Bud's Benz A/C systems

[pauldridge]

Anyone with experience with these units?

[Benz Dr.]

I put one in a 250SL auto. I won't do it again either.

 I think they ( Bud's )  have the system made for them by an outside source. It's a lot more work to instal than you might believe. The instructions were a bit vauge but it seems to work OK. The blower motor is VERY noisy which I don't care for and the housing is cheap looking plastic.

I tired to make it work with the CCS but when you put the car in gear it's already lifted. All in all, I won't do one again. I was told '' 8 hours to install '' but it was more like 18. I hate AC.....

[pauldridge]

But then you don't live in Hell's half acre - Texas!

Interestingly, a Texas vintage A/C company called OldAirProducts.com (who sold me a perfect factory-replica system for my '65 Stingray) has a generic underdash system for about half the price of Bud's.  The dash unit I swear looks identical.  I already have a compressor mount, so the remaining pieces are pretty much off-the-shelf, and these guys provide the exact size condensor needed for your specific car.

Decisions, decisions.

Thanks for the input

[DavidBrough]

I’ve fitted the Buds kit to my car and Dan is right, fitting any aftermarket A/C system is a real pain. The instructions, for what they are worth, may as well say “open bonnet/hood and fit kit”

I have to say that in the end it was worth it, after I’d junked the supplied hoses and had some small bore ones made to fit right hand drive properly it ended up quite neat and works very well. The fan is very loud as it runs far too fast on its lowest setting so I fitted a resistor to slow it down and dumped position 3 which was like Concord on take off. The finish is also very plasticky but I sprayed mine with some black trim paint which took the shine off and now it’s not too bad, I will have it trimmed properly at some time though.

[awolff280sl]

David,
Would you be able to post the details of what you did to lower the fan speed of your Bud's A/c?
I have been wanting to do such a thing, but I lack the know-how. Thanks!

[Benz Dr.]

Normally I don't play around with A/C or radios. In this case I got talked into installing both. I'm sure we had all the dash apart on this car several times before it left. It's such a tedious job that I wouldn't do it again.
 This car is headed for St. Martin so I suppose that qualifies for pretty hot most of the time.


The fan is REALLY fast and vibrates like it's ready to explode. It sure sounds cheap and half assed.

[merrill]

Phil
you may want to contact gernold at sl tech

http://www.sltechw113.com/parts/parts_index.htm

The a/c unit below is on his web site

Complete "Frigiking". $1,995

A/C unit in excellent working and cosmetic condition. Removed from 1970 280SL

Others available.

[DavidBrough]

Andy,

I think the resistor I purchased was 300 watt 1.5 ohm I will have to look it up to check. It is very large (about 120x60mm) and I have just used Velcro to hold it to the carpet behind the A/C switches at the moment, not ideal. I wired it in line with the lowest speed which slowed the fan down a real treat. I then jumped the resistor to use speed one as speed two and wired speed two as three and did away with the fastest speed althogether. This means that the resistor only works on the slowest speed so develops much less heat.

[abe280SL]

I know you have heard this a million times, so here it goes.  I just take the top off and thats my a/c
abe

[DavidBrough]

Yes but if it's hot and raining you'll get wet. Does that quite a lot over here.

[egggplant]

I just take the top off and that's my a/c

In the incinerating southern California summer heat?  I can't put my top down in August because my brains will start to boil.

[joao210]

The same Fridgette  complete ac unit that Bud sells for $1500 is available for $1009 [there are also coupons available to get an additional 10% off ] from JC Whitney

[hauser]

Here is the one from JC Whitney

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2002887/c-10114/Nty-1/p-2002887/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-10114/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=fridgette