woog, what i'm pretty sure you will find is there are but a few actual manufacturers of aftermarket a/c, especially older vehicle a/c.
lot's sell the stuff, and even repackage with their comapny name. some buy, and modify to suit whatever need they seem fit to deal with.
i've installed auto, truck, r.v., custom vehicles, boat, and emergency vehicle systems since about 1975, and still operate a small business part time doing that.
koolkar is for koolkar auto air. i don't own a "car" per sey, and haven't for years.
i began to notice years ago, the same part numbers on parts from different suppliers, and so-called "manufacturers". some so-called "factory", o.e.m. a/c units were not supplied by the automakers, but rather were installed by the thousands in job shops all across the country. i can't remember how many of those things i have installed back in the 70's.
i don't know if a.r.a. is still around, but they made several different models of a/c units, including a pretty sweet in dash unit for 60's-70's trucks of all different sizes. red dot made units for larger vehicles, including some construction equipment, and yeah, i've installed rooftop units on those, as well as on mack trucks for a dealer.
best for folks to shop around, and sometimes a person can put together a system for a bunch less than a "kit". many, but not all of the kits i've seen feature a universal condensor, and a sort of universal evaporator packaged in differing interior mounting setups. i have ordered different inside units and then orderd the universal evaporator. the difference is worth it most of the time, but there are some exceptions.
shop around. one thing you probably won't find is the company that actually makes the product. they won't jepordize their business relationship with a company that buys hundreds of units for a hobby type guy who wants just one. remember if you want to hide the lines/wires, the kits often won't accomodate this. that's when it is even more important to buy individual parts. i did a very expensive custom car for an owner who insisted as much as possible not be exposed. the lines and wires ran in a line with the block, then along the frame, and into the inside of the car up the door support and under the dash and into the evaporator, which was mounted behind the dash. he got his wish, and although alot of what went into the job was factory components, they were from different sources.
sorry this is such a long post, and thanks woog for putting up the thread.
it has been awhile since i have offered advise on this website, but i am again.
understand that even if you buy a kit, there is a good chance you will run into difficulty if you have never installed/serviced an automotive a/c system, and, without proper care, you can be seriously injured (blind, frostbit for example, blown up using bootleg r-12 replacements containing propane/butane--and there are some out there). the job REQUIRES some special tools, and knowledge. knowledge i will gladly share, if i know.
