oneof6

could you order A/C when you ordered the 427/435 HP engine in 1969??

hwcoop

showed as "Air Conditioning not available"
http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/b...re/05_JPG.html

Roughrider

It's not that a/c couldn't have been fitted but with the higher red line of the solid lifter engine there was the distinct possibility (probability?) that it would throw the belts. The '70-'71 LT-1 cars didn't have a/c offered for the same reasons. In the '72 model year a/c became available on LT-1 cars but with a lower red line.

Easy Mike

No, but you could get factory air with the L-68 400hp big block; TH400, too, if you wanted to go that route.

ed427vette

As others said, not from the fcatory. However, I have heard of dealer installed L71's and there is a Burgandy 69 out there for sale right now claiming to have a dealer installed AC unit on the L71.

TheSkunkWorks

From what I've read, exactly one 1969 COPO L71 came off the line with factory AC, for Roy Orbison.

I'm not certain which Corvette publication it ran in, but given the current state of my "archives", please don't expect me to dig out the article just now.

CA-Legal-Vette

A semi-high jack question. What was it about the A/C that made the belts come off at high RPM. Clearly they didn't come off the alternator or PS pumps. Is it the additional drag from the power eating compressor?

Enquiring minds want to know.

Mike Ward

The alternator had a larger diameter pulley with a deeper groove. The larger diameter slowed down the maximum rotational speed and a deeper groove helped keep the belt from flying off.