I thought about that, but I was able to find another cabinet.  I'm lazy!

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Michael Magnani
Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2014 10:48 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: AC Removal

I bought some matching laminate and a cabinet latch from  GW and made a new
front panel (where the rear speakers are mounted) with a door. Looks like it
came from the factory that way. Keeps things from flying out when I have to
hit the brakes :) Mike M

Sent from my iPad

> On Jun 28, 2014, at 9:24, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> The exceptions to this are the '85 and earlier units in Westys.
> Useless, but the good news is the Westy cabinet is still there, albeit
with no door.
> The storage space is far more useful for me, but I don't live in a hot
> humid climate.
>
> If I did or ever start travelling extensively, I'd consider Small
> Car's in-dash system:
> http://www.smallcar.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=62  My
> only concern with this conversion is it eliminates all fresh air
> intakes, leaving the windows as your only option.  But that's the most
> efficient way to run it when it's really hot anyway.
>
> Stuart
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Dennis Haynes
> Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2014 8:28 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: AC Removal
>
> I feel the same way. The 87 and later units work well even running
> R134A if repaired and charged correctly. Properly service they should
> not require much maintenance. They do however rob engine power and fuel
economy.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Zeitgeist
> Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2014 10:55 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: AC Removal
>
> A little piece of me dies every time I hear of someone removing the AC
> from their T3.  It really works great in a well sorted system running
> R12 or some equivalent.  In sunnier climes, try a good 3M UV window
> tint as a means of mitigating heat soak during brief stops
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Jun 28, 2014, at 5:53 AM, Steven Shelton <shelton4@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>
>> Thanks for your help, Kieth.  At some point VW changed the way they
>> hung the AC from what's described in Bentley.  All bolts and screws
>> on mine came out from below the rear bed board.  It's a pretty easy
>> one man job that way and it's not heavy so it can be held with one
>> arm while the last bolts are removed.  I did put a sawhorse under it,
>> though, to keep it from possibly crashing down.
>>
>> I'm in Georgia and, yes, there have been times over the years when
>> the heat without AC was almost unbearable.  Those are the times when
>> I dream of driving down the road with a electric generator in the
>> luggage rack running a portable AC in the cab.
>>
>> I think I'll leave the space open.  After 29 years of driving my
>> Westfalia, I'd like to be able to see something in the rear view
>> mirror besides tailgaters. Trimming it out will be a challenge,
>> though, especially since i want to make everything reversible.  Of
>> course, with all that stuff I had to pull out, this is a good time to
>> add extra lighting.  And I can put some better speakers back there,
>> too.  Oh well, it's too damn hot and humid to go camping, anyway.
>>
>>
>>> On Fri, Jun 27, 2014 at 7:47 PM, JRodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Works in cooler or drier climes - but in Alabama, Georgia,
>>> Mississippi and North Florida - in the summertime by the time  you
>>> got to your destination you would be parboiled!
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>>
>>>> On 6/27/2014 3:38 PM, Michael Magnani wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I permanently removed my entire A/C system from my 90 Westy for the
>>>> same reason: it always leaked refrigerant and even when it was
>>>> properly serviced, never worked all that well. Removing the
>>>> compressor has made working on the engine a lot easier and I turned
>>>> the space where the evaporator lived into a nice additional storage
> cabinet.
>>>> Mike M
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Friday, June 27, 2014 5:48 AM, Steven Shelton
>>>> <shelton4@GMAIL.COM>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I don't plan on reinstalling the AC.  When I bought the camper new,
>>>> the AC was only slightly better than open windows.  Years ago, when
>>>> the freon leaked out and the technician said the leak must be
>>>> somewhere in the cabinetry, I just did without.  My rationale was
>>>> that an enclosed, air conditioned environment just separates you
>>>> from
> the travel experience.
>>>> The
>>>> windshield becomes a TV screen for a travelogue.  Of course, when
>>>> we were in west Texas last month traveling into the afternoon sun
>>>> with the temperature at 102 (103 inside the cab), my rationale
>>>> seemed pretty irrational.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Jun 26, 2014 at 9:39 PM, Keith Hughes
>>>> <keithahughes@yahoo.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Steven,
>>>>>
>>>>> You're right.  You have to drop it down, then tilt it down towards
>>>>> the passenger side.  You have to first reach inside and either
>>>>> disconnect the condensate lines from both sides of the drip pan (I
>>>>> don't recommend that) or pull both tubes up and into the evap
>>>>> housing cabinet.  Then while supporting the evaporator and fan
>>>>> housing, remove the cabinet.  This is a PITA alone, but doable
>>>>> (i've used a bar stool and hydraulic jack sitting on the engine
>>>>> cover to prop up the cabinet).  Much easier with another pair of
>>>>> hands.  The evap/fan housing is very brittle, and loves to crack,
>>>>> so you need to be careful.  You can't support it from the support
>>>>> brackets because the evap fan makes it super front-heavy.  I've
>>>>> just used the bar stool and boxes stacked to the right height to
>>>>> support it while disconnecting the AC lines.
>>>>>
>>>>> Last year I made a number of mods to my A/C system, including a
>>>>> new A/C cabinet, but one thing I did that you may consider is to
>>>>> fully enclose the Evap housing (bottom), reinforcing with aluminum
>>>>> angle on the perimeter, and adding a front bracket for the
>>>>> housing.  Now it's self-supporting, and the cabinet can be pulled
>>>>> without disturbing the evap housing.  pmail if you want pics of
>>>>> the mod I did - wasn't that difficult.
>>>>>
>>>>> Keith Hughes
>>>>> '86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>  Date:    Thu, 26 Jun 2014 18:15:24 -0400
>>>>>  From:    Steven Shelton <shelton4@GMAIL.COM>
>>>>>  Subject: AC Removal
>>>>>
>>>>>  I need to remove the closet of my 1985 Westfalia for some  rear
>>>>> corner  bodywork.  Of course, I have to remove the air
>>>>> conditioner cabinet to get  the closet out.  I've started removing
>>>>> the AC cabinet  but it looks like the  evaporator, evaporator
>>>>> housing, and fan will all come out  with the cabinet.
>>>>>   But I can't get to the refrigerant hoses to disconnect them
>>>>> before the  cabinet comes down.  Bentley isn't clear on this, and
>>>>> what they describe is  different from what I have anyway.  What do
>>>>> I need to  do to keep everything  from crashing down at once?
>>>>