to bumper traffic. The engine is also a 1904cc and barely feels the compressor. I doubt it is any worse than putting a few passengers in the car. I can see how its extra strain at idle, but while moving it shouldn't make a difference.
@@gottasplit5707 cool just keep an eye on it on those freeway trips. around town should be fine. Check on the cost of putting a 3.44 gear set. Stock is 4.12. Kind of pricey but worth every penny on that split window. I do that and have them put a bug 4th gear. stock bus is .82 bug is .89. this gives you more like bug gears. make sure rear tires are tall too 205/75 15. anything smaller is too small for stock trans. too many RPM on the freeway makes these run hot too. there is a happy medium.
Do a follow-up video and kind of give us a before-and-after temperature-wise like drive around for an hour with no AC and windows down and take temperatures and your own opinions and then turn the AC on but measure it so that we can see how much cooler or how much better it works but honestly thank you for sharing this was such a cool video I've owned a few vintage Volkswagens and I never even thought this existed anyway I look forward to your next video I just subscribed👍
@@gottasplit5707 so as part of my suggestion I was thinking if you hung a outdoor thermometer from the middle seat where a passenger would be and measured it before and after just saying that might be a really easy way with air-conditioning and without you could literally see what the passenger temperature would be anyway thanks again for sharing your channel is very informative I love your van
A year in have your thoughts changed at all about this kit? has the single belt system continued to work ok? I'm looking at a early bay kit what length of bet did you get for the single belt system? The single belt looks like the average auto fan belt at any auto parts store correct? thank you for any help great video :)
It's been really good, but both my friend and I have had problems with the quality of the compressor in the kit. We both have changed the compressor to a different one that has been working much better. Everything else has been fine. Definitely like the single belt since its less to mess with and makes it really easy to make small adjustments to the alternator belt without removing shims on the pulley. The belt I think can be bought at any auto store. I got mine at an Advanced Auto Parts.
Awesome! I was able to find it at a local auto store. To make sure of the size, I just took a string and wrapped it around the pulleys, cut it to length and took it with me to the store. I also took the original belt with me to get the width.
Cool video, thanks for sharing. I have one of these kits waiting to be installed. I have a thousand questions but here’s a couple of them: Some people install the evaporator on the parcel tray area (requires cutting the parcel tray, of course) for higher positioning and thus better cooling. Do you feel that you get good enough cooling with the evaporator where you have it? Another question is, without a cab divider to trap the cold air in the front cab, same question: do you feel that the system delivers at cooling things off on a summer day? Lastly, I do see you have quite an upgraded motor, how (if at all) has the AC affected power? Do you run it while on the highway and if so, how fast can the bus comfortably go? Sorry that’s more than a couple questions, catch you at the next gathering.
Thanks for watching! I tried to stay away from cutting stuff as much as possible when installing. it probably would look and wok better a little higher up, but I'm ok with where it is under the tray. Without the walkthrough, it does take a while to het cold air to the back, but since I drive the bus, I can't say for sure how effective it is in the back. I do think that eventually I will put another evaporator in the rear, which I have been told works with the system. My engine is a 1904cc with a bunch of added cooling parts on it for the summer heat, so it doesn't feel the compressor that much or get too hot with it on, even in the summer here in south FL. I do have a friend with a stock 1600cc single port with the same kit in a bus, and he says it doesn't have a problem pushing it, but there is some power loss. Cruising speed has not changed on the highway at all for me. Still does 60-65 no problem. The power loss is most evident at idle. I had to raise the idle a bit to keep it at 900rpm with the AC on.
I've been thinking about A/C for a 1969 Beetle (1776cc engine). Beetle engine bay is sort of cramped as is. With dual carbs, I would think that any spark plug changes, etc., would be a pain with all the A/C gear in the way. On the left-hand side, anyway. Would you say that a single center-mount 2bbl. is preferable?
Shannon Wittman I had the single carb 1776 set up with A/C in a 73 Super Beetle, and it was extremely cramped. I used to only change the 1,2, and 4 cylinder spark plugs because I couldn’t actually reach the plug on #3. Even with the hassle, the A/C was still worth having. If you can find a kit that lets you continue to run dual carbs, go with that one. The single carb won’t give you the same performance.
