Where are the air conditioning vents in a rover? Are they the two rectangular vents in the middle of the dash?

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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

Can anyone tell me the dimensions of the rover condensors?

_________________
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

In rovers, the AC vents are generally the two in the middle. The ones on the outside of the dash are fresh air only, and the heater comes out either the demist vents or at floor level as normal. Some earlier rovers had the vents come out the front of the under-dash unit, just below the dash pad.
The first type is better because the vents are easily re-piped to the outsides, or behind a glovebox lid.


Condensor on 1996 onwards models:

310mm long
230mm high
25mm thick

This does not include two small mounting brackets on the side, or the pipework.

There's a 9in fan in the guard behind it.

Thanks a lot Harley for that information. The seems to be a few condensors available that are similar in size.

_________________
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

I ran a tape measure around under the dash of my mini yesterday and realized just how little room is under there. The usable space under the passengers side of the dash is 25 cm high 30 cm wide 30 cm deep. These measurements are taken from a bare morris mini shell. A lower dash rail pad like in leyland and rover minis would give a bit more depth but not much. Also this is the largest square space under the passengers side of the dash, there is a bit more room under there but it's an odd shape on the far left of the car and I'm leaving room for a heater.

From what I've seen getting something from another car at a wrecker is going to be tough and look a bit ugly. I'll look a bit more once the shell is painted but I think the best option is to put one of these under the passengers side of the dash

http://speedyairspares.com.au/products/ ... a-3-3.html

It's a bit wide but should fit.

_________________
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

Sorry for the hijack, so is the Rover AC cool only and you still use your heater or does the Rover AC do heating and cold?

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67 Deluxe under going full resto

The hotrod guys have similar issues with their cars, have a look at some of the gear they use, especially made for tight places

Looked at most of those kits but I'll keep looking, thanks for the suggestion.

_________________
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

After a lot of measuring I've decided if I an going to fit air conditioning this is how to do it, mount one of the under the centre of the dash.

http://speedyairspares.com.au/products/ ... -37-4.html

This will take care of heating and cooling.

My car originally was fitted with the fresh air under bonnet heater for demisting.

Can someone confirm the factory options for demisting the windscreen in 1969?

My understanding is deluxe had the fresh air heater, cooper and s had the smiths heater, and 850s had nothing.

I want to understand what the factory did incase I have roadworthy trouble.

My current plan is the use a bilge blower in the engine bay with ducting from the front of the engine bay. Keeping the fresh air heater isn't an option due to the rover brake booster/master cylinder

_________________
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

You may have already checked these out, but the Vintage Air "Gen II Mini" is what I am considering in the future:
http://www.vintageair.com/2015%20Catalo ... g%2047.pdf

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Build thread for Supercharged 1275 1967 Deluxe Resto
Build thread for Mini ute conversion 998cc Turbo

There is no functional reason that the evaporator and fan have to be mounted in the same unit or area. The only reason manufacturers do this is for convenience. IMHO all of those aftermarket underdash units are just butt ugly.

Think along the lines of Escort fans mounted under bonnet and similar. Hell, you could even mount the fan in the boot if you wanted to run long ducting, but i don't think that would be elegant.

Mount the evaporator where it fits and make your own ducting from the original fan or another mounted somewhere discreet. All the easier to hide it if you put a dash in to cover the parcel shelf.

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the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates

Matic had the fresh air heater standard, as BMC said in the handbook that it was an essential part of the Matic cooling system.
Deluxe, Mini K (I think) and 850 had no heater standard, , the fresh air one was optional.
Cooper S had the Smiths one as you say.

Bilge blower works OK (but noisy), I run the 3" Attwood one behind the Matic heater. Only needed when stopped in traffic.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Thanks a lot Morbo28, that looks even better than what I found. I think I will build a cardboard mock up of the top three or four units I am considering and see how they fit.

Mickmini, I don't think putting more stuff under the bonnet will be the answer, I'm already loosing the battle to keep the car easy to work on.

I considered putting an air conditioning unit in the boot but with hoses, ducting, twin tanks, battery and a spare wheel it didn't seem like the best option and I didn't want to draw air out of the boot area.

In the dash is out as it's just too small an area.

Basically rover had the right idea putting the air conditioning under the dash, but it can be done better/differently, I like the idea of the heater and air conditioning being one unit not two fighting for very little space.

I agree all these units are ugly but if small enough I should be able to hide one.

_________________
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 Doc, that's what I thought. I wasn't sure about the later 850s.

This means if the roadworthy man says where is your demister I can say it didn't come with one. I will still want to fit the bilge blower anyway. I had a Mini without any demister as a daily drive for a while, drove me nuts in the morning.

_________________
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