Miata AC re-fit

I got my '91 with the AC removed. I don't mean to sound like Bob Costas, but not having AC has actually kept the car in the garage on hot days (like today, in fact, and there is a Miata Club meeting tonight). I'd like to re-fit factory AC, but I'd rather pull R134a-ready pieces. Can I just pick up a set of used parts, bolt in, recharge, and go?

I believe so. You might even have an evaporator under the dash already, look for some capped pipes coming through the firewall between the fusebox and the intake manifold. AC was a dealer-installed option in some markets, and we once had one of the install kits. I don't think I have the instructions for it anymore though.

You'll want to make sure you get a second fan and the relay to trigger it. You should have the wiring already.

Keith, I don't recall whether I have said this before, but you are my hero.

If you need a/c bits, one of our region members posted the parts he removed from his 60K mile '94 when he did an R conversion. I think he still has everything. E-mail me if interested.

Thanks, Ian! I'll ask at our local club meeting tonight and if I don't get anywhere I'll shoot you an email tomorrow.

I've got an extra A/C fan if you need one.

This was a factory air A-pkg car. I guess I need to see what pieces have been taken off and go from there.

Not to steal lugnut thunder but my '90 Miata base model came from the factory with no AC. That was great in the years that I autocrossed it but after 17 years of ownership I now think AC would be nice.
Keith, do you know where to source a dealer install AC kit for a 1.6L ?

The dealer? Try Marshall at MedCenter Mazda, but wait until Monday when he's back from vacation. If anyone can get one, he can. I doubt you'll be able to get a 20-year-old R12 kit for a 1990, but I think the 1994-97 parts should work just fine if they're available. Lugnut, if your car once had AC, I suspect you still have most of the parts in the car such as the AC fan relay and the evaporator.

One thing I forgot to mention - you'll need a new knob for the HVAC fan control. The AC cars have a button in the middle. All NA Miatas already have the button mechanism built into the controls, you just can't access it with the non-AC knob.

Fun trick to play on your friends that don't have AC: pull the knob off the fan control (just use your fingers), press the center shaft (it'll pop back out, like a button) and reinsall the knob. This turns on a little blue AC light just below the knob which can really screw with someone's head, especially as there's no obvious way to turn it off.

Thanks for the lead Keith.
I have had these instructions bookmarked for years but have not sourced a kit. http://homepage.mac.com/akerman/misc/90ACINST.pdf

I reinstalled the AC in my 1990 a while back. I used a R134a compressor from a 1999 Miata. It is not plug-and-play but it fits with some 'adjustment' of the lines. I think I had to reuse one of the old lines off of my old compressor to make the fittings match.

I think if you use a complete 1994-97 setup, you shouldn't have to adjust anything.

Yeah I have the button with the AC in the middle. I'll snap a couple pictures when it's dry out to see what I'm missing.