@@gottasplit5707 ... thanks, will do! I like the 1776cc also. Also, I hear that the modern A/C units are less a drag on the VW engine. Appreciate your video!
@@shannonwittman950 I believe if you have this set up installed and need to do a tube up. Then you could just unbolt the compressor from the mounts without unhooking the lines and set it aside. A tune up with dual carbs is a challenge in itself.
Great job on the A/C project! It's certainly worth it. Keep a spare belt or two in the bus with that single belt configuration. What freon does this system use?
Will do! I'll also keep some spare original sized belts. If the A/C starts throwing belts ever, I'll be able to just put the one on the alternator to get home. The system uses R 134.
I only really feel a difference when it's at idle, when the compressor kicks on and off. Other than that, I can barely tell the difference. My engine is a 1904cc with a lot of cooling mods for any extra heat that the AC might cause.
Not sure I would be able to help. This A/C kit is the only one I've helped install. The best thing to do is probably look on TheSamba.com and start a thread or search for an existing one.
It works pretty well, but I think I might add some good insulation to at least the roof of the bus some time in the future. On really hot days it takes a while to cool the whole bus down with the AC on max. I have a 1904cc engine, and I really can't feel any power difference. I can hear the idle drop when the compressor engages, but it doesn't seem to effect performance too much. Not sure about a smaller engine. Also, I do have a lot of extra cooling power on this engine. A stock cooling system might be worked pretty hard with the AC running in high temps in traffic.
@@gottasplit5707 Gotcha. I've always been kind of intrigued about putting A/C in old VW's ( lame, I know...lol ). I kind of figured that a ton of hot air has to leak through those old bodies. Thanks, for the reply
I can tell when the compressor turns on and off at idle, mostly because the rpms drop a tiny bit, but other than that I can't feel any loss of power. I've already done some highway driving and was able to cruise at normal speeds. No hesitation getting up to speed also. I do notice a bit more fuel being burned, but the engine wasn't the most fuel efficient thing to begin with.
Looking at the cost for my T3 I was told it could be $5000. I think the water boxer is a lot more complicated. I had a bus in 71-74 that didn’t have AC. I lived I. Louisiana then and I loved the way the bus moved air. It T3 much less so. AC would have been nice but I got by
@@kimhorton6109 It shouldn't be that difficult since the brackets already exist for the T3 and don't need to be custom made. I was getting some insane quotes on installation, but my buddy, who did the same system as I have on his bus, found a person willing to do it for $350. The only thing was he didn't want to install the compressor since drilling/ cutting the tin was involved. $5K sounds like they just didn't want to do it, but didn't want to say no to the job either. You can definitely find a system and installation for less.
@@cotsiosyo My Vanagon had A/C when I got it, so I'm not sure how to install the full system. Maybe try starting a thread on TheSamba.com about it. I'm sure there's someone on there that will know more about it.
Sure, I'm no expert on it, but if you have any questions I can try to help out. My email is gottasplitadventure@gmail.com. I also try to reply to Instagram messages.
Here in South Florida it’s not only the heat, it’s the humidity. The AC takes the humidity out as well making it bearable. If you have pop outs you know you can’t have them fully opened while driving or you end up with bugs in your face or squinty eye syndrome. Here AC makes driving bearable. We have temperatures in the 80’s 10 months a year with 100% humidity. The other months it’s raining. If you wait until better driving weather the gas I your vehicle will get old.
That's pretty cool but not a fan of the way the vents and stuff look. Throws it too much looking like a bay window bus interior. I use to have a seperate fan on my 57 split. It was just forward of the rear axle where the heater vent tubes went but there was like a split where one part of tube went to the motor for the heat and another split off to this fan for outside air and forces air into stock vents in cargo, legs and the windshield. I probably could have used that scenario and just added the ac knobs by the tray area and not have to add any vents or cut up the park brake lever. 🤔🤔 too bad I dont have bus anymore. Would have done that.
That would have been pretty cool to do. Sounds like a lot of engineering that I'm definitely not qualified for though lol. I thought of a bunch of ways to mount evaporators and vents, but they all ended up being just as intrusive in the interior, and 10X the cost and effort as just living with the one already made. Maybe someone in the future will make one more suitable for the 60s look.
