Discussion
Hi all,
Another odd question how necessary is air con in these cars. I've found a cerbera but I don't think it has air (only seen pictures so far) I can't see the pump at the top of the engine. I've not had a car without a/c for years. I use it all year round to demist in the morning and cool down in the summer. I think I may have read that the heater system is a little different in these hence the question does it need a/c. It will be unlikely I'll use in the winter anyway so how hot do they get in the summer with our new found summer temperatures
Another odd question how necessary is air con in these cars. I've found a cerbera but I don't think it has air (only seen pictures so far) I can't see the pump at the top of the engine. I've not had a car without a/c for years. I use it all year round to demist in the morning and cool down in the summer. I think I may have read that the heater system is a little different in these hence the question does it need a/c. It will be unlikely I'll use in the winter anyway so how hot do they get in the summer with our new found summer temperatures
I've not had a/c running for years, it doesn't make a difference to me, it's not like we live in the Mid East. however your fuel is cooled through a cooler t which uses gas from the a/c passed through a little heat exchanger. but whether having it in on or off makes a noticeable difference to performance is debatable.
Cerb isn't for creature comforts, the cold blower is on the drivers side and warm on pass, so in winter I find it best to wrap up in thermal socks as there is not heat at all in the footwell, some people block up the vent but this can lead to serious misting.
Cerb isn't for creature comforts, the cold blower is on the drivers side and warm on pass, so in winter I find it best to wrap up in thermal socks as there is not heat at all in the footwell, some people block up the vent but this can lead to serious misting.
, much better now the cats are out, but I've chased leaks in my aircon for years. When it works it's ok, puts out a minor chill which is nice. Heater works ok on mine in winter.Other than when I psyche myself up to go on holiday, I get uncomfortable and short tempered in any sort of warmth. 24deg is pretty much unbearable for me and anyone who looks at me the wrong way will get snapped at - particularly if it's humid / close feeling.
Even in Scotland and with no cats, the Cerbera gets far too hot in summer for my liking with heat searing through the transmission tunnel carpets.
Mind you, the heat isn't so keen to help out in winter.
It's the one thing that makes me not want to drive the Cerbera sometimes. It's way too hot in summer and way too cold in winter. The ventilation system with its two fans blowing in different places is one of the worst I've ever had including 80s Defenders. It uniquely blends total ineffectiveness when you want it seamlessly with harsh drafts when you don't. Incredible really, and for me THE aspect of Cerb ownership which requires a good sense of humour. It mists up really easily too and the winscreen blower arrangement isn't man enough to clear it all so a cloth is required to clear around the A pillars and side windows which don't get blown. The rear window heater is ineffective too.
My aircon is getting recommissioned at the moment to hopefully make summer driving a better proposition.
Even in Scotland and with no cats, the Cerbera gets far too hot in summer for my liking with heat searing through the transmission tunnel carpets.
Mind you, the heat isn't so keen to help out in winter.
It's the one thing that makes me not want to drive the Cerbera sometimes. It's way too hot in summer and way too cold in winter. The ventilation system with its two fans blowing in different places is one of the worst I've ever had including 80s Defenders. It uniquely blends total ineffectiveness when you want it seamlessly with harsh drafts when you don't. Incredible really, and for me THE aspect of Cerb ownership which requires a good sense of humour. It mists up really easily too and the winscreen blower arrangement isn't man enough to clear it all so a cloth is required to clear around the A pillars and side windows which don't get blown. The rear window heater is ineffective too.
My aircon is getting recommissioned at the moment to hopefully make summer driving a better proposition.
I removed the whole AC system years ago when I was doing the rebuild. Less clutter in the engine bay with the compressor / cooler and hoses removed. I have AC in the Evo but hardly ever use it - only on properly hot days and those are few and far between here in the UK. In the Cerb, I just drop the window if its a bit warm and enjoy the noise ever more.
Ok so jamieduff1981 was it bit hot when you wrote that ? No love for the heater system there.
I thought that was going to be the answer I guess I don't want to get caught in traffic jam in the summer. Reminds me of my MV Agusta I had awesome performance, beautiful to look at, fantastic to ride and utter s
te when trying to go through slow traffic due to the engine running at 108 deg the fans on blowing red hot air at your gentleman's bits and the exhaust cooking the inside of your right leg made worse by your leathers retaining the heat for you finally got going again.
Could it be retro fitted ? The original stuff there seems to be plenty of these in salvage yards. It's not like it's got climate control it's fairly basic system I guess.
Longbow how involved is the system to remove not so much the engine side but the heater box and internals I'm assuming engine bay is just compressor, pipes, condenser, drier.
Clive
I thought that was going to be the answer I guess I don't want to get caught in traffic jam in the summer. Reminds me of my MV Agusta I had awesome performance, beautiful to look at, fantastic to ride and utter s
te when trying to go through slow traffic due to the engine running at 108 deg the fans on blowing red hot air at your gentleman's bits and the exhaust cooking the inside of your right leg made worse by your leathers retaining the heat for you finally got going again. Could it be retro fitted ? The original stuff there seems to be plenty of these in salvage yards. It's not like it's got climate control it's fairly basic system I guess.
