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Thread: Behr A/C console

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    40
    My Cars
    (2) 1978 320i

    Behr A/C console

    BHER.jpg

    Hello, hope you all don't care that I'm posting about a non-2002 car. But, most everything I have looked up has led me to 2002 BMWs rather than what this is in, a 1978 BMW 320i North American Version.


    If you're familiar with E21's, then this car has the normal square block A/C compressor. Just a different A/C console.

    I am just trying to identify what I have here, because this is not the normal console.

    Any info is appreciated, thank you.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Mile High, Colorado
    Posts
    1,008
    My Cars
    '76 2002,'16 435iX GC
    Hi. Well, that’s not a 2002 Behr AC console. I have a Behr in my 02 - they have different-looking vents/sides/controls. Your console looks to be a Clardy.

    No 2002s came with factory AC - it was a US POE or dealer-installed option. Behr seemed to be most common (typ. POE installed), but the other two brands were either Fridgiking or Clardy (dealer installed).

    Some details: Fridgiking (Texas) was the first available. Behr (German, built by the company which built heater boxes and radiators for ‘02’s and factory A/C for 6-cylinder BMW’s) became available next and looked the most “factory installed”, and Clardy (Texas) was the last of the three popular brands, arriving in 1975.

    Clardy was also a popular post-sale mod/accessory installation choice for BMWs in the 70s/80s. Clardy’s could be bought directly from Clardy, and used a horizontal evaporator with a blower hanging on the right (passenger) side. The blower is notable because it intrudes upon the passenger's footwell. Clardy was first to switch from piston to a rotary compressor (1978). All Clardy’s have the wide, horizontal evaporator and side-by-side vents.

    Clardy went extinct in the late 90’s, but ICE AC, owned by a former Clardy installer, sells a virtually identical system now, modeled on the Clardy unit. They might be a source for repair parts if you need ‘em.

    I added a pic of a Clardy console (disassembled)...

    Hope this helps!
    Tom

    3D53B2EB-127E-4974-BE04-93B48E850BFB.jpeg
    Last edited by visionaut; 11-07-2019 at 12:21 PM. Reason: Added pic

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    40
    My Cars
    (2) 1978 320i
    Quote Originally Posted by visionaut View Post
    Hi. Well, that’s not a 2002 Behr AC console. I have a Behr in my 02 - they have different-looking vents/sides/controls. Your console looks to be a Clardy.

    No 2002s came with factory AC - it was a US POE or dealer-installed option. Behr seemed to be most common (typ. POE installed), but the other two brands were either Fridgiking or Clardy (dealer installed).

    Some details: Fridgiking (Texas) was the first available. Behr (German, built by the company which built heater boxes and radiators for ‘02’s and factory A/C for 6-cylinder BMW’s) became available next and looked the most “factory installed”, and Clardy (Texas) was the last of the three popular brands, arriving in 1975.

    Clardy was also a popular post-sale mod/accessory installation choice for BMWs in the 70s/80s. Clardy’s could be bought directly from Clardy, and used a horizontal evaporator with a blower hanging on the right (passenger) side. The blower is notable because it intrudes upon the passenger's footwell. Clardy was first to switch from piston to a rotary compressor (1978). All Clardy’s have the wide, horizontal evaporator and side-by-side vents.

    Clardy went extinct in the late 90’s, but ICE AC, owned by a former Clardy installer, sells a virtually identical system now, modeled on the Clardy unit. They might be a source for repair parts if you need ‘em.

    I added a pic of a Clardy console (disassembled)...

    Hope this helps!
    Tom

    3D53B2EB-127E-4974-BE04-93B48E850BFB.jpeg
    Awesome information. Thank you!

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