I remember someone a while back (many moons ago) about a guy that strapped a
small Honda type generator to his
bumper and then put one of those roll around AC's in the galley and drove it
that way in Mexico....   Might be an
alternative you could consider...

Steven
91 Westy

On Thu, May 12, 2011 at 7:53 PM, Cunegonde <
cunegonde.van.westfalia@gmail.com> wrote:

> Cunegonde doesn't have A/C, and this severely limits our summer travel
> plans (I may be a tough broad mechanic, but I am excruciatingly heat
> sensitive - I can get heat exhaustion sitting down in Seattle!) We've tried
> being a travelling wet-t-shirt contest, and on a hot day it just makes a
> mess of the seats while the open wing vents deafened us. Also not practical
> when I have to look civilized in town. Sweetie wants to go to Wyoming this
> summer, and it's not going to happen without serious cooling. The trip
> wouldn't be much of an adventure in her Subaru Outback. (Nor could we do as
> much antique shopping).
>
> Although I have been slowly amassing/renovating compressor, hoses, valves
> and heat exchanger, Cunegonde's 1.9l WBX doesn't really have the pep to run
> a compressor and still go uphill on the freeway. Sweetie is loathe to lose
> the upper rear cabinet, too. And I haven't found a tan A/C rear cabinet,
> yet.
>
> I am wondering if anyone here has installed a roof-mount RV swamp cooler
> (12V, my first choice) or low-profile AC unit on their Westie.
> Have you been pleased with your choice?
> Where did you mount it - luggage rack or poptop (I sure wish I had a
> Riviera, which stays level when raised)?
> What BTU range?
> Did you use a heater strip, too?
> If poptop, how did you reinforce it to carry the A/C?
> Remote control, thermostat, wiring, inverter for when the engine is
> running... ?
> With the 75-100lb weight up top, how did this affect your handling?
>
> Thanks for your input. A cool Westie driver is a happier Westie driver.