Photo / Measurement of Where Hard A/C Lines Go Through the Firewall?

[thehackmechanic]

On a closely-related matter to my other a/c post, could someone post a photo and a set of measurements for where the hard a/c lines go through the firewall on an E12-based car? I'm doing a from-scratch a/c retrofit and need to punch the holes in the right place.

Thanks.

--Rob Siegel

[thehackmechanic]

Bumping this, and asking... is the hard line placement the same on an E12-based car as it is on an E28-based car? I see where the hard a/c lines come through the firewall on my '85 635CSi. Can I just take a set of measurements from inside the car, say relative to the glovebox screw holes, and apply those to my'79?

[zinnocoupe]

Rob, I have both a 79 e12 based e24 and a late e24. Neither of them is at my house right now but I'll take a look and post back here asap. I am going to suggest that your 79, wether it had AC or not from the factory should already have the holes and they my have rubber bungs in them. Similar to the bung in the clutch master cylinder hole in an auto car. It doesnt make sense that BMW would have drilled holes only for the cars that were getting AC. Or does it? From memory the AC lines enter the firewall 6 inches bellow the strut tower and very close to the right fender wall. I just checked my e12 and I see there is a cutout in the firewall insulation for the two AC holes. Maybe on a non AC car that insulation is covering the holes?

[zinnocoupe]

OK so I haven't been able to get to my 87 635 but I took pics of my 79 635 and my 77 530i. They both came with factory air and they both have two holes in the same spot on the firewall beside the fender inline with the brakelines. ( if that makes any sense.)
The early e24
IMG_0887 by Dave Grayson, on Flickr
the e12
IMG_0883 by Dave Grayson, on Flickr

You can see how the firewall insulation has a cutout for the AC lines. Maybe the holes are there under the insulation if it hasn't been cut out? I've never seen a non AC car so I don't know. Hope this helps. please post the outcome for you so we can all see how it went.