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I installed a Clardy air conditioning unit in my '76 when the car was new and it's actually worked great ever since -- for '02 air conditioning, which is, to say, well below the air conditioning standards of Detroit in '76. But among the unit's "design quirks," the right console panel is partially secured by a 1 1/8" screw through the panel and directly into the A/C's blower, which intrudes noticeably into the passenger foot well.

 

Over the last 39 years, I'm confident I've removed and replaced that panel 25 times -- to futz with the radio, look for the dropped tii clock thumbscrews, etc. And I always wondered why I never "stabbed" the blower fan with that 1 1/8" screw through its heart. Mind you, the factory instructions told me to put this screw exactly there and I never considered using a different fastener or a different location. Two months ago, however, while planning the installation of a Becker Grand Prix Stereo in the car -- its first radio was a Europa II Stereo -- I managed to "stab" the blower wheel with that 1 1/8" screw! I didn't realize it until I turned on the A/C and the blower wheel made a frightening "this is my last revolution" noise, followed by utter silence.

 

And that...mishap, led me to discover that both the original blower housing and blower wheel remain in production by the original manufacturer, American Plasti-Plate of Tyler, Texas. The housing is their part number BH 4500 and the wheel is their part number BW 45-325. American Plasti-Plate doesn't sell retail, but Arizona Mobile Air Inc. (ACKits.com) handles American Plasti-Plate parts. Arizona Mobile Air refers to the housing as part number 28-91496 (Blower Housing w/Flange BH 4500), $17.36 currently, and the wheel as part number 28-01716 (Blower Wheel ABS with Clip), $12.76 currently. The housing is back ordered for 4 months but the wheel is in stock.

 

I'm looking for a more-or-less exact replacement for the electric blower motor but I haven't yet identified the best candidate!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

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Edited by Conserv

1976 2002 Polaris, 2742541 (original owner)

1973 2002tii Inka, 2762757 (not-the-original owner)

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Steve,

 Excellent info!  I too installed a Clardy system in my 1974 in 1983, while stationed at Ft. Rucker Al.  It has worked well since, and I am always looking for sources for repair parts should the need arise.

Earl

74 02Lux

15 M235i

72 Volvo 1800ES

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

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On 7/31/2015 at 8:56 AM, Emyers said:

Steve,

Excellent info! I too installed a Clardy system in my 1974 in 1983, while stationed at Ft. Rucker Al. It has worked well since, and I am always looking for sources for repair parts should the need arise.

Earl

 

Thanks, Earl,

 

And, as a by-the-way, I have a used backup Clardy blower, which I was cleaning up to swap with the one I killed, but careful examination revealed the backup had both a piece missing from the housing and a crack in the wheel! Plastic may live forever in a landfill, but not in an old car!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited by Conserv

1976 2002 Polaris, 2742541 (original owner)

1973 2002tii Inka, 2762757 (not-the-original owner)

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That electric motor in your picture looks like a generic 12v blower motor with a lot of different uses.  Bet if you took it to a local electric motor repair shop, they could find one of the proper size and power that will work.  I'm sure Clardy didn't design and build (or have built) a special application motor for their product--just bought an existing one off the shelf.  The mounting bracket would tend to support my theory.

 

Let us know whatcha find...

 

mike

'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

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On 8/1/2015 at 2:05 AM, mike said:

That electric motor in your picture looks like a generic 12v blower motor with a lot of different uses. Bet if you took it to a local electric motor repair shop, they could find one of the proper size and power that will work. I'm sure Clardy didn't design and build (or have built) a special application motor for their product--just bought an existing one off the shelf. The mounting bracket would tend to support my theory.

Let us know whatcha find...

mike

 

Thanks, Mike,

 

You're absolutely right. And I have three of these 3"-diameter 12V motors "gathered" already -- they're cheap and plentiful. Given, however, the continued manufacture of the blower housing and wheel (40 years after the A/C was introduced), I'm still feeling like I might luck into an exact replacement! One thing likely to be different, however, is the place of manufacture: the originals were manufactured in the Dominican Republic whereas three of the new examples I've collected thus far are Asian-manufactured.

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Steve

 

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Edited by Conserv

1976 2002 Polaris, 2742541 (original owner)

1973 2002tii Inka, 2762757 (not-the-original owner)

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Thanks so much for the info. I still need figure out how to hook up the cabin side of mine to the engine side and have it modified to work with the M42 compressor which I left in place when I did my swap. This will help if I need to buy any parts on the cabin side of the system.

Thanks again!

