And So It Begins....

[JASPER_40]

That gearshift linkage is just fantastic...I would have that in a cabinet in the lounge 

[SanRemo78]

Right folks, what are the two brackets on the front of the crossmember for? The ones with the big circular holes...

I'm having a long hard look at them and thinking the air con install might be simpler if they weren't in the way. And using a bigger radiator has to be preferable to a smaller one!

Guy

[lancialulu]

I think they are for the rubber mounts that the later rad plugs into

[peteracs]

Hi Tim

Correct, the later radiator sits further forward on IE, probably VX as well from memory of me stripping down the IE Coupe

Peter

[SanRemo78]

Thanks both - Weird - obviously my car is a 1980 one so why would it have radiator mounts for a later radiator? It's odd that one is central and the other on the right side, almost as if there's one missing on the left side. I did offer up the air con radiator I got from Nigel and whilst the mounts on that radiator fitted into one of the brackets the spacing was wrong, no way two feet would fit at the same time. I'm going to sleep on this one before I decide to remove them, I need to finalise the mounting of the oil cooler and the support for the right side of the air con radiator, left side can be nailed to the fan bosses on the water radiator.
Guy

[Ferrit]

I think they are for the rubber mounts that the later rad plugs into

I have them on my car.  It runs a similar rad, and in those holes goes some hard black plastic mounts with round spherical bumps (that go in the holes) and have parallel bits that fit into the bottom of the rad.  I will look for a photo but not sure if I took one

[rossocorsa]

Thanks both - Weird - obviously my car is a 1980 one so why would it have radiator mounts for a later radiator? It's odd that one is central and the other on the right side, almost as if there's one missing on the left side. I did offer up the air con radiator I got from Nigel and whilst the mounts on that radiator fitted into one of the brackets the spacing was wrong, no way two feet would fit at the same time. I'm going to sleep on this one before I decide to remove them, I need to finalise the mounting of the oil cooler and the support for the right side of the air con radiator, left side can be nailed to the fan bosses on the water radiator.
Guy

North American Betas had fuel injection from the 81 model year, so probably introduced in 1980, which would have probably required the relocated radiators. Probably they put the fittings on all body shells?

[Nigel]

Guy,
When I'm back in the uk on Thursday I'll post a pic of the brackets on my car, which may help to reduce the mystery.
N.

[SanRemo78]

Thanks all, that make sense of why they're there then! In the last couple of days I've sorted out the radiator mounts with a simple alluminium channel on the base with a rubber barrier between that and the radiator and this will sit on a large rubber pad (when I find one 25mm and 350mm wide) and will overhang the front edge of the crossmember slightly. The top will be located in the same way but with a bracket (position to be finalised) secured to the back of the upper crossmember.

I've spent several hours on the T7 Design website looking at various hoses and fittings trying to work out how to get the refrigerant around the circuit but come up with an issue that's bound to be resolvable! There's one PAD fitting for the compressor needed to allow me to use -10 hoses from one side of the expansion valve, through the charge port and compressor to the condenser radiator that's not listed/showing on the website. The other side, from condenser radiator through the charge port and dryer to the expansion valve can be done in -6 hose.

Because of the one missing fitting I need to ask T7 Design if the use of three different hose sizes is okay and, if not, what combination is! The original installation appears to use only two sizes.

I think tasks for the next couple of days are phone calls, removal of the front bumper and valance to allow some minor surgery and finalising the radiator pack install. Once done the front end can be reassembled and the grille/light surrounds put on permanently!

I now know that the condensing radiator will fit once one of the surplus to requirements brackets is removed so I don't need to return it and get a slightly smaller one. Phew.

Next up will be designing a couple of mounts for the oil cooler with one of them also providing damped support for the air con radiator. I also visited a recommended air con repair expert near me and he's had a look at the evaporator and said that it looks perfectly usable and that a fan can be installed as either a push one infront of the radiator pack or a pull one behind.  I'm keeping options open on that but leaning towards behind as there are existing mounting lugs on the water radiator.

Guy

[SanRemo78]

Stripped the front end off the car this afternoon and tried the spare front valance on it. A much, much nicer fit so that's the one I'll use.

I need to source a 35mm rubber pad to fix the radiator in the correct place. And then I made a rookie error - found what I needed on eBay and pushed buy it now. Despite the filter being set to UK only (I think) it's coming from China and won't arrive for 3 weeks. Shouldn't slow me down too much. Worked out how & where to mount the oil cooler so I need to mock that up so I can design the right side condenser mounting next. Job for tomorrow!

