Grad student bolts air-conditioner onto car to beat Texas heat
By Darren Murph 
posted August 11th 2007 8:50PM
posted August 11th 2007 8:50PM
[Via Wired]
posted August 11th 2007 8:50PM
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Would that be illegal?
Yup and it would have been easier to use a propane one meant for a camper.
I don't know about it being illegal, since you are allowed tote those little camper looking shells on top of SUV's and what not. Plus haven't we all seen our share of people holding mattresses among other things on top of their car?
And finally remember it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Illegal or not that is frigg'n genius!!!!! Forget candy, AC is the new way to get unsuspecting kids in your car! Sup kid-o i gots a oh, henry! and some fancy AC in my car... Jump in... you know you want to!
I just hope that thing is secured... could you imagine that thing flying off and hitting your car at 50-60mph???
I wonder what would happen if the weight of that thing is too much for the roof to handle...
He should have mounted it in the rear window to reduce drag, center of gravity, load on the roof, and it would make for easier installation, adjustment of the temperature (vs getting out at red lights), and over all aesthetics.
But if he mounted it on the rear he couldn't see anything out his rear-view mirror... Which wouldn't really be too big of a problem until he backs up and runs somebody over.
trucks dont have rearviews... you learn that they're a luxury.
it looks to me like he just put some sheet metal over his sunroof, that way he doesnt have to cut a hole in the roof of his car
Man it isn't THAT hot in Texas. If you just get your car checked out every once in awhile you could catch being low on antifreeze. Try getting one of those little bottles and see if those work because you just might be out of antifreeze and the mechanic is trying to steal your money. (I would laugh at someone with that on their car if i saw that)
Anti...freeze? I think you might be confusing AC refrigerant (which really shouldn't leak out if the system is working) with the cooling system for the car itself.
I'm going to venture to guess that whatever your mechanic says to you, you should probably believe him.
Wow yeah i definitely did mean the refrigerant......i must have been up way to long tonight >_< And i was talking about the car running out of the refrigerant as it happens sometimes.
I'm sure this guy knows about the freon, and that is only like $300 to replace.
I'm sure a belt or the whole system went out for the cost to be $1200.
But then again, it could just be a nasty mechanic.
This guy is also driving around with expired registration stickers and tags for his car. They expired in 2006.
They aired it on our local news here in Austin, TX. What a goofball.
Jackass? What exactly did the fella do to you to warrant calling him a jackass, jackass? Trying to boost some self esteem by swearing at random people on the internet? Here, have another 10%... Now get the hell off Engadget - and stay off!
UH OH LJ DRAMA!!!
Talk about a hit to your MPG? I mean between the wind drag, and the extra load generating the electricity needed to fuel that power sucking monster.
He would have done better if he had just put a down payment on another used auto...
I'd hate to have to be the one to clean the filter on that thing...
It also would have been cool if he could have installed sticking out of one of the windows, in the traditional airconditioner manner.
uh, isn't it "tanks", not "thanks"?
so does he have to buy another unit every time it rains? last time i checked water and electrical appliances don't mix, and that thing doesn't look water proof.
doesn't most of the unit hang out your window? i'm guessing it can get pretty wet out there
I'm not sure what you mean. These kind of air conditioning units are designed to withstand a little water on the outside of the unit, albeit not on top of a car at fifty miles per hour. I suppose the "indoor" part of the AC unit could be fried though.
I'm not sure. However, my washing machine uses copious amounts of water and seems to work just fine...
Last time I checked the air-conditioner stays on the outside of your house... ya' know... where it rains.
What a tool, it doesn't cost 1200 bucks to fix an AC system in a car. Shit for 1200 he could buy another POS with a working AC and drive that.
You obviously don't libe in a hot city like Houston or you wouldn't be making this kind of nonsense posts.
It CAN cost that much buddy, believe me.
this guy is the man.
Slibus, it does cost that much when you drive an old POS that runs on freon (which you can't get anymore) and have to replace the entire AC system.
what an idiot!, what did he graduate? why wouldn't you put it in the boot and vent it through the parcel tray?
The guy lives in Texas, I think he'd tell you his car doesn't wear boots.
sorry a boot is Australian for trunk( i think a trunk sounds like something that goes at the front)
Parcel tray? Is that like a glove box?
Should'a used a Delorean.
I did see a window unit a man attached to where his rear sliding window is on a pickup truck. I was at a red light in Orange Park, FL and heard a loud noise, I looked over and it was his gas generator in the bed running the a/c unit. I didn't have a camera but gave him a thumbs up!!
Awesome.
It was all about costs. He was interviewed on local tv.
He said it cost him about $300 for this setup.
Most people usually don't have fifty grand to plunk down on a Delorean. Heck for that much he could replace his A/C and buy another car.
that doesnt seem too special to me. who cares?
Oh come on guys. This is awesome. Although he probably should have mounted it in the trunk instead. Less chance of being vandalized/pulled over for suspected terrorism.
The sad part is someone will jack this right off his car and use it for their apartment.
I guess he never heard of rolling down the windows...
In case you didn't know, rolling down the windows in 99F weather doesn't really cool you off....
i thing it's great thing
Buahaha... he must be part Mexican.
I live on the border, and that type of thing is very common.
Just to bring more shame to this great state of Temexico, I came across this in McAllen Tx -
http://www.2000transam.com/temp/IMAGE_020.jpg
Add to that about 8 NRA stickers on the vehicle and we have a winner!
::LOLs at the emergency room::
Don't forget the "W" sticker in the rear window...
"Buahaha... he must be part Mexican."...think b4 you mod down folks...this is a compliment to our neighbors to the south. They are a very friendly AND resourceful people.
will it blend
Ya why spend $1200 when you can spend a $100 and just drill holes in the roof of your car which will hurt what resale value you had left on the car. Sounds like a good investment to me. I just wish you could spot every moron this easily. I would be surprised if that thing stayed mounted without ripping right off during a highspeed accident. Sounds like a mythbuster episode.