A look at the ICE Auto Air ac kit.
Adding modern air‑conditioning to a 1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia once forced owners to hack the dash and accept clumsy boxy add‑ons, but today’s aftermarket kits deliver chilled comfort with a factory‑grade appearance. The ICE Auto Air kit installs cleanly, preserves the ash tray, and registers 58 °F at the vents on high—impressive for any classic, remarkable for an air‑cooled Volkswagen. Better still, the installation respects the car’s lightweight ethos, adding less than forty pounds overall.
Heat rejection starts up front with a high‑efficiency condenser mounted horizontally behind the sheet metal of the spare‑tire well. If you have a sway bar with an upward curve it will need to be replaced with a straight style sway bar to properly align in the condenser channel. Ram air is scooped by a deflector up into the through condenser at speed, but a small electric pusher fan guarantees airflow at idle. Because the Ghia’s nose offers limited surface area, the kit supplements it with a horizontal sub‑condenser on the firewall behind the engine over the cooling fan intake. Working together, the pair trims head pressure by roughly thirty psi on ninety‑degree days, preventing vapor lock and minimizing compressor draw. Heavy duty hoses route refrigerant between the exchangers without obstructing front‑suspension travel or rear‑brake service.
Inside the cabin, cooling duties fall to a compact evaporator and twin‑wheel blower module. Its molded fascia echoes Volkswagen’s original dash style, so once installed the assembly appears OEM and the ash tray still glides freely. Micro‑groove fins maximize surface area cooling consistent across all three blower speeds. Together the dual fans push 220 CFM, sweeping the shallow cockpit with uniform airflow. A discrete rotary thermostat replaces the redundant fresh‑air knob, giving fingertip control from mild de‑hum to full arctic blast.
A bead‑desiccant receiver‑dryer mounted on the right inner fender extracts moisture and debris, extending component life. Its built‑in trinary switch disables the compressor below 28 psi, above 400 psi, or whenever head pressure climbs to 210 psi, simultaneously energizing the condenser fan. The heart of the system is a compact swash‑plate compressor driven by a shortened V‑belt and anchored by a laser‑cut bracket that re‑uses generator‑stand studs and exhaust studs. At full output the compressor absorbs about four horsepower, yet diligent alignment and silicone isolators leave no perceptible vibration at idle or cruise.
Installation takes around 15 hours. Since the kit respects Volkswagen sheet‑metal, every hole is in a hidden area. Pair the hardware with new door rubbers and the Ghia stays icy cold while crawling through summer traffic, all while preserving period aesthetics. The satin black bezel, horizontal louvers, and classic knobs convince observers that this air‑conditioning system was simply another 1970 dealer option. Peak draw is thirteen amps; the stock generator. For owners who crave comfort without compromise, this kit finally lets the charismatic air‑cooled icon keep its cool. Contact us today to schedule your AC install.
