cooler 101

[101 Ron]

The 101 is a sweat box due to it British origins.
Unlike most Landrovers there is no provision for a cabin fresh air vent other than using the heater fan system as cooling blower which it does a much better job as a heater.
In a Aussie summer the 101 is not much fun unless you have it stripped nakked with the doors off and windscreen down.
A fellow in the USA spent much time trying to add big vents to the side and top of his 101 only to find out it was not as simple as it should be due to the brick type aerodynamic features of a 101 and the bow wave effect of the air running over the cabin.
roverworx
This is not the way to go.
Using the information from the above site I decided to install vents in my 101 not in the side or top but in the front face of the cabin ( In the high pressure area )
I used Australian made pop rivet in ,cast Alloy universal vents ,often used in boats and trailers.
This what I came up with.





Does it work ?
The answer is better than you think it would.
Both vents do not have the front cabin alloy cut away to the full width possible to the dimensions of the vent.
The result is fantastic even at slow speeds.
The draft of air hits your feet and legs following your body upwards to your face in decreasing amounts.
Anyone who has riden in my 101 and who owns one is sold on my vents.
Cheap to fit and they look if they were made for the vehicle.
They are also fairly small.
If you own a 101 please think about it or try and get a ride with me in my 101 to show how effective they are.

[101 Ron]

If I was to fit aircon to a 101 the way I would be looking at doing it would be.
Use the existing heater box and fan and cabin vents.
Above the heater box in the cabin there is about 30mm above the heater core to fit a evaporator plate before the outlets into the cabin.
Modern evaporator plates would fit with much fiddling and the existing heater core could be used for support.
Doing it this way hides the fact aircon is fitted and uses much as possible existing components.( hose runs would be very short)
Mounting the condenser plate and receiver/drier in the fan tunnel is straightforward with a bit of foresight.
The compressor mounting on the engine can be done a few different ways depending if the vehicle is 12 volt or 24 volt and if fitted with the 24 volt alternator.
The easy way on a Aussie 101 if the 24 volt alternator is removed and another 12 volt altenator is fitted else where is like this.

The above pics is of my aircon compressor fitted , not for aircon but for running my air horn and pumping up tyres.
The above is my thoughts on doing aircon in a 101 using a universal aircon kit as used in forklifts and industrial equipment.
You would need a to work with a good aircon fitter who would like adventure.

[DODGE]

G day ron

Where i work our old renault and mercedes buses have those vents on the front and they are a godsend on hot days. like you said even at low speed ther is still a good flow of air. we were made to fit mesh inside them after a driver went through a swarm of bees with the vent open. we found it funny but surprisingly he didnt.

cheers gaz

[101RRS]

I have an underdash unit to go into my 101 at a later date - it has both the A/C cooler and a heater coil - it will fit in the same space as the standard 101 heater and still have enough space underneath to let fresh air in via the current hole and the standard fan. The heater tap will still work and there is minimal changes required to the heater plumping.

As my 101 still its huge 24v alt and a 12v alternator, finding somewhere for the compressor will be the main issue I will have.

Garry

[tankradio2]

The idea of the vents sound like it works exceptionally well.

I have a set of identical vents I salvaged out of a wrecked series 3 shorty i used to have

I had planned to fit the vents inside the cabin, on the inside face of bothe through-flow airvents in the top of the Ambulance cabin for the following reasons

1/ Maintain and authentic outward appearance
2/ Make use of existing ducting and vent system which incorporates blower fans for the rear casualty compartment
3/ they would be just above head height in a part of the cabin where the most heat builds up
4/ they would be fed from existing exterior vents which incorporate insect mesh - and I'm allergic to bee stings !!!

However, having said all that and seen how the simpler method fits - I might just do it that way.

Cheers

Phill