T3 A/C Install?

[Krazywaffle]

G’day fellow T3 enthusiasts,

Seeking guidance regarding the feasibility of installing air conditioning into a 1991 Caravelle T3 that didn’t come with it from factory? I’ve seen other 1991 vans that did come with it so perhaps there are available parts to install the same system in a model that didn’t come with A/C from factory? Or best to get a T3 that came with A/C from factory even if that requires repair? I ask as we recently had to replace the entire A/C in my partners car (2009 TDI Golf) and it cost ~$3.5k, so perhaps repairing a broken system in a T3 that came with A/C wouldn’t be much different in cost that installing A/C in a T3 that didn’t come with it from factory?

Thanks heaps for any insights.

cheers,
-richard

[Barry]

Maybe talk to these guys
These seem to be pretty good. 

https://autofrost.com.au/

I was going to get these guys to do my T3 back in late 2019. 

I have a Caravelle C and was going to get one of those “on top of dash” systems. 
Ended up not going through with it. 
Just didn’t seem a good decision for varying reasons at the time. 
Price was ok - $4k if I remember. 
That was me supplying the compressor bracket and I already had the triple pulley. 

Trying to cool a T3 is hard. 
REALLY big area. 
Can be done - just hard. 

Best results seem to be those with a curtain behind the back seats.

[Barry]

Just re-read your post. 
Is yours a C as well?
They were the only Caravelles without air conditioning as far as I know

[Krazywaffle]

Thanks heaps for the insightful reply. Will check out the linked company.

There are two vans I’ve been considering purchasing. One has AC from factory but it isn’t working (245,000km on the clock) whereas the other didn’t come with AC from factory (presumably model C) but has appealingly low KM on the clock (150,000km). There is another T3 with A/C that I’m waiting to hear back about as well as a 2004 LWB-model with high hard top, but I prefer the T3 style with pop-top. Seems the ideal model is the twin turbo diesel version? But presumably more rare?

If ~$4k to install AC in model C with low KM then could be appealing. This one is a more minimalistic design with no cabinets in the back, just stove+fridge and 3 seat bench that folds into queen bed. Kinda like the idea of less cabinetry and more space, although for eventual longer trips the cabinetry does have appeal.

Thanks again for the insights.

[Barry]

one thing to take notice of is the C was the "povo pak"

On the upside, the interior was spartan. 
I like this - no velour to discolour 

On the down side, no AC or power steering.
I find the T3 heavy on steering.
Much heavier than my bay.
You can add it fairly easily, but more like another $3k+

Getting it done properly is the hard part.
The triple belt pulley can be hard to find, and making sure they use the correct 3 belt pulley bolt

Adding $7 - 8k+ to a van is a bit.
Sort of makes buying a GL and having money aside for an engine rebuild better value, as that comes with AC and power steer.
The stock AC was petty poor though

[Grantus]

Just re-read your post. 
Is yours a C as well?
They were the only Caravelles without air conditioning as far as I know

Pretty sure it was a dealer “tick the box”, and sent off to have it fitted locally.

I wasn’t offered AC as an option on my non aircon Caravelle CL, when buying it new in 1988. 

The auto Tassie T3 CL I bought and had here for a while, did have a non working aircon overhead aircraft style system, and the one week it did work, after $1.5k of bills, it was not very effective, as you say…….It’s a huge air volume space to cool down, as opposed to a family sedan.