wal280z Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 (edited) I've been searching for a more efficient and modern heater/AC unit to install into my 280. I haven't quite found one where the guts will fit inside the dash yet, but I wanted the control panel to look like it belongs there... Please note: I'm not pushing for stock, or factory, or something from Nissan. I just want something that doesn't look like I hacked it together in my back yard. I'm not very experienced in molding plastic, nor have I given thought of making a new one. I figured it would be cost prohibitive. So, I want to retain the stock bezel. The opening of the bezel for the control unit is about 7 3/4" X 2" I've included three pictures. "Both.jpg" shows the two panels, side by side. "RAV4.jpg" is a close up on the RAV4 panel, and "SUBI.jpg" is a close-up on the Subaru panel. RAV4.jpg: I found this in a first-gen Toyota RAV-4 (I'm pretty sure it was the first gen - the local Pick-N-Pull rarely has anything newer than 6 years old). Anyways, if anyone is looking to swap control panels in their 280, the RAV4 model offers a decent look. The large rectangular space to the left of the fan switch is for the AC switch. The unit is all mechanical (except for the AC switch). I didn't get the whole control ass'y for this, but the control panel fits like a glove. SUBI.jpg: For those that have far more electrical wiring experience than I, I found a control panel from a 1994 Subaru Legacy that fills the hole size beautifully. This panel controls the servos by an electrical signal rather than mechanical cable. The temperature is cable operated. I won't be using this panel (due to the wear and the fact there is no recirc or separate AC button), but was giddy when I measured it and saw it would fit the hole. It may work for others. Anyone else have any other ideas (control panel and/or the heater/AC housing units) that would work, I would like to hear what you have found.... Thank you. Edited March 25, 2018 by wal280z title for clarity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I like the idea. I hope you can come up with a workable solution... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBang Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I've been looking at the clasicair kits since I want to install an entire new kit to get AC with my RB25 in my Z but that may not be very practical for someone who wants to use the stock system both under the hood and under the dash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wal280z Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 ...but that may not be very practical for someone who wants to use the stock system both under the hood and under the dash. I apologize in advance if I misread your post, but keeping the stock system was NOT my intent of this post. The only stock part that I wanted to retain was the bezel that screwed to the dash. I want to install all new parts (under dash and under hood) for the new system. I want to be able to control the AC on/off while using the defrost. The stock (and aftermarket, back in the day) had the AC evaporator AFTER the heater/vent unit. It did not allow the AC compressor (with heat from the heater core) to the windshield to defog as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piston Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 damn, as much as i enjoy a/c in the hot summer days, i dont think i can make this happen in my z. do you guys know if all s30 under dash a/c evaporators etc. are all the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wal280z Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 do you guys know if all s30 under dash a/c evaporators etc. are all the same? I know first hand that the "factory installed" version on the 280Z is different in shape and size than the aftermarket one. I've seen a few different versions. Right now, they are in storage and I can't get you any pictures or measurements - not sure what you are really looking for... Hopefully, when this is all said and done, I can toss all the antique 'stock' and aftermarket stuff away that I have collected over the years... Why I started this thread is to find alternative ways to control the heater / AC ass'y in an S30, because I want to upgrade the heater/AC housing. In case you don't know, the control unit bolts to the heater housing. Eventually, I hope to replace all the stock internals with more modern stuff, as a unit (or some facsimile thereof...) Here is a teaser picture... the stock heater housing side by side to a air management unit from a Honda S2000... Note - the unit from the S2000 does NOT include the heater core or the AC parts or the fan, for that matter. It won't be installed tomorrow, but I hope if anyone else has any ideas or suggestions, please chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 i have a 77 with working factory a/c-+ turbo engine.still running r12.but i have made some minor changes.the hot water valve is a hand valve on the cylinder head and i use some of that preformed 90 degree hose to connect directly to the core-its on in the winter and off in the summer.it keeps me from over-pressuring the core at lagunaand insures the hot water is off.i ditched all the maze of factory mounted vacuem valve junk under the glove box.then i ran a relay to run the blower motor directly from the battery-it had a volt drop somewhere.if the little flaps are closing correctly on the side of the box the defroster and a/c will work good-i get 32 degree air.the oem factory stuff is really very high quality-note the use of real copper lines and very little rubber.if you have a bunch of misssing parts it wwould be best to look at some of the companies that make street rod stuff like vintage air.and convert to r134 with a compressor that takes less hp to run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piston Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 i seen one at the local pick n pull in a 77 280z the other day in almost mint condition. the whole car was almost perfect. dash was off and ac unit just sitting there all intact, looks like the one on the left in above pic. i thought about yanking the ac under unit but i was already burning too much cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wal280z Posted February 27, 2010 Author Share Posted February 27, 2010 I've been searching for a more efficient and modern heater/AC unit to install into my 280. I haven't quite found one where the guts will fit inside the dash yet, but I wanted the control panel to look like it belongs there... Please note: I'm not pushing for stock, or factory, or something from Nissan. I just want something that doesn't look like I hacked it together in my back yard. I'm not very experienced in molding plastic, nor have I given thought of making a new one. I figured it would be cost prohibitive. So, I want to retain the stock bezel. The opening of the bezel for the control unit is about 7 3/4" X 2" Well, I think I hit 'my jackpot' today at the local Pick and Pull. Found a 1995 Nissan Maxima with a fully electronic control panel. No mechanical cables, just a bunch of splicing. For some reason, the photo will not upload to this post, here is the link to the gallery: http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/gallery/image/23490-nissanjpg/ Note on the control panels reported in the original post: The Rav4 was completely mechanical, the Subi was electronic with the exception of the temperature control which was cable operated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 I like it!! Have you come up with the under dash unit you'll use yet? I hope you will