@@garveyevans3021 Well, it's a challenge to do both at the same time. I don't usually film and work since as you said the time and focus does not permit both.
That's all you needed more shit hanging on your van, on top the side, front and underneath... If you turn those latches on your safari's you can open them.
Hi bro. I've got some questions about running ac in combi. Can you help me understand how I can get back my torque and acceleration hp while still running an AC twin fan system. It's a 1800 twin 34 pict carb t1 engine in combi.
Wow, what a nice dad. Mine made me do it all back in the day while he supervised.
My dad is the same. He just tells me what to do, even if I already know what to do.
Big THANK YOU to my dad who did basically all the work on this one. ALSO: Gilmore Enterprises has since upgraded their pulleys to fit and center on CB Performance crank pulleys.
Bro
Do u give me a job on ut garage😁 please
Luv frm imdia
I need to show my friend this video. He owns 3 buses and 3 bugs he also has the VW bus with the truck bed. I forget what you call that one. But yeah
This might be a dumb question I’m in the process of purchasing a bus does that AC have heat in it too or is it strictly AC
@@peytonsalehinasab1889 Just A/C. The bus has a heater originally, just need to make sure that the heaters are in good shape (no rust on J pipe things) since it uses the exhaust heat for interior heat.
You are very welcome. Always fun playing with VWs.
I live in Indonesia, a tropical country with an average daytime temperature of 36°C.
I have a VW T2 that also uses AC.
The compressor uses Denso with 2 belts, the condenser is below and the evaporator is located above the driver, so that the rear passengers also feel the cold wind.
When used, the power is reduced, so I increased the engine capacity from 1600cc to 1800cc and used a double carburetor.
I also replaced the alternator to 72 amps to overcome the lack of electricity when driving at night where music and head lamp are on, plus the condenser blower and evaporator blower.
We bought a 76 Bay Window Westy from Texas. We live in Connecticut. The previous owners installed a Gilmore AC in it. This past summer was HOT. Even for Connecticut. It was a blessing having the AC. Great video!!!.
I think the coolest part is having your dad helping you.. That says a lot about your relationship very cool
That Vans Bike grip on the E-Brake is dope. Love that piece.
Are you sure this Bus isn’t ,Dad’s Bus!! 😁🤙
FYI it is already really hot for summer driving in a air cooled bus. Watch your engine temps. Then you ad the drag of an ac compressor and it is really pushing it to the limit.
Yup, this engine has been full flowed and has an external oil cooler with a thermostat activated fan. I also have a larger fan and oil cooler than normal and an extended oil sump. The AC hasn't really made a difference in heat or power.
Wow very impressed. Nice job. Nice to be working with your dad
Very nice vid; Kudos to your pops for all the great work!
What a project. I completely replaced AC on my 87 Westy, everything except evaporator (flushed well), including all new lines and new components. What a learning experience! Wife wants a bus but I had questions about AC kits, this video is perfect.
Thanks for watching! I'm actually going through my Westys system now trying to find what must be a really small leak. If you replaced the Westys system, You should have no problem with the bus install. Good luck with it!
How was that install? I have an 87 ton top I’m looking to get an aftermarket kit for. Do you recommend any?
Great job, and kudos to Dad for the help. To be honest, I didn't think that small engine could power the compressor, and thus, the reason VW didn't offer AC on these buses. But my hat is off to you guys, Great job!
Back in the day what you said is true. I believe this AC setup use rotary compressors which rob much less power.
I’m in Miami too and I want to get VW Bus in the future. Let’s do a video for our channels. I would live to learn more about the VW Bus before committing to it.
Nice upgrade !
Nice Job Dad Nice Bus Bro
As usual, nice skills my man👍
Great vid! And Dad... great work. I'm not seeing a link to the vendor on this kit... a little help??
Thanks for watching, here's the link to their website: www.gilmore-enterprises.net
Great video!!!! If I ever move out of the PNW I will def get AC.
First class from start to finish!
Thanks!!!
