Hi all, looking at fitting an Air Conditioner into a classic mini, has anyone done this or is there info on Ausmini that available.
Happy to have a chat via phone.

Thanks Col.

most straight-forward should be getting the bits from a late Rover - quite a few people have done them

but you'll probably find just about anything from a small car can be made to work

_________________
did I tell you that I won a trophy?

There are two main variants, the ones upto about 95/96, and the ones thereafter.
The early ones were optional fitment to japanese cars from around 86-88, the later type was standard fitment on all japanese sold minis.

Early type: single vee-belt compressor, front/corner mounted condenser, big receiver dryer, works with carby or injected cars.
Late type: poly-vee belt compressor, side mounted condenser, small receiver dryer.

The late type looks better installed in a car but is harder to do, and replacement parts don't exist (I installed this type and had to change the piping from 5/16" to 3/8").
Early type is easy to retrofit, you wouldn't need to modify anything if everything you obtain works.


Retrofitting parts from a small jap or korean car like a matiz would be more work initially, but spare parts will be cheap and easy to obtain.

Thanks gents for the information to date.
I just want to use my mini (blueberry) a bit more with my better half in the warmer months.
Regards Col

see next post

_________________

Do remember though it will cooler inside, the engine will be down on power, which isn't that much to begin with in a mini.

I hope it will be cooler inside, power may be down but grin will be ever wide, and those with a "AC vehicle" will be wondering why that person is driving with windows up!!

my setup

_________________

Has anyone actually used non rover mini parts to fit air conditioning?

I know this comes up from time to time here but I have not seen anyone do this.

I am going to see if it is possible to use non rover air conditioning in my mini.

After a quick look in pick a part today I found the following.

The smallest evaporators seen to be in late 80s cars where air conditioning was an option. 4th generation Honda civic and 3rd generation daihatsu charade evaporators seemed the best shape and smallest. It looked possible to use the whole heater, evaporator and fan from the daihatsu.

The compressor from a daihatsu sirion looked the smallest and only needed a normal v pulley.

I forgot my tape measure so all my measurements are using my tool box.

Can anyone tell me the depth under a mini dashboard and the height from the top of the panel between the front of the floor and the bottom of the bulkhead to the bottom of the lower dashboard shelf?

My mini is at mum and dads and I will not be able to measure it for a while.

_________________
Lindsay Palmer
06 Mazda SP23
80 Alfa GTV (weekend toy)
86 626 Turbo (daily drive, now stolen)
71 cooper s replica
69 cooper replica
76 clubman
62 english 850
68 Mini Auto

Im sure anything is possible lindsay. After all it all works the same. Just a matter of some imagination and some custom brakets and anything can be done.

_________________
The best part of fixing your mini is the test drive

Minis..

1976 van daily drive
1975 van
1968 deluxe in the shed
1967 deluxe high strung 1310
1959 austin healey sprite

Im gonna try something like this in my deluxe. Once all the componants fitted and mounted its just a matter of getting some custom hoses made to make it all work.

_________________
The best part of fixing your mini is the test drive

Minis..

1976 van daily drive
1975 van
1968 deluxe in the shed
1967 deluxe high strung 1310
1959 austin healey sprite

Don't pick too old a car. Prior to about 1994 the compressors used R12 which is no longer available.
Pick something newer that used R134a

_________________
Too many cars, and too little time.

Any compressor is capable of using r134a its just the seals tgst need changing. Well thats what I learnt when I did my ac course.

_________________
The best part of fixing your mini is the test drive

Minis..

1976 van daily drive
1975 van
1968 deluxe in the shed
1967 deluxe high strung 1310
1959 austin healey sprite

Thanks awdmoke and boomini I'll make sure the compressor is r134a compliant. The compressor is the easy bit I think, the under dash stuff looks a lot harder as there is a lot more room under the dash of a modern car compared to a mini.

_________________
Lindsay Palmer
06 Mazda SP23
80 Alfa GTV (weekend toy)
86 626 Turbo (daily drive, now stolen)
71 cooper s replica
69 cooper replica
76 clubman
62 english 850
68 Mini Auto

Thanks Gents to the information to date, as it allows me to make some decisions early in a project. I always find it amazing what comes out of the woodwork (or should it be tinwork) with like minds for a common theme and love of minis. If people out there have completed this as a project take some photos and show us your handiwork and or challengers, as l would love to see it if it makes my life and others easier.