I have a 71 XJ6, us spec with a/c as they all did. I’m considering a 71 XJ6, european spec without a/c.
Is it possible to remove the a/c from the US car and install in the euro car? What pieces need to be transferred? On a scale of 1-10 how difficult is it to do?
Thanks
Lou
In a word, everything.
Difficulty depends on how many spanners you have in your garage. If you are in the US I believe you can do the discharge, vacuum draw and recharge of the gasses yourself. In other parts of the world you may have to be registered. Here in NZ we would have to have this carrierd out. The other problem would be the gas, this era car woul use R12 which is now verboten.
Thank you Robin. It’s been a while since I was into refiling the A/C system but was there not a replacement gas, R-34 sticks in my mind.
So if I am hearing it right, it’s the entire system. If necessary, I can move the spanners elsewhere. 
I think what concerns me the most is whatever is behind the dashboard I saw the inside once and it look verrrrry complicated.
Thanks again.
Lou
No knowing whether the non AC car has the evaporator unit that is behind the center console or not, there are vents as well that connect to it. The vents
may be there if one only has a heater??? Taking out the evaporator is a big JOB that means the dash and center console would have to be removed. I have
done this job to get to the heater matrix/core that is behind the evaporator!
Taking out the stuff under the hood is easy enough… if you would have to pay someone to do this job it would be MAJOR MONEY…
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As the AC was a factory option, Lou - Jaguar likely prepared all cars for the option, but installed the components during assembly…
…so as Roger warns; considerable stripdown is necessary, particularly for the in-dash evaporator. I think you should thoroughly assess the task before starting - identifying all components and their positions, and the relevant mounting points, including controls. And of course ensure that the existing system is working ‘as is’ - to ensure the result is worth the effort. Removing/replacing the evaporator, as Roger did, may be easier than installing the evaporator from scratch…
I’d say this transplant is likely more laborious than anything else transferred from car to car…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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Lou:
That would be my take. Not bad under the bonnet. A monster in the cabin!!
If all else is similar in the Two cars, I’d consider swapping the European car stuff into the USA car, making it have the euro look.
Carl
Pictures might help you decide on doing the job or not!
First photo shows all removed including the heater matrix
Second photo shows the evaporator out of the car
Lou,
sounds like one hell of a job. Even the SI factory a/c in fact was climate control, i.e. not just “plug-on cold air”, but an entirely different system sitting virtually at the center of the car requiring a full tear down from the crash roll down to the center console. Even once you have it all out, it won’t be enough to simply drop the a/c part in, but it all has to be fitted from the control knobs to each and every vacuum tube to each and every actuator at the flaps.
Maybe I’d go in, if I could start with a positively functioning AC system in the donor card, had a workplace where I could place both cars side by side and had one week off with nothing else to do:-) But that’s just me …
And yes, even if the donor car’s AC was functioning perfectly on R12 you’d certainly want to replace all refrigerant tubes with modern (non-breathing!) tubes, clean all components (health hazard!) and upgrade the system to R134. Once you’re at it, you might use a more modern and efficient, yet smaller compressor and mount it in a more service-friendly manner (documented by a list member, IIRC).
Good luck and keep us posted
Jochen
75 XJ6L 4.2 auto (UK spec)
Thank you to all who responded to the question of transferring an A/C system from a car built with the option to a car that was not originally so equipped.
I asked the question because when viewing the components in the engine compartment, moving seemed relatively easy. But having read many posts in past years from owners with issues about the equipment inside the car, I was concerned.
Your posts confirmed that concern. If I want A/C, and I’m not sure I really need it given the limited use of the car, I should find a car built with it. .
Thanks for the responses.
Regards
Lou