You must lube your Orings with refrigerant oil otherwise they will grab and damage the Oring and that will come back and bite in the long term, also the A/C drags heat out of the vehicle so regardless the whole vehicle will cool down the people in the back do not need cool air blowing on them to cool down, An ac or fridge or anything like that removes heat though the evaporator and the condenser they do not put cool air in as such if you understand what I mean, but great job guys in any case well done from down under A/c Tech of 30 years.
This is my recommendation to install it in my combi🤙
Great video. Love the way you say "We"
ha!! this is awesome.. I live in OhiO but I added TWO! compressors and 2 large condensers plus 3 indoor evaporators to my Mobile Ofifce DEV bus.. thanklfully its an old school bus so its a LOT bigger inside.. but it was still a Shoe-horn job to fit 2 A/C compressors in the engine with a bus that already has air brakes compressor, fan, alternator and such running from the belts.. I find myself ending up in Texas and florida in the summer months quite Oftern.. I like the heat *BUT* not when im driving!!
Only just found your you tube channel.nice bus.am in the middle of a full restore early bay 71.I will watch some of your other videos
Awesome, thanks for watching! Good luck with the project.
Well done :) FYI, my Van leak is fixed! GoWesty tracked it down. Your dad is very helpful to have around!
Sweet! Good to hear you got that leak fixed.
Yup, definitely wouldn't have been able to fix half this stuff without him.
nice bus and what better with a/c congratulations
Thanks!!!
Your dad did a damn good job
Great job!
Spydero knives ftw! 💪😎
I have the same bracket and compressor, I mounted the compressor sideways, Same as you you did to overcome clearance issues with throttle linkage bar above compressor, had in car since 2019, compressor recently stopped compressing the refrigerant, an engineer told me the compressor died an early age because I mounted compressor on its side, fittings are apparently supposed to be located on top of compressor, I have not yet installed the new compressor, also watching another TH-cam video it was recommended to use the smaller pulley to not over load the engine, the larger the pully the larger the load placed on engine, I have not had time to look further into this but thought I'd pass on the info. Great video, I like the roller ball bearing throttle cable tube, got one on order, thanks.
Thanks for the info. 👍
dude, sick vid! not that you don't have enough projects going, but ever consider doing an electric conversion on your bus? Thats one of my dreams, but boat work has kept me busy
Thanks!!! Not to the bus for now, but I actually have thought about doing either an electric or propane conversion to my bug. That's far down the list of projects though haha. Btw, love your channel man. Whenever I think I've got it rough with metal work I always think about how I could be grinding fiberglass and fixing broken bulkheads 😆. You're a legend for doing that work your self!
@@gottasplit5707 thanks man! Vanlife was our 1st love before boats! Still want to do it full time one day. A boat + van would be the dream!
So nice that there are a lot of manufacturers making stuff for the air cooled vans. Hoping small company's also start making stuff for my LT.
Enjoy your A/C! We luckily don't need it that much. It was hot when we went to france, but meh, just went with it, shower afterwards.
Thanks! Having so many after market parts is both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes it's difficult to find a good product that fits, works correctly and lasts.
Man this came out great!! Good video too!! I like the single belt better as well, and you’re 100% right about it wearing out the crank bearings if out of balance. Love the little roller for the throttle cable!! That’s sweet!!💪 Great video dude✌️
Thanks man! It's funny because I was thinking that the throttle cable roller is something that would be Dustin approved haha! 😂
That's a nice set up. Enjoy it!
Thanks!!!
great video! just recently fixed the AC (not a gilmore kit) on our beetle and I am having problems with fixing the tins for the compressor brackets, I wished you would create another video on how you cut the tins to make way for the compressor brackets.
Really it's just trying to put the tins in and cutting away the parts that are in the way of the brackets. if I remember its only a circular hole in the forward most tin and a notch near the exhaust flange on the rear most tin. Just be sure to cut a small amount at a time. better to have to take the tin on and off a thousand times than to cut too much the first time.
beautiful bus!!
Thanks!
Just brilliant! 👍🏻
Great video very helpful.
Good Looking System!
Thanks!
Not going to lie the beginning of the video made me laugh out loud haha!
😆✌️
Does provide better heat also for cold weather
No, it's just for cooling air and has no heater.
