Redneck Engineering

Well in your scenario, there is also the dryer and expansion valve to replace, and if you don't have the tool to pull the vacuum on the system you are going to have to pay for that, which also assumes you have an air compressor. But even with this simple made up scenario, we are at or over the cost for the 'solution' in the image. I have dealt with things like under dash ac issues, and the quotes if you can even get someone to give you one start in the thousands, so as redneck as this is, I can definitely see where this person just said fuck it and started bolting this in. I have grown up with cars with no ac in the summer in places that got hot, and it's miserable, but I have never cobbled something like this together, so I agree with you on the actual safety of this as I would never do it myself. Where I don't agree is that I believe this was a cost issue, and I bet he saved a lot of money going this route. Should he be allowed to drive around with that much unrestrained metal hanging off his car? Nope. But I definitely can see his thought process. Cheap first, comfort second, safety last.