I originally installed a self designed ac behind the glove compartment, similar to the behr units.  This actually worked quite well but then I got some mouse nests in the original heater, the fan moror bearings started squealing and the various foam gaskets for the flippers started disintegrating.
So when I pulled the dash apart to fix that, I decided to put in a Vintage Air gen iv heating/ac unit.  While it is a tight fit, everything goes in pretty nicely.  This system has a modern design with motorized air control flaps and a motorized hot water valve.  It us a bypass design like in modern cars so that you get immediate rrsponses to changes in heat settings.  Performance is very good.  I believe that Small Car installs these units in vanagons.  The only negative is that the fresh is intake is blocked off but this is not really a problem.  This actually makes the van significantly quite.

Steve meassick

Sent from my U.S. Cellular� Smartphone

-------- Original message --------
From: Helge Weissig <helgew@GRAJAGAN.ORG>
Date: 1/7/17 9:07 AM (GMT-06:00)
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: A/C

I just pulled mine (86 Westy) completely out and most of the parts are still intact. It didn't hold a charge, but let me know if you are interested.

cheers,
h.

> On Jan 6, 2017, at 8:41 AM, Jeremy Stovin <jjstov@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>
> I'm starting to think about this again. The one issue of complaint from the kids is how bleeding hot it gets in the van in summer.
> Lola is an '87 Westy, no A/C ever installed.
> What alternatives do I have to get this cooled down?It would be needed while driving as well as parked.I do not think a swamp cooler will work.It would be nice to cool the front, but as long as the air can get to the back also.Anything hard installation would not be done by me.
> Any ideas or advice would be welcomed.
> Jeremy