Nice bus! It the same rear layout I have in my 65 bus down to the bamboom lol. But mine is a walk through so I have a single seat
Awesome! I wish I had a walk through. It's a real pain to have to jump over the seat some times haha.
Great video
Fantastic video!
Great you covered so much amd also an honest insight into.the troubles of fitting a kit like this.
Nifty little kit for the throttle cable. Had it before the throttle cable got jammed before now. Engine revving it's tits off haha. That got swiftly sorted 👌
Great video really is!
Thanks!
I'm doing a Subi swap on my '68 and it looks like this answered a lot of my questions. Just need to find a place to fit the blower and whatnot in the front with everything else chassis or belly mounted. I was wondering if I'd have a problem with having to run tubes so much further than normal and if the compressor could keep up with that.
Thanks for watching! Glad the video helped. 👍
Did you help your dad at all? You are lucky to have him.
I've been looking at gilmore for ac in my beetle. Great video
Thanks for watching!
Well AC is necessary if you drive in the summer in FL for sure. Honestly I would do one of 2 things. I would not drive my bus in the summer or put in a different system. The rest of the year you can drive with no AC it is great there just crack the wind wing. I was thinking about making a generator stand at was a bit shorter (machine a 1/8 to 3/16 off the bottom of it then put a piece of plate under it to make the bracket, also I would have gotten a universal Evaporator and put it under the seat. then have tubes route around the seat and have them point up at the driver and pasenger. Possibly use the heat duct to push air through the dash area. and attach diverter clip on lexan plates to make the air point at your face.
Sounds like a good idea for a system. I just don't have the time to put together a home built AC for the bus. I'm sure there will be complications with running AC up through that tube since it is not very insulated and has no fans to blow the air. As it is, the AC works pretty hard to just cool down the bus. I drive my bus on pretty long journeys at all times of the year, so that little black box under my dash doesn't bother me too much if it means I get to enjoy my bus more.
@@gottasplit5707 for sure I noticed you dont run a heater and I am sure you dont need one in FL. I would have used that void under the front seat and insulated the heat pipe and used that for part of the ducting. then 2 more ducts on either side of the front set. Yea But again I would be more worried about the engine running too hot and burning up. I am not sure which gears you have in the trans. or engine size. But FL heat is really hard on the engine without air. with air that drag and the FL heat might be a new engine pretty quickly. Get a head temp sensor much over 300 is too hot. Or when your driving it floor it once in a while and if you hear any pinging it is overheated.
@@Mikefngarage I have a stock transmission with gear reduction. I agree that I need a temp sensor just to be sure, but so far I have had oil temps around 186 in the summer. Hasn't gotten any hotter than that. The external oil fan has only ever switched on once while I was in bumper to bumper traffic. The engine is also a 1904cc and barely feels the compressor. I doubt it is any worse than putting a few passengers in the car. I can see how its extra strain at idle, but while moving it shouldn't make a difference.
@@gottasplit5707 cool just keep an eye on it on those freeway trips. around town should be fine. Check on the cost of putting a 3.44 gear set. Stock is 4.12. Kind of pricey but worth every penny on that split window. I do that and have them put a bug 4th gear. stock bus is .82 bug is .89. this gives you more like bug gears. make sure rear tires are tall too 205/75 15. anything smaller is too small for stock trans. too many RPM on the freeway makes these run hot too. there is a happy medium.
@@Mikefngarage New style compressors only take about 1 to 2 hp to run
Looks great. I’m not sure how long that evaporator would survive underneath with my driving.
Ha, thanks! I think I might end up putting some sort of grille on it at least.
Curious….Can you still get at the fuse panel without complications? I notice it is very close behind the evaporator.
Cheers!
It is super close, but I can still get to the fuses. It does make putting the fuses back in a little bit of a pain though.
$1800 from Gilmore, being cool aint cheap!
But we'll $$ spent, can't stop us from driving our beloved vws..
