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bigmack. I think that you're right about the evaporator being the weak link. A friend of mine, also with a Sports, took his evaporator apart before he fitted it (he's that sort of person). Apparently, it just consists of a coil of copper tubing carrying the refrigerant, over which, air is blown from the fans. "Crude" was his definition of it. It doesn't appear to be a matrix type of heat exchanger which I assumed it to be, although I have to say I know nothing about the design of aircon systems. As to the efficiency of my system; I went to a lot of trouble when I built my car to reduce heat and noise. The front and rear bulkheads and the floorpan are double skinned in ally with a foam and "Barrier Mat" filling. The water pipes are insulated where they pass through the side pods as are the heater and aircon hoses under the dash. I fitted the aircon condenser in front of the radiator (which is the best place for it) rather than in one of the engine bay side pods as the factory recommends for the GTR. IMO it's just too hot in the engine bay. One significant improvement I made on the advice of the factory, was to relocate the fresh air outlets so that they blow cool air directly in my face. This helps a lot. I would have thought, bearing in mind the very small size of the Ultima cockpit, that just about any aircon system transplanted from the cheapest mass produced mini would be able to keep the interior cool: but clearly it doesn't. I love the Ultima (I'm building another one) and if I could crack the aircon problem, then I would be an even happier man.
Hi Alan,
You might check with www.vintageair.com/
They specialize in custom aircon applications, but are located in the U.S. (San Antonio, Texas). They've also produced an EXCELLENT book on air conditioning systems in custom cars/kit cars/hot rods/etc... You can buy the book from Amazon. They should be able to give you some better advice. They're about 2 hrs. from my home, and I may take my car up there if the cooling proves to be too inadequate for South Texas. Its 80 deg. F at the moment here! Doesn't feel much like Christmas.
You are right. Surely, it shouldn't be too difficult to cool the Ultima cockpit. So far mine has worked fairly well, but I've not really put it to the test yet. I've only run it in cooler 80 deg. F temperatures. I'll have to wait until July and August. See if I can keep the engine and cockpit cool in 100 deg F. weather.
Cheers!
-Mack
You might check with www.vintageair.com/
They specialize in custom aircon applications, but are located in the U.S. (San Antonio, Texas). They've also produced an EXCELLENT book on air conditioning systems in custom cars/kit cars/hot rods/etc... You can buy the book from Amazon. They should be able to give you some better advice. They're about 2 hrs. from my home, and I may take my car up there if the cooling proves to be too inadequate for South Texas. Its 80 deg. F at the moment here! Doesn't feel much like Christmas.
You are right. Surely, it shouldn't be too difficult to cool the Ultima cockpit. So far mine has worked fairly well, but I've not really put it to the test yet. I've only run it in cooler 80 deg. F temperatures. I'll have to wait until July and August. See if I can keep the engine and cockpit cool in 100 deg F. weather.
Cheers!
-Mack
( GT40 replica has similar heat problems ) No brainer realy, AC or no Wife.Mack. Many thanks for the info. I'm a long way from installing the aircon system (still panelling the chassis) but after the holiday, I will start giving it some serious thought and will post any worthy ideas to this website. One possibility I will look at is that of having a separate heater unit (assuming that I can find somewhere to put it) and, as a consequence, a bigger evaporator. The combined unit that we have now, may be too much of a compromise. Incidentally, the heater works beautifully. I was out in the car this afternoon. Cloudless blue sky and the temperature just above freezing: my favourite Ultima weather. Snug as a bug in a rug.
Just to point out that anyone building a Can-am with the full screen should very seriously consider ducting cool air into the cockpit.
WHY,
because the scoop behind your head in the Can-am can pump huge amounts of hot air into the cockpit that then gets trapped in the big bubble of air that the screen provides.
BTW Im not keen on the idea of blocking the scoop up as it obviously works at slow speeds!
WHY,
because the scoop behind your head in the Can-am can pump huge amounts of hot air into the cockpit that then gets trapped in the big bubble of air that the screen provides.
BTW Im not keen on the idea of blocking the scoop up as it obviously works at slow speeds!
ultimaandy said:
WHY,
because the scoop behind your head in the Can-am can pump huge amounts of hot air into the cockpit that then gets trapped in the big bubble of air that the screen provides.
BTW Im not keen on the idea of blocking the scoop up as it obviously works at slow speeds!
Another idea could be to fit a pair of extraction fans at the back of the car (either side of the gearbox) to pull hot air out of the engine bay. This really works. If anyone decides to go down this route, then I would recommend that they panel around the back end of the chassis, otherwise the fans tend to pull air from out of the wheel arches as well as from the engine bay. I always switch my fans on in slow moving traffic and I know from a temperature sensor, that it can make a difference of as much as 40C to the engine bay temperature on a really hot day. Just a thought.
Sorry for the lack of updates. Have been spending all my time in the workshop and now have LOADS of stuff to write up.
Anyway, now the cockpit is finished, trimmed, loom modified for Stack system, instruments all in, seats fitted, cockpit final fitted, bonnet and lights about to go on.
In fact, next stage is to put the engine in!!
Crikey, it's gone from having loads to do to being in a nearly finished state!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, now the cockpit is finished, trimmed, loom modified for Stack system, instruments all in, seats fitted, cockpit final fitted, bonnet and lights about to go on.
In fact, next stage is to put the engine in!!
Crikey, it's gone from having loads to do to being in a nearly finished state!!!!!!!!!!!
I´m a little bit surprised reading all your comments about the hot inside, aircon yes or not,mmm...... I live in Spain where weather is warmer than UK and I haven´t air cond. on my GTR. Obviously, the car inside is warm, in fact you are driving a true Group C car and not a Ferrari Mondial. Ask to Bentley guys at Le Mans about the air conditioning and wait for the answer (ja,ja,jo,jo.... good idea but this is a race car!! ) Probably they choose a good power steering instead air cond. I think that there is a bad knowledge of how the air must flow to the cockpit. Ultima supply the helicopter vents which looks nice but are innefective if you don´t allow the hot air to go out the cockpit. I have done 4 x 4" holes at the rear of the sidescreens and 2 x 2.5" air ducting hoses from the front of the airdam directly to the cockpit fan and from the fan to cockpit through 2x Alfa Romeo vents (at the front of the dash). I tested the car in August 2002 at the track and the top temp. recorded inside were 36 degree with car stopped, 33 degrees outside, no clouds, brilliant sun and the tarmac at 48 degrees. With car running, the max temp. were 29 degrees which is perfect for a summer day. Obviously, I don´t use the car for shopping at the town centre and assume that 29 degrees may be excessive for other people. LET THE HOT AIR TO SCAPE FROM THE COCKPIT !!!
Best regards to all company !!
Javier
Best regards to all company !!
Javier
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