76 BMW 2002 Arktisblau M42 5 spd - Born 5.21.76 - daily money pit

06 Aston Martin V8 Vantage 6 spd - garage queen *  73 Mustang Convertible 351C 

15 VW Touareg V6 Executive - daily driver * 23 Audi e-tron SUV (wife's)

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Steve, I know Tim Abendroth wedged a more powerful blower motor into his console. Not sure if he has a Clardy or not tho.

 

HobieDave used this parallel flow condenser. I'm getting one for the project car. It will require a bit of cutting tho. Lots of diy info on Dave's photobucket site.

 

http://nostalgicac.com/11-x-19-superflow-r-134a-condenser.html

 

Cheers,

 

Ray

Ray

Stop reading this! Don't you have anything better to do?? :P
Two running things. Two broken things.

 

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On 8/1/2015 at 10:45 PM, ray_ said:

Steve, I know Tim Abendroth wedged a more powerful blower motor into his console. Not sure if he has a Clardy or not ....

 

Thanks, Ray,

 

I believe you've mentioned Tim's modifications previously -- including fiberglass work to expand the evaporator/blower housing -- and thought they might have been to a Behr unit. I, and probably a bunch of other forum members, would LOVE to see photos, however -- if any exist -- whether it was a Behr, Clardy, Frigiking, or whatever!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

Edited by Conserv

1976 2002 Polaris, 2742541 (original owner)

1973 2002tii Inka, 2762757 (not-the-original owner)

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I've been curious about trying to stick something like this behind the console. 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Underdash-Evaporator-A-C-for-Car-or-Truck-4-port-12-Volts-/252039544754?hash=item3aaeba3fb2&vxp=mtr

 

Cheap. I think it is just a bit too large to fit behind the stock Behr panel but mine doesn't have the evaporator/blower set up, which may or may not stick out of the sides. Could maybe also try trimming the universal unit to make it a bit smaller. Could try to make work with a Behr console or a bespoke console.

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On 8/2/2015 at 1:02 PM, pklym said:

I've been curious about trying to stick something like this behind the console.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Underdash-Evaporator-A-C-for-Car-or-Truck-4-port-12-Volts-/252039544754?hash=item3aaeba3fb2&vxp=mtr

Cheap. I think it is just a bit too large to fit behind the stock Behr panel but mine doesn't have the evaporator/blower set up, which may or may not stick out of the sides. Could maybe also try trimming the universal unit to make it a bit smaller. Could try to make work with a Behr console or a bespoke console.

 

Go for it! Seriously! The forum is, admittedly, littered with failed attempts to improve upon the '02's fair-at-best A/C. But modern design and manufacturing keep making components such as evaporators, blowers, condensers, and compressors smaller, yet more efficient, than those possible in the early '70s. One of these days, someone is going to marry these new components to the Behr console fascia and sides -- easily the most "factory-appearing" of the '02 A/C world -- and it will be a hit! I'll pull the Clardy evaporator/blower/console from the '76 and store it, alongside the original York compressor, for some future time when an antique "stock" '02 MUST have its original A/C unit!

 

The linked evaporator/blower looks attractively compact! Equal distribution of cooled air, however -- beyond simply the center of the '02 -- will remain an issue to resolve, but someone with computer skills and a 3-D printer will create plastic ductwork, artfully concealed within the dash, to carry cooled air out to the doors.

 

Some company, perhaps Mark IV, used to produce a trunk-mounted unit for the NK cars. It sat between the rear wheel wells and blew air into the car through the rear parcel shelf -- yes, just like a 1960 Mercedes 300 Adenauer! I've always though that a dual evaporator system, partially inspired by this trunk-mounted unit, could have front and rear air evaporator/blowers and vents. Then you just need to figure out hose routing and a much larger condenser.....

 

Enough dreaming! But remember, if a 911 can have good A/C, why not an '02?

 

Regards,

 

Steve

Edited by Conserv

1976 2002 Polaris, 2742541 (original owner)

1973 2002tii Inka, 2762757 (not-the-original owner)

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Steve, I don't think Tim modified the housing. Maybe HobieDave knows someone who did.

 

Those folks at Select Classics in Dallas purport to make working 2002 a/c systems...

 

caveat emptor of course.

 

Cheers,

Ray

Stop reading this! Don't you have anything better to do?? :P
Two running things. Two broken things.

 

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Actually it was Tim who modified his blower case...ironically, he may have purchased a component or two from the company you mentioned!

Budweiser...It's not just for breakfast anymore.

Avatar photo courtesy K. Kreeger, my2002tii.com ©

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Ha! I didn't notice that last year when we went to dinner in Eureka Springs.

 

Tho in my defense it may have been partly due to his awful headlights at the time! :D

 

Cheers,

Ray

Stop reading this! Don't you have anything better to do?? :P
Two running things. Two broken things.

 

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