Can we see your dad's car collection on the next video please
Do a follow-up video and kind of give us a before-and-after temperature-wise like drive around for an hour with no AC and windows down and take temperatures and your own opinions and then turn the AC on but measure it so that we can see how much cooler or how much better it works but honestly thank you for sharing this was such a cool video I've owned a few vintage Volkswagens and I never even thought this existed anyway I look forward to your next video I just subscribed👍
That is a great idea for a future video! Thanks for watching!
@@gottasplit5707 so as part of my suggestion I was thinking if you hung a outdoor thermometer from the middle seat where a passenger would be and measured it before and after just saying that might be a really easy way with air-conditioning and without you could literally see what the passenger temperature would be anyway thanks again for sharing your channel is very informative I love your van
Gee the A/C installation kit caim in handy bet you feel real cool driving
your VW bus it's a good investment especially for a classic
great video
Thanks!
wow superb
A year in have your thoughts changed at all about this kit? has the single belt system continued to work ok? I'm looking at a early bay kit what length of bet did you get for the single belt system? The single belt looks like the average auto fan belt at any auto parts store correct? thank you for any help great video :)
It's been really good, but both my friend and I have had problems with the quality of the compressor in the kit. We both have changed the compressor to a different one that has been working much better. Everything else has been fine. Definitely like the single belt since its less to mess with and makes it really easy to make small adjustments to the alternator belt without removing shims on the pulley. The belt I think can be bought at any auto store. I got mine at an Advanced Auto Parts.
What happened into your handbrake?
Had to be cut shorter to clear the A/C box.
Nice video! You inspired me to get a kit for my 68 beetle! Just was wondering where you were able to find the 3-1 pulley belt?
Awesome!
I was able to find it at a local auto store. To make sure of the size, I just took a string and wrapped it around the pulleys, cut it to length and took it with me to the store. I also took the original belt with me to get the width.
@@gottasplit5707 ah it’s that easy! I’ll do the same then. I’m in Orlando so I understand the heat 🥵
Were did you buy the a/c kit 🤔
can you give a ball park price on the product?
If I remember correctly it was about $1800
Cool video, thanks for sharing. I have one of these kits waiting to be installed. I have a thousand questions but here’s a couple of them: Some people install the evaporator on the parcel tray area (requires cutting the parcel tray, of course) for higher positioning and thus better cooling. Do you feel that you get good enough cooling with the evaporator where you have it? Another question is, without a cab divider to trap the cold air in the front cab, same question: do you feel that the system delivers at cooling things off on a summer day? Lastly, I do see you have quite an upgraded motor, how (if at all) has the AC affected power? Do you run it while on the highway and if so, how fast can the bus comfortably go? Sorry that’s more than a couple questions, catch you at the next gathering.
Thanks for watching! I tried to stay away from cutting stuff as much as possible when installing. it probably would look and wok better a little higher up, but I'm ok with where it is under the tray. Without the walkthrough, it does take a while to het cold air to the back, but since I drive the bus, I can't say for sure how effective it is in the back. I do think that eventually I will put another evaporator in the rear, which I have been told works with the system. My engine is a 1904cc with a bunch of added cooling parts on it for the summer heat, so it doesn't feel the compressor that much or get too hot with it on, even in the summer here in south FL. I do have a friend with a stock 1600cc single port with the same kit in a bus, and he says it doesn't have a problem pushing it, but there is some power loss. Cruising speed has not changed on the highway at all for me. Still does 60-65 no problem. The power loss is most evident at idle. I had to raise the idle a bit to keep it at 900rpm with the AC on.
Hello greetings, where can I buy the complete air conditioning system?
I got the kit here: www.gilmore-enterprises.net
nice work!
Thanks!
Nice Van! Is that engine big enough to run your van and an A/C compressor?
I've been thinking about A/C for a 1969 Beetle (1776cc engine). Beetle engine bay is sort of cramped as is.
With dual carbs, I would think that any spark plug changes, etc., would be a pain with all the A/C gear in the way. On the left-hand side, anyway.
Would you say that a single center-mount 2bbl. is preferable?
Shannon Wittman I had the single carb 1776 set up with A/C in a 73 Super Beetle, and it was extremely cramped. I used to only change the 1,2, and 4 cylinder spark plugs because I couldn’t actually reach the plug on #3. Even with the hassle, the A/C was still worth having. If you can find a kit that lets you continue to run dual carbs, go with that one. The single carb won’t give you the same performance.
