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Air conditioning a brumby

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:12 pm
by brumbydan
G'day all

I fell in love with brumby a few years ago and as result i now own a 92 brumby.Currently running the old reliabe EA 81.
Singleton gets bloody hot (40 degrees celsius), can some body help me with what options there are for getting air conditioning?

Any help or ideas would be apprecitated.

Dan

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:54 pm
by subybrumby
Mate, I've got a 91 brumby that is in real good nick but had the same problem as you. I got on the phone and you can't get an air conditioning package as such, they just don't make them as far as I could find out.

In the end, I was able to track down a wrecker in adelaide that had a written off brumby that had been rear ended and we sourced all parts from that. I think its the only way it can be done and there are plenty of components out there if you can track them down. So we told the wrecker that we wanted everything and we got it. Switches, hardware, compresser, relays, pulleys, idle up etc etc. We paid $600 for the lot. ( a few years ago)

We installed most of it ourselves and a friend of mine who is an auto electrician/air con mechanic finished it off for a trade on some stuff I had.

So, I can only say, put it out there what you are after, and see if you can get the whole lot from the same donor car all at once. Good luck with it.

Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 6:41 am
by dfoyl
Any MY model will work, I got mine from an 83 coupe. Wiring and components does change from year to year, the 1982 is about the simplest but pretty hard to find. The two hardest steps were fitting the compressor bracket (without removing the carb, etc), and fitting the A/C airbow under the dash (bigger than the non A/C version) - probably would have been easier to take the dash out but it can be done. You also need to change the glovebox as the non A/C is deeper.

Dean.

Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:28 am
by GTlegs
Speak to El_Freddo - I think he's done his.

Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:43 am
by dfoyl
I've had a bit of a think about the process and you need:

(1) Compressor and large bracket that mounts it to the engine block (including the 2hoses)
(2) Belt to suit (there are three types listed in the Bursons catalog, so if it's not on the donor vehicle you need to measure and order the right one)
(3) Condensor (small radiator) - there are at least two types of these so make sure it matches the hoses from the compressor
(4) Complete wiring - this is in two parts - the internal from the A/C button switch on the dash, which winds around to the drivers side corner of under the hood, and the second part which runs to the relays sitting on top of the drivers side strut (you need the relays also), and then across to the battery, and then under the radiator to the passenger side headlight area and around to the carb idle for the fast-idle circuit. The 1982 model doesn't have the relays to worry about.
(5) Plastic cap that blocks the back of the glovebox (the existing unit is shallow but deep, you need to shorten it and attach the cap (with screws), or get an entire glovebox insert (door is unchanged).
(6) Fan/heater box - this seperates into 2 pieces, one being the main fan which from memory is unchanged and the other is the A/C section.
(7) Both the electric engine fan (which replaces the stock crank-driven unit) and the thermo-fan which operates when the A/C is on. Both fans are actually thermo-fans, on a cold day the car will heat up faster until the 1st thermo-fan kicks in.
(8) Dryer (which should be replaced when the A/C is regassed).

I think that's all. It's not particularly difficult to do yourself, just fiddly working inside the cabin. The only tricky bit I had was working out where the fan controls wired into the dash - but it's only about 2-3 plugs.

Dean.

Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:44 pm
by El_Freddo
The MY touring wagon is your friend here - and I've just come from another thread where I've pretty much said the same thing :rolleyes: :D

This is how I've done it, Sunnie the Brumby. We're yet to get another condensor as the donor car's one was bent out of shape but still held its gas. Then its a re-gas job and it should all work.

Anything you want for your brumby that comes from another MY (leone/touring wagon/sports wagon etc but NOT the L series*) will fit the brumby, excluding the doors and everything behind the seats as they are of a different design for the MY ute. Power windows needs a little modification but is pretty easy if you can problem solve and weld ;)
* engine, transmission, diff, rear 4wd disc brakes (if you can source them) will fit the MY from the L series - bullbars/towbars etc will not fit when swapping between the models.

Enjoy the read, please don't hesitate to ask any questions. Also, the MY is heaps easier to work on than the L series in terms of wiring!! They took a backward step with the L's, but that's a little off topic from here...

Cheers

Bennie

Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:53 pm
by Xtreme_RX
I have got a complete 'MY' air con set up. Pm me if you are interested...

Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:01 pm
by kona480
brumbydan wrote:G'day all

I fell in love with brumby a few years ago and as result i now own a 92 brumby.Currently running the old reliabe EA 81.
Singleton gets bloody hot (40 degrees celsius), can some body help me with what options there are for getting air conditioning?

Any help or ideas would be apprecitated.

Dan
It should already have air. I have a 92 and it has freezing air cond, there's also people asking about power steering and I have that aswell, so why does mine have all this?

Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:42 pm
by brumbydan
kona480 wrote:It should already have air. I have a 92 and it has freezing air cond, there's also people asking about power steering and I have that aswell, so why does mine have all this?
Its possible that it was added option if you bought it brand new. I don't care about the steering i can live without power steering.

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:14 am
by El_Freddo
brumbydan wrote:Its possible that it was added option if you bought it brand new. I don't care about the steering i can live without power steering.
Yeah the brumby did come with factory options - I think most people were after a basic ute and that's all they asked for.

With the power steering installed it'll make an amazing difference to the handling of your brumby, Sunnie feels like a light car that can be easily thrown around and into corners if you so desire. Before PS it was ok while moving but in the car park it was a little heavy even for my liking...

Cheers

Bennie

Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:24 pm
by brumbydan
El_Freddo wrote:Yeah the brumby did come with factory options - I think most people were after a basic ute and that's all they asked for.

With the power steering installed it'll make an amazing difference to the handling of your brumby, Sunnie feels like a light car that can be easily thrown around and into corners if you so desire. Before PS it was ok while moving but in the car park it was a little heavy even for my liking...

Cheers

Bennie
I'm about to go for my P's in the Brumby in 2 months, It thought me how to use 2 hands on the wheel, not mention I have driven cars with heavier steering then my Brumby so it doesnt bother me.

Cheers
Dan

Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:50 pm
by brumbydan
Your ideas and suggestions have highly valued. Unfortuneatly I don't have time to fit the air con myself. So I might see if the Subaru specialist in Cardiff (Newcastle, NSW) can.