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1995 Defender 90 Station Wagon #57/500
Air Conditioning Install and Upgrades
Does everyone tell you that you can't add Air Conditioning to your Defender 90 due to back orders and/or no longer available parts?
Don't listen to them!
We have Defender 90 AC systems for EFI V8s, 300 Tdi's and more! Even if you need us to install AC in your right hand drive Defender, we can help, no worries. One example install is shown below,
or click here for another A/C install on a 1995 NAS Defender 90 soft top:
Please note AC systems are installed here at ECR.
We do not offer mail order or DIY Air Conditioning kits or parts.
This 1995 NAS Defender 90 is headed to Illinois, but before it heads to the mid-west it is getting a run through ECR for some minor repairs and some upgrades. The biggest upgrade going into the Defender is AC (Air Conditioning). AC was an option back in 1995 when this car was new, so not all Defenders came with it. We can however easily add AC to the 1994-1995 NAS Defender, so if the Defender you are looking to buy does not have AC, but is right in every other way... we can make the truck perfect for you. This Defender 90 has been to ECR for other upgrades and repairs in the past and it is a truck we know well. To see the work done during its last visit go here.
Here you can see we have removed some of the interior and are now ready to install the main AC unit into the cabin.
Once installed the AC unit looks correct and works well. Now that the under-dash unit is installed we have also added the required parts under the hood to run the system and tied everything into place.
The controls for the AC unit are within easy reach of the driver and are illuminated so they are easy to see at night.
There is one huge difference to the AC units installed by ECR, unlike other shops installs and other manufactures kits, our system ties directly into the EFI system of the truck with no cutting or chopping of any wiring needed. The image above shows the display from one of our diagnostic computers. You can see the yellow arrow points to the AC system. When the system is off, or if the compressor is not needed the system is "OFF" according to the EFI system.
If the system is turned on or if the compressor is required the AC system "talks" to the EFI system and then the EFI system allows the compressor to turn on. Without this step the engine will stumble when the load from the AC compressors comes on, and worse yet the engine rpms will flare badly when the compressor kicks out, if the EFI system is not made aware of the changes. Land Rover made its AC system hook into the EFI system and so do we. Other places will tell you that it is not required to take this important step, but in most cases that is because they do not know how to do it. If this step is not taken you will have idle problems (lugging and rev'ing too high as the compressor turns on and off) and perhaps even stalling issues with your engine when the AC is running.
This image shows the AC system buttoned up and installed into the 1995 NAS 90. So now that truck that was "almost what he wanted" is "exactly what he wanted". With the AC install completed we will move on to the rest of the list on this NAS D90 Wagon.
This truck has been set up nicely for previous owners by ECR, so there isn't much that it doesn't have and it is in great shape. It is small service items and some further upgrades that we will be going after this time around.
Upgraded door hinges is one thing that has not been done to this highly optioned 90, so we got a set epoxy primed and painted by our in house paint shop and installed them with stainless steel hardware to end the rusty hinge look.
This 90 has Swamper SSR tires and these are great off road tires, but they are very heavy. So to save the rear door from fatiguing the welds in the door frame while carrying that larger heavy tire we have added a Mantec spare tire carrier to support the load better. We have also added a set of our LED tail lights to cure the all too common 95-97 tail light issues for good.
This truck had SG rear quarter guard as well, but those do not work with the Mantec tire carrier, so we have altered the RH guard so that it will work with the new tire carrier and then primed it, painted it and re-installed it. The SG corner guard is a little shorter than the other side now, but it will still protect the body and all the systems now work together.
Here you can see the completed project ready to head to IL. The 90, one of only 500 five speed Station Wagons in the USA, is now fully outfitted with everything from off road goodies to a new air conditioning system to keep the folks inside cool. It will be a welcome addition for the new owner and it will serve them well for many years to come.
If you have dreams for your Defender, contact ECR. We'll be happy to make your Defender world class... just like this one.