Longbow how involved is the system to remove not so much the engine side but the heater box and internals I'm assuming engine bay is just compressor, pipes, condenser, drier.
Clive
Thats the spirit Longbow,
If there's one thing i've learnt after one and a half years of ownership of this great car its that if your not a 'glass is half full kind of person' then this car will torment you for the rest of your time with it. Unless you have got a considerable amount of time or money to burn.
Budgie smugglers and shades for the hot days, and bobble hat and duffle coat for the cold ones!
When the problems are coming faster than i can sort them, i sometimes have to stand back and think about the great and unique things about this car........what other car gives you individual left and right volume controls for the stereo?.....and so typical of TVR to make the up button for quieter and the down button for louder?.....This is what makes TVR great!
Does anyone know the name of that song they always play on the radio?....its a bit repetative and in the background you can occasionally hear someone singing 'bloody maniac'.......And it goes on for ages?
If there's one thing i've learnt after one and a half years of ownership of this great car its that if your not a 'glass is half full kind of person' then this car will torment you for the rest of your time with it. Unless you have got a considerable amount of time or money to burn.
Budgie smugglers and shades for the hot days, and bobble hat and duffle coat for the cold ones!
When the problems are coming faster than i can sort them, i sometimes have to stand back and think about the great and unique things about this car........what other car gives you individual left and right volume controls for the stereo?.....and so typical of TVR to make the up button for quieter and the down button for louder?.....This is what makes TVR great!
Does anyone know the name of that song they always play on the radio?....its a bit repetative and in the background you can occasionally hear someone singing 'bloody maniac'.......And it goes on for ages?
I'd been chasing the air leaks for a while before I give up chucking money at it, all I'm doing now is carrying the extra weight around because it's give up again. Since I've had no air con for the last few years, I've not missed it one bit, having the air con on would mean I would have the windows up, and on a Cerbera that seems pretty pointless because you would be missing out on the awesome tunes the Cerbera plays.
otp said:
Ok so jamieduff1981 was it bit hot when you wrote that ? No love for the heater system there.
I thought that was going to be the answer I guess I don't want to get caught in traffic jam in the summer. Reminds me of my MV Agusta I had awesome performance, beautiful to look at, fantastic to ride and utter ste when trying to go through slow traffic due to the engine running at 108 deg the fans on blowing red hot air at your gentleman's bits and the exhaust cooking the inside of your right leg made worse by your leathers retaining the heat for you finally got going again.
Could it be retro fitted ? The original stuff there seems to be plenty of these in salvage yards. It's not like it's got climate control it's fairly basic system I guess.
Longbow how involved is the system to remove not so much the engine side but the heater box and internals I'm assuming engine bay is just compressor, pipes, condenser, drier.
Clive
It's as simple as a/c systems get so a retrofit is entirely feasible. Compressors are expensive new and the condensor is a faff to get at. Hopefully the evaporator and expansion valve assembly are still present too I thought that was going to be the answer I guess I don't want to get caught in traffic jam in the summer. Reminds me of my MV Agusta I had awesome performance, beautiful to look at, fantastic to ride and utter s
te when trying to go through slow traffic due to the engine running at 108 deg the fans on blowing red hot air at your gentleman's bits and the exhaust cooking the inside of your right leg made worse by your leathers retaining the heat for you finally got going again. Could it be retro fitted ? The original stuff there seems to be plenty of these in salvage yards. It's not like it's got climate control it's fairly basic system I guess.
Longbow how involved is the system to remove not so much the engine side but the heater box and internals I'm assuming engine bay is just compressor, pipes, condenser, drier.
Clive
It's not especially hot but the expansion valve has jammed in my daily driver recently and isn't fixed yet. Temperatures are generally in the teens to low 20s at the moment but it's a black car parked outside so it's like getting in to an oven after a day's work. My tolerance levels for other people are pretty much zero at the moment and I'm overtaking everything in sight because I seem incapable of being patient when hot. Windows down just makes it hot and windy - not cool. The Cerb needs the windows up at any sort of sensible non-Londonshire cruising speed or you get battered with loud buffetting. It's ok at town speeds with windows down though, but that doesn't keep the carpets from heating up.
Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have a Cerb with broken aircon than a Vauxhall with broken aircon, and if the car was otherwise a goodun I'd still go for it. For all the a/c system weighs though (hardly anything in the grand scheme of things) and the comfort working a/c offers I'd put it on the short term to-do list.
Englishman said:
If you plan to use the Cerb for anything other than a weekend toy then air con is essential IMHO. I wouldn't buy any fixed head TVR without it.
Have to agree. Yes you can open the windows but even on a hot day with the sun beating down on you it still gets silly hot inside the car. Haven't tried a 6 mile tail back yet but I imagine that would be unbearable.Mine never worked but after fitting a new condenser(radiator) and the receiver drier(filter) with new O rings, took it to Kwik Fit for a re-gas and its ice cold within 20 seconds now which is impressive for such an old car.
Wouldn't be without it now.
Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff