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Best add on A/C kit for 77 280z??


Oilking53

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2 hours ago, SteveJ said:

One offering I noticed on the Nostalgic AC site is that they offer a service to convert your control panel to operate the AC controls of their product. That has me curious. For my 260Z, I have a spare vent control mounted to a stock evaporator. It would be nice to have the controls integrated.

Called again. So the ID-200HC evap unit is what they are recommending for 240z install, he thinks the ID-260 is too larger. He says it is adaptable to their "Datsun" package. ALso, you mail in your control panel and they custom make cable controls.

But what they wanted me to do was measure everything out, and condenser measurement and they would "build" me a kit that would work. 

I like the sound of that better than running the VA system and a generic rheostat panel.

Edited by DC871F
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1 hour ago, DC871F said:

Called again. So the ID-200HC evap unit is what they are recommending for 240z install, he thinks the ID-260 is too larger. He says it is adaptable to their "Datsun" package. ALso, you mail in your control panel and they custom make cable controls.

But what they wanted me to do was measure everything out, and condenser measurement and they would "build" me a kit that would work. 

I like the sound of that better than running the VA system and a generic rheostat panel.

Make one more call. 

First, take a careful look at @qz16's article on the Vintage Air system. I linked it earlier in this thread. To me the evaporator he used looks almost exactly like the ID-260SC.

Ask the person at Nostalgic AC if the dimensions are different. I'm just thinking that it might be easier to utilize what qz16 learned.

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16 minutes ago, SteveJ said:

Make one more call. 

First, take a careful look at @qz16's article on the Vintage Air system. I linked it earlier in this thread. To me the evaporator he used looks almost exactly like the ID-260SC.

Ask the person at Nostalgic AC if the dimensions are different. I'm just thinking that it might be easier to utilize what qz16 learned.

It wasnt a definite that it wouldnt work, they wanted to know dimensions. I guess I should have said they knew for sure the 200HC would fit. He said it would be intrusive on the feet. I agree with the Vintage system with all the documentation on this site alone will be a great help. I didnt realize anyone out there would take the effort to modify the OE control panel to work, to me that is the kicker. I'm guessing its not that hard, but you also have to have the resources to build the hardware.

Edited by DC871F
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27 minutes ago, SteveJ said:

Make one more call. 

First, take a careful look at @qz16's article on the Vintage Air system. I linked it earlier in this thread. To me the evaporator he used looks almost exactly like the ID-260SC.

Ask the person at Nostalgic AC if the dimensions are different. I'm just thinking that it might be easier to utilize what qz16 learned.

A side note, I live about 2 hours from Nostalgic, I may take all my OE stuff and let them measure and give me their recommendations. 

Edited by DC871F
suck at spelling
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Can anyone give me a list of all the parts I would need for a stock a/c system for my 280z. I’m thinking I’d rather get all the original parts rather than go aftermarket but not sure what all I need. Thanks everyone for all y’all’s input it’s been very helpful and hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!!


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https://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/electrical/air-conditioner

Note there are 3 illustrations at that link. Also cross-check against the FSM.

Driers are NLA. You will need to source a condenser, and it is likely to be a generic one, so you'll have to adapt the fittings. The expansion valve is likely to be problematic as we noted earlier in the thread. Unless you can source a relatively intact parts car that has AC, you'll pay a pretty good amount of money for 40+ year old parts.

I thought about going down that path before. I have a 260Z evaporator and control panel that a friend stripped out of a parts car. It has been sitting in my garage for several years now. There is a better chance that I'll strip off the control panel and do something like work with Nostalgic AC to fabricate the system. It will be newer parts. The AC will probably work with the defrost, and I'll have a new heater core. To me that's a win-win-win situation.

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https://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/electrical/air-conditioner
Note there are 3 illustrations at that link. Also cross-check against the FSM.
Driers are NLA. You will need to source a condenser, and it is likely to be a generic one, so you'll have to adapt the fittings. The expansion valve is likely to be problematic as we noted earlier in the thread. Unless you can source a relatively intact parts car that has AC, you'll pay a pretty good amount of money for 40+ year old parts.
I thought about going down that path before. I have a 260Z evaporator and control panel that a friend stripped out of a parts car. It has been sitting in my garage for several years now. There is a better chance that I'll strip off the control panel and do something like work with Nostalgic AC to fabricate the system. It will be newer parts. The AC will probably work with the defrost, and I'll have a new heater core. To me that's a win-win-win situation.

Thanks for the info, I’ve been going back and forth about how I want to do this. I like the idea of a aftermarket kit due to everything being new and updated but not sure about how it would look in the car, on the console etc. that’s the main reason I was even thinking of trying to track down all the original parts. Trying to find a parts car is like a needle in a hay stack these days with Z’s becoming more and more popular and like you said I’d probably end up pay a lot of money for 40 year old parts. Just really wish my z came with a/c LOL but it didn’t so here I am.....


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Its going to be a big job anyway you cut it. If you know someone nearby you that has a stock system it would be a good idea to look it over. You can find drop in replacements for both the cond and the evap (an evap that uses a standard expansion valve). so you have 3 basic options to consider

1) All new stuff aftermarket AC system

pro should work great,

con will require a lot of fabrication, will not be OE (could hurt value if you care about that)

2) Used system

pro will work OK will be OE, will likely require least of all fabrication (just have to have all the parts) ie drop in.

con will work ok NOT great (I don't know if aftermarket is great so I just assume it is, I know OE is ok, not great, don't expect it to work like a new car that can freeze you out).

con may have faulty parts (leaks, blockages etc... quality can be from works great to does not work at all

 

3) hybrid

new compressor SD709 with mount designed for this compressor, new aftermarket cond, generic drier, custom hard/soft lines, new OE style evap new expansion valve

old controls/servos/housing/electromagnetic air switches idle up servo.

Pros no faulty parts to deal with, will work ok, adapt to R134a right off so no contamination issues, preserves the OE look and function, most correct approach IMHO.

con expense (well compared to aftermarket prob about the same) as the cond and evap alone will be 600 is)

con in the end you have a like new OE unit which as mentioned before will be OK not freeze you out like you can store frozen goods inside (my 2001 suburban could substitute for a meat locker).

 

Take your time, look around, see if you can find a actual example of the aftermarket and a functioning OE before making up you mind. Its going to be expensive and its going to be difficult, so I would want to know the end result before starting down a path.

 

 

 

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Its going to be a big job anyway you cut it. If you know someone nearby you that has a stock system it would be a good idea to look it over. You can find drop in replacements for both the cond and the evap (an evap that uses a standard expansion valve). so you have 3 basic options to consider
1) All new stuff aftermarket AC system
pro should work great,
con will require a lot of fabrication, will not be OE (could hurt value if you care about that)
2) Used system
pro will work OK will be OE, will likely require least of all fabrication (just have to have all the parts) ie drop in.
con will work ok NOT great (I don't know if aftermarket is great so I just assume it is, I know OE is ok, not great, don't expect it to work like a new car that can freeze you out).
con may have faulty parts (leaks, blockages etc... quality can be from works great to does not work at all
 
3) hybrid
new compressor SD709 with mount designed for this compressor, new aftermarket cond, generic drier, custom hard/soft lines, new OE style evap new expansion valve
old controls/servos/housing/electromagnetic air switches idle up servo.
Pros no faulty parts to deal with, will work ok, adapt to R134a right off so no contamination issues, preserves the OE look and function, most correct approach IMHO.
con expense (well compared to aftermarket prob about the same) as the cond and evap alone will be 600 is)
con in the end you have a like new OE unit which as mentioned before will be OK not freeze you out like you can store frozen goods inside (my 2001 suburban could substitute for a meat locker).
 
Take your time, look around, see if you can find a actual example of the aftermarket and a functioning OE before making up you mind. Its going to be expensive and its going to be difficult, so I would want to know the end result before starting down a path.
 
 
 

Thank you for all you advice! It is and has been very helpful. I do like the sound of your option 3, it would be nice to have the best of both worlds that’s for sure. I’ve been trying to find other z enthusiast near me but no luck, I haven’t even seen one on the road in forever. But I’ll just keep my eye out. I’m about 45 outside of Houston so I would think I’d be able to find some kind of z club to be able to see what other people have done but haven’t had to much luck there either. Thanks again for all your input!


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