@@gottasplit5707 ... thanks, will do! I like the 1776cc also. Also, I hear that the modern A/C units are less a drag on the VW engine. Appreciate your video!
@@shannonwittman950 I believe if you have this set up installed and need to do a tube up. Then you could just unbolt the compressor from the mounts without unhooking the lines and set it aside. A tune up with dual carbs is a challenge in itself.
Great job on the A/C project! It's certainly worth it. Keep a spare belt or two in the bus with that single belt configuration. What freon does this system use?
Will do! I'll also keep some spare original sized belts. If the A/C starts throwing belts ever, I'll be able to just put the one on the alternator to get home. The system uses R 134.
Where did you get the throttle cable tube and is there a part number for it?
Here's the link: www.airkewld.com/Billet-Roller-Throttle-Tube-p/8013.htm
Gotta Split Thank you sir for the information. Love your channel!
Nice Video! Can I know where the kit is from? Thanks
Thanks for watching! I got the kit here: www.gilmore-enterprises.net
@@gottasplit5707 thank you so much!! Please have more videos of the kombi. Im a huge fan of it
Great video! Certainly something to consider for my T25 Aircooled Westfalia
Thanks for watching! Having A/C really is a game changer.
Can you please give me the information were to order this kit thank you in advance
Got mine here: www.gilmore-enterprises.net
How much power did it take away from the engine? what size engine to you have in the bus?
I only really feel a difference when it's at idle, when the compressor kicks on and off. Other than that, I can barely tell the difference. My engine is a 1904cc with a lot of cooling mods for any extra heat that the AC might cause.
Gilmore who makes the kit said the new style compressors are very effective and use very little HP around 1-2 hp
Don't forget to thank CB performance
I want to put AC on my VW T4 Multivan , i have the 1.9 TD , 68 HP. Could you please help me with some info ?
Not sure I would be able to help. This A/C kit is the only one I've helped install. The best thing to do is probably look on TheSamba.com and start a thread or search for an existing one.
@@gottasplit5707 thank you for reply !
How well does the a/c work on really hot days, and does it drain a bunch of power from the engine? Thanks!!
It works pretty well, but I think I might add some good insulation to at least the roof of the bus some time in the future. On really hot days it takes a while to cool the whole bus down with the AC on max. I have a 1904cc engine, and I really can't feel any power difference. I can hear the idle drop when the compressor engages, but it doesn't seem to effect performance too much. Not sure about a smaller engine. Also, I do have a lot of extra cooling power on this engine. A stock cooling system might be worked pretty hard with the AC running in high temps in traffic.
@@gottasplit5707 Gotcha. I've always been kind of intrigued about putting A/C in old VW's ( lame, I know...lol ). I kind of figured that a ton of hot air has to leak through those old bodies. Thanks, for the reply
Do you notice any loss of power? I'm guessing it is negligible with that CB Performance engine?
I can tell when the compressor turns on and off at idle, mostly because the rpms drop a tiny bit, but other than that I can't feel any loss of power. I've already done some highway driving and was able to cruise at normal speeds. No hesitation getting up to speed also. I do notice a bit more fuel being burned, but the engine wasn't the most fuel efficient thing to begin with.
@@gottasplit5707 Par for the course for most auto ACs!
How many BTUs is that system I’m very curious
From the website: "
You know there is an eletric compressor kit for VWs right?
No engine adapts needed
I am looking into that for the future. I need to make sure my alternator can run the inverter required to power the compressor.
nice
Great job. Out of interest, how much does this kit cost? I've seen some kits cost around 15 hundred.
I payed about $1700 with shipping.
Looking at the cost for my T3 I was told it could be $5000. I think the water boxer is a lot more complicated.
I had a bus in 71-74 that didn’t have AC. I lived I. Louisiana then and I loved the way the bus moved air. It T3 much less so. AC would have been nice but I got by
@@kimhorton6109 It shouldn't be that difficult since the brackets already exist for the T3 and don't need to be custom made. I was getting some insane quotes on installation, but my buddy, who did the same system as I have on his bus, found a person willing to do it for $350. The only thing was he didn't want to install the compressor since drilling/ cutting the tin was involved. $5K sounds like they just didn't want to do it, but didn't want to say no to the job either. You can definitely find a system and installation for less.