make this install work, and document everything to where guys like me can follow your lead... Thanks - joel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wal280z Posted March 2, 2010 Author Share Posted March 2, 2010 I like it!! Have you come up with the under dash unit you'll use yet? I hope you will make this install work, and document everything to where guys like me can follow your lead... Thanks - joel Thanks Joel - I am narrowing the possibilities... I have found three different panels that will work with the bezel - now it's time to buckle down and actually get something to work. My search criteria is a 'somewhat' flat firewall, heater and AC firewall fittings somewhat in the same general area (excluding anything that would be centered on the firewall).... I've got three options (all mechanical / electrical+mechanical heat / all electrical). Again, it won't happen tomorrow... There was a Cobalt in there late summer that looked like it might fit but I was too late in getting to it and it got crushed before I could take measurements. I do hope to document/measure/record/etc. everything so it will be less painful to the next guy... thanks for keeping me focused... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greghassen Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 since the expansion valves for 75-78 are NLA, there is even more need to replace the evaporator core. It would be great if someone could come up with an evaporator unit that fits without much modification and is maybe more efficient/larger than the original datsun factory evaporator. I really like the idea of adapting the 95 maxima control panel to fit. you would need to get the electronic mixing valves from the maxima also, right? the ones on the z are mechanical and cannot be adapted very easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 For the record, that Soobie control panel does, in fact, have a recirc mode. "Max A/C" is recirculate, while "A/C" is fresh air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Oh please find a solution that is modern. This would be so cool. Watching for results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wal280z Posted March 22, 2010 Author Share Posted March 22, 2010 since the expansion valves for 75-78 are NLA, there is even more need to replace the evaporator core. Another reason why I am investigating alternate solutions. I really like the idea of adapting the 95 maxima control panel to fit. you would need to get the electronic mixing valves from the maxima also, right? the ones on the z are mechanical and cannot be adapted very easily. Yes if you intend on keeping the stock stuff. No if you want to gut it all and replace with new. The electronic mixing valves are really small motors that turn the flaps. There may be additional mechanical operation to that, i.e. cable operated heater control valve. More and more late model vehicles are abandoning the cable operation and going with electronic controls. The Maxima casings were too large to fit without major sheet metal surgery. After my weekend at Pick-N-Pull pulling the dash out of a Vigor (too big) and a Legend (this may work), I did spot an Integra (didn't get the year - it had the 'snake eye headlights') that at least the heater/air management unit may work but I was too late and it was in the row going to the crusher. Some provisions would be necessary to adapt the cable operated heater mode door to the electronic control unit. Update : I have been making brackets for the control panel to mount to the dash. I hope to have that done by next weekend and will post more pictures. The good news is there was welded nuts in the dash frame in the heater control panel for me to utilize... yeah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B00STDZ Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Heres what i posted last topic this was brought up in... I have done more research on this and have found out, it may be posssible to do a DCC swap into a s30! http://www.chuonthis.com/cars/s14-dcc/ it appears the 240sx jdm s14 auto digital climate control appears to be the same size as a s30's.. This online rightup gives a complete guide to all of the sensors needed for a s14 usdm a/c. Maybe you could buy a s14 usdm ac system and install it into an s30? Running upon this incredible find has given me alot of ideas... Double din dash... digital climate control, and now speed hut has a speedo with integrated turn/brights... I think we might be able to fully update the electronics on a s30 while keeping the original dash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wal280z Posted March 24, 2010 Author Share Posted March 24, 2010 Heres what i posted last topic this was brought up in... [snip] http://www.chuonthis.com/cars/s14-dcc/ [/snip] The DCC unit you reference is the fancier version of the 'manual' (that's what the FSM calls it) control panel of the Maxima I posted. I do recall seeing that thread - and I'm sure I will reference it upon installation. It does appear, however, that the DCC unit you have will exceed the opening of the stock bezel (which I would like to retain), but it may work for others. I will check out the 240sux in the j/y this weekend for clearance issues (max depth on the 280Z = 11.75" from firewall mount to dash frame. I may be able to gain an additional 3/8" to 5/8" by removing the firewall jute panel and replacing it with dynomat. Thanks for including the link to provide others additional options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B00STDZ Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 s13 heater a/c panel is smaller than the s14(in the link) I was saying it would fit as you would cut all that recess out and flush mount the panel in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wal280z Posted April 4, 2010 Author Share Posted April 4, 2010 Well, I think I hit 'my jackpot' today at the local Pick and Pull. Found a 1995 Nissan Maxima with a fully electronic control panel. No mechanical cables, just a bunch of splicing. For some reason, the photo will not upload to this post, here is the link to the gallery: http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/gallery/image/23490-nissanjpg/ Brackets fabricated and the panel installed in the test mule. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/gallery/image/23734-maxima/ Note to interested parties - be sure and grab the Maxima mounting frame when getting donor parts. Cut down as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wal280z Posted April 4, 2010 Author Share Posted April 4, 2010 (edited) Heres what i posted last topic this was brought up in...[snip] Maybe you could buy a s14 usdm ac system and install it into an s30? It may work, but by first measurements, it appears to be too long (right to left to fit into the cabin) Last week I managed to tear into a 95 Altima - and grabbed the air management/heater case - It looked like it would fit, but I found out when I got home it was about 2" too tall. There was a 94 240SX in the junkyard this week - lucky for me someone already removed the dash! The air management/heater case was nearly IDENTICAL, with the exception of the heater flap door motor mounting location and a few chassis mounts. I opted not to get the 240SX casing, as it was broken. But the internal flaps and mechanisms appeared as though they could be swapped from either unit. Reason I bring this up, an unmolested Altima can be found much easier than an unmolested 240SX, at least where I live. Edited April 4, 2010 by wal280z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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