[SanRemo78]

Another box of bits arrived today for the aircon install a right old mixture of hoses and fittings from T7 Design that was really confusing... Until I sorted by hose fitting size (-6, -8 and -10 and then laid it all out in order of installation. And then realized I was two fittings short, my fault. And then I realized that none of the Famale O-Ring fittings came with.... you guessed it, an O-Ring. They're listed at T7 unconsumables and spares. Had a go at them for that!

Next "problem" to overcome is that the aircon system needs a three speed fan to match the electrical compressor. And the Beta is only two speed so now I'm researching replacements that will fit into the Beta airbox, at least making the base plate is easy enough as I can use the existing one as a pattern!

I'd like to improve the airflow from the vents if possible, I'm sure the extra matrix I've got will create a little back pressure and slow things down a little bit but what I don't know is the base figure the Beta fans produce so I can compare it to a few aftermarket ones I've found that look like they may just about fit! Question asked in the cooling section but it bears repetition here:

Does any know the CFM value for the Beta heater fan?

Cheers
Guy

[Nigel]

Guy,
The fan speed is controlled by the air-cooled resistor on the near-side inner
scuttle area. Having a switch with 2 positions restricts it to two speeds.

Now, the question is, is full speed still going through the resistor, or does it bypass?
And if the latter, would a wiring alteration give another speed? (with a suitable switch)
This may well be something easily tested on the bench.....

As for CFM, maybe more recent vehicles have stats on this and that a real-life comparison could be
made by 'feeling' the strength of blow. Also, as any fule kno, a venturi could modify
the speed...

Nigel

[SanRemo78]

I guess there's no harm in trying to run the motor with a spare 3 position switch I have somewhere Nigel. I have a lovingly restored and replated resistor that I suspect I won't be using but it's probably possible to modify that to add a third take off to give a three speed fan. All food for thought before I buy a brand new fan and fabricate a mounting plate for it.
Guy

[WestonE]

Hi Guy when you are at the NEC show grab Tim Mountain the guy who showed his Gold Monte last year. He is a very experienced Auto Electrician who produced the control pack that worked with the 3 position switch we found that looked like a Monte Switch but had residual current on terminals. The OE Resistors are no longer used. I used the largest SPAL twin fan that would go into the very small Monte heater box. It is FAR quieter and more powerful than the 40 year old original.   

[SanRemo78]

Thanks Eric, I’ve got a 407cfm Spal fan on the way, I may try a side by side comparison once I’ve attached it. I’ll either make an aluminium one or, more likely, cut the Beta mounts off to create a flat plate and Sikaflex and rivet the new one on.

I’ll find Tim Mountain at the NEC and pick his brains on installation too.

[peteracs]

'Residual Current'?

Would like to understand what that means in this application. The application sounds like it requires variable current.

Peter

[WestonE]

Hi Peter It means trying to resolve it with relays alone is a nightmare of complexity and I have built a fair amount of electrical modifications as you know. In doing the Electric AC work Darren and I had good advice from Ian O'Hara of Classic Cool in Australia. He is an actual automotive AC engineer. The expensive electric scroll compressor would not like residual current. We could find only 1 switch that would adapt to look like it belonged in a monte dash.
Note the main power feed to the Electric AC compressor had to have a heavy load isolation relay added because it was creating a battery drain when off. This stuff is not easy.

[SanRemo78]

Minor progress. All the parts are here now for the aircon install or are on order. Today I sorted out the mounting of the first of three linear actuators. This one will operate the heater valve and has a 30mm throw. The ones for the scuttle flap and redirect from screen to vents both need a 25mm throw and that wasn't easy to find. But they're on the way.

I bought a single switch to check quality and fit and no problem there. Unfortunately the one they sent doesn't work and will be going back. Advertised as a momentary on/off/momentary on it turned out to be a latching switch that is off/on/on. Hey ho...

I've also cut down the fan base and the new one, three speed, will fit nicely. Just need to get a few rivets and to Sikaflex it in place to seal up a couple of minor gaps. That might happen tomorrow but it'll be a couple of weeks before the last two actuators arrive to allow the airbox to be installed permanently. Just a couple of clips to fit to keep the two halves of th eairbox together and I can test the actuator out for the first time!

Guy

[WestonE]

Do remember to triple the size of the heater box water drain unless you enjoy an in car cold shower! This is a learned experience!

[SanRemo78]

Thanks Eric, I'll have a look at that, hopefully the hole in the bulkhead can accommodate a larger diameter pipe! Or maybe a thinner walled one?
Guy