Have you checked with (autoparts stores) places like AutoZone or Advance
Auto for rebuilt compressors? I picked up one for my daughter's 86 Vanagon
last summer in the $100.00 - $125.00 price area as I recall.  Surely the
Subie compressor wouldn't be that much more. I also purchased one for my '80
MGB dealer installed AC in the same price range.
Ray

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Maggie Dew
Sent: Thursday, November 24, 2005 7:49 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: AC saga

Last May, I spent over $2k having Jerry West install a dual AC setup in my
'85 Subie-Westy, using the Subie compressor that was already in place.  He
also repaired my front heater fan.  The AC worked fine on my way to New
Mexico the end of May and I spent several weeks up above 7,000 ft. where I
didn't really need it.  In July I took a trip to southern Arizona and the AC
performance was marginal - didn't cool well, but was better than the 112
outside.  By August, when I took a trip back to Kansas, the AC was no longer
cooling.  I took it back to Jerry in Dallas and he checked out the whole
system with some sort of dye, and pronounced it all good with the exception
of the compressor.  He did some work on it and sent me back to New Mexico -
sweating all the way.  I didn't (and don't) have the money for a compressor
now - hopefully by summer.  He now says:

"I found that Sanden builds a kit for that motor, it will take a mount and
drive plus the compressor to make it work.  The Cost for the Mount and Drive
Kit with Compressor Assemble will cost $475.00 the labor to install it is
$200.00."

Does this seem reasonable?  I know Larry Chase has gone through more than
one compressor on his setup - but he has a different engine.

Maggie
'85 Subaru-Westy "Anne Bonney"