Thread: late 80's county dash - what's original?

Originally Posted by EchiDna

thanks all and thanks UncleHo for the advice on the washers etc - I'll take special care!

so is this a 1986 ONLY item? if so, what happened in 1987?

also, could someone advise what the the three buttons do? the centre one is the windscreen demist - how about the other two? what does a circle represent? I figure the "square with lines on it" is probably the vents, but would like a confirmation as the bleedin thing is not conected up!

Normally the circle switch of (0) = off

Started a new thread in "projects" for the conversion from A/C to vents.

Will take a couple weeks to finish.........stay tuned.

Yeah, it's the same as my original, I've changed to the standard series venting system, forever rid of useless A/C, leaking vacuum hoses, and fragile dashboard facias.....totally morphed....

Originally Posted by 1103.9TD

Yeah, it's the same as my original, I've changed to the standard series venting system, forever rid of useless A/C, leaking vacuum hoses, and fragile dashboard facias.....totally morphed....

Nice work 1103.9TD.

Got any pics of the dash? Which dash did you use? Series 3 or Defender?

Modified Defender dash, really handy for those loose items, vents also pressurise the vehicle in dusty conditions, sorry no pics until I get back home, March/April.[IMG][/IMG]

Originally Posted by p38arover

Ahh. I'll look for the vacuum line diagram I drew up. If I don't have it, then it is with the stuff that went to the new owner - LRHybrid100 will know his details.

Ron

Would be very interested if you have this Ron.

I have seen two countys (85 and 86) with the factory aircon. Both were regassed with hydrocarbon refridgeant (can't remember the name). Both aircon worked quite well. It is important to make sure the entire system is working properly. Many of them the heater flap is jammed and the heater water isn't completely turned off and so reheats your cold air. Also the electric fans in front of the radiator need to working, it is quite common for the fuse to be blown. Also check that the fan is getting all its speeds.

When operating properly these two countys cooled as well as a defender under dash system. They would all benifit from a curtain behind the rear seat and some insulation under the roof. A lot of heat comes in the alpine windows (good in the alps i guess).

The county system does give more leg room.

WR

Originally Posted by wovenrovings

I have seen two countys (85 and 86) with the factory aircon. Both were regassed with hydrocarbon refridgeant (can't remember the name). Both aircon worked quite well. It is important to make sure the entire system is working properly. Many of them the heater flap is jammed and the heater water isn't completely turned off and so reheats your cold air. Also the electric fans in front of the radiator need to working, it is quite common for the fuse to be blown. Also check that the fan is getting all its speeds.

When operating properly these two countys cooled as well as a defender under dash system. They would all benifit from a curtain behind the rear seat and some insulation under the roof. A lot of heat comes in the alpine windows (good in the alps i guess).

The county system does give more leg room.

WR

A lot of valid points there.

A mate of mine with a (meticulously maintained) county has factory aircon which works much better than the aircon in any defender I have been in.

Also the heater valve is somewhet badly designed so that when it loses vacuum (e.g. when the engine is switched off) it defaults to the open position. AFAIK there is also a flap which directs air either through the heater matrix or around it, but no guarantee this is working properly either.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

That is the factory air conditioning control panel from a 1986 110. The factory air is maybe capable of cooling a small vehicle on an English summer's day, but absolutely incapable of cooling the interior of a County wagon in Western Qld. Poms have no idea of conditions outside their backyard.

I am pretty sure the county aircon system was designed and manufactured in OZ!!! And as above, works well if everything is functioning as it should.