@@gottasplit5707 anyone has any info , of how to install an A/C in a T3? Will really appreicate any info, can't seem to find anything online
@@cotsiosyo My Vanagon had A/C when I got it, so I'm not sure how to install the full system. Maybe try starting a thread on TheSamba.com about it. I'm sure there's someone on there that will know more about it.
Where can I get that AC kit ?
Got mine here: www.gilmore-enterprises.net
What size is ur engine and do u feel a big power loss when the ac is on?
I have a 1904cc engine. The RPM drops a tiny bit while at idle, but there's no loss of power while driving that I can feel.
Do you have contact information for that air conditioning company?
Gilmore Enterprizes out of Las Vegas
Great video. We have a 1965 bus. Also in Miami. Is there a way we can communicate. Will appreciate some info of the process
Sure, I'm no expert on it, but if you have any questions I can try to help out. My email is gottasplitadventure@gmail.com. I also try to reply to Instagram messages.
With safaris open and pop outs, this extra is not necessary.
Not necessary, but definitely worth having.😄
Here in South Florida it’s not only the heat, it’s the humidity. The AC takes the humidity out as well making it bearable. If you have pop outs you know you can’t have them fully opened while driving or you end up with bugs in your face or squinty eye syndrome. Here AC makes driving bearable. We have temperatures in the 80’s 10 months a year with 100% humidity. The other months it’s raining. If you wait until better driving weather the gas I your vehicle will get old.
6:30 White clothes and greasy parts are a BAD combo!
Agreed!
That's pretty cool but not a fan of the way the vents and stuff look. Throws it too much looking like a bay window bus interior. I use to have a seperate fan on my 57 split. It was just forward of the rear axle where the heater vent tubes went but there was like a split where one part of tube went to the motor for the heat and another split off to this fan for outside air and forces air into stock vents in cargo, legs and the windshield. I probably could have used that scenario and just added the ac knobs by the tray area and not have to add any vents or cut up the park brake lever. 🤔🤔 too bad I dont have bus anymore. Would have done that.
That would have been pretty cool to do. Sounds like a lot of engineering that I'm definitely not qualified for though lol. I thought of a bunch of ways to mount evaporators and vents, but they all ended up being just as intrusive in the interior, and 10X the cost and effort as just living with the one already made. Maybe someone in the future will make one more suitable for the 60s look.
Kool
It's A C its bound to be cool!
The install wasn’t that bad ? Really your dad did all the hard work 😓
Agreed, thanks for watching! 😁
I want AC for our BUS!
👍✌️👏👌❤️
you cant just open the window in florida because you end up eating all the mosquitoes!
Haha, true!
Time to man up and do the work yourself, funny how you said “we” a lot…..
Seems like your dad does all the work as you keeping saying we done this. You mean your dad did it.
It might seem that way, but I usually have to stop working to film. Ever tried to hold a camera and a wrench at the same time?
@@gottasplit5707I'm a mechanic for work, I don't have the time nor carelessness to risk a customer's vehicle for the sake of a video.
@@garveyevans3021 Well, it's a challenge to do both at the same time. I don't usually film and work since as you said the time and focus does not permit both.
@@gottasplit5707 pay no mind to this guy - you did a great job
There wont be much power left after switch the air on.
With an original engine I'm sure it would feel a power difference, but with this 1904cc it doesn't really feel much different with the air on.
@@gottasplit5707 1900 CC is not immune to aircon power loss at idle especially.
That's all you needed more shit hanging on your van, on top the side, front and underneath... If you turn those latches on your safari's you can open them.
Thanks for watching! Yup, it has safari windows, and now it also has AC.
@Luis Azan I am.... I'm going to sell my 58' Microbus so I can't try to buy this...
Bro
Hi bro. I've got some questions about running ac in combi. Can you help me understand how I can get back my torque and acceleration hp while still running an AC twin fan system. It's a 1800 twin 34 pict carb t1 engine in combi.
I like those but hate the whining noise of the A/C blower motor