Deleteing '76 A/C
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
Deleteing '76 A/C
I want to rid myself of the complete A/C system in my '76. Has anyone with a close year ever accomplished this? I especially want to remove the unGodly large evaporator box and install a much smaller heater only box under hood. I'd like to hear from someone about where you sourced the parts to do the swap out. Thanks!
John
John
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
From: Ft Hood TEXAS
Just did m,ine this past weekend. Kind of a pain, took about 2 days in the driveway. Someone had really hacked up a lot of the stuff so I took it out. Lost about 100 lbs and the car runs cooler without the A/c condenser in the way of the radiator. I'll try to post some pics after work.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Breckenridge Colorado
My 76 had the AC system completely stripped right before I got the car so I cannot tell you that much on the work required. If you need any pics though I would be more than happy to post some.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
From: Ft Hood TEXAS
Originally Posted by MartyW
My 76 had the AC system completely stripped right before I got the car so I cannot tell you that much on the work required. If you need any pics though I would be more than happy to post some.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
I'd really appreicate any pics and info you guys can provide. Did you 'fix' the heater control on the console so's it has heat only, or did you leave the a/c control intact? The books show two different listings for the vacuum lines that hook up to the control, one for a/c, one with-out. Do you not use as many vacuum valves with heater only? A heads up on any trouble spots would be humbly appreicated too!
Thanks! John
Thanks! John
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Breckenridge Colorado
Originally Posted by hotwater
I'd like to see some pics just to see what you did with the big hole in the firewall and what you did on the console as well. I will definately post some pics of mine after work today...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by seventysixvette
I want to rid myself of the complete A/C system in my '76.
Even if its not working someday soon it will decrease the value of your car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,802
Likes: 241
From: Niles, MI
Originally Posted by Bob Onit
Call me curious (or whatever you want) but.......... WHY?
Even if its not working someday soon it will decrease the value of your car.
Even if its not working someday soon it will decrease the value of your car.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 832
Likes: 1
From: Breckenridge Colorado
Originally Posted by Kid Vette
Are you planning to sell yours? Value only means something to me for insurance purposes. I ripped out ALL of the heater and AC and have no regrets. I don't drive the Vette in the winter so I don't need a heater and I rarely even use the AC in my DD. As with everything else: Whatever floats your boat.
I never drive in the winter and do not need AC in the summer up here so I am very glad all mine is gone. It does clean up the engine bay a bunch and removes some extra weight from the front of the car and I NEVER plan on selling the car.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
I've no intentions of removing the heating system. I plan on driving as much as I can, and will need the heater and more importantly the defrosters. I just never use auto A/C. My trucks a/c is NEVER used unless my wife or kids turn it on when they're with me. I want the extra room the compressor and evaporator removal will provide. Pulling the condensor off the front will help weight wise, and although it didn't overheat before I hope the radiator will be easier to clean.
The a/c hasn't worked as long as I've owned the car, and I have absolutely no intentions of plowing $ into something I wouldn't use anyway.
Someday I'll own my dream vette, a '74 vert. When I can finally seriously start looking, non A/C will be far preferable to A/C equipped. I won't automaticly eleminate one because of A/C, but I won't pay a single dollar extra because of it.
Pics? Pics? Anyone?
John
The a/c hasn't worked as long as I've owned the car, and I have absolutely no intentions of plowing $ into something I wouldn't use anyway.
Someday I'll own my dream vette, a '74 vert. When I can finally seriously start looking, non A/C will be far preferable to A/C equipped. I won't automaticly eleminate one because of A/C, but I won't pay a single dollar extra because of it.
Pics? Pics? Anyone?
John
Last edited by seventysixvette; Aug 14, 2006 at 09:09 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
From: Ft Hood TEXAS
Originally Posted by seventysixvette
I've no intentions of removing the heating system. I plan on driving as much as I can, and will need the heater and more importantly the defrosters. I just never use auto A/C. My trucks a/c is NEVER used unless my wife or kids turn it on when they're with me. I want the extra room the compressor and evaporator removal will provide. Pulling the condensor off the front will help weight wise, and although it didn't overheat before I hope the radiator will be easier to clean.
The a/c hasn't worked as long as I've owned the car, and I have absolutely no intentions of plowing $ into something I wouldn't use anyway.
Someday I'll own my dream vette, a '74 vert. When I can finally seriously start looking, non A/C will be far preferable to A/C equipped. I won't automaticly eleminate one because of A/C, but I won't pay a single dollar extra because of it.
Pics? Pics? Anyone?
John
The a/c hasn't worked as long as I've owned the car, and I have absolutely no intentions of plowing $ into something I wouldn't use anyway.
Someday I'll own my dream vette, a '74 vert. When I can finally seriously start looking, non A/C will be far preferable to A/C equipped. I won't automaticly eleminate one because of A/C, but I won't pay a single dollar extra because of it.
Pics? Pics? Anyone?
John
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by Kid Vette
Are you planning to sell yours? Value only means something to me for insurance purposes. I ripped out ALL of the heater and AC and have no regrets. I don't drive the Vette in the winter so I don't need a heater and I rarely even use the AC in my DD. As with everything else: Whatever floats your boat.
Dont get me wrong, do whatever you think will make your car more desireable to you, your the one that loves it and drives it
I just dont care to remove things that I dont need to
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
Hmmm, this isn't going to be as simple as I thought. I was hoping to just swap out the heater box and console control, but I wasn't thinking about not having any vents to help with fresh air intake. Having A/C, of course my car isn't set up with the astro vents, and there isn't any venting on the drivers kick panel area. The A/C system has three more vacuum operated doors than a heater only box. I was hoping to complete the A/C delete with stock parts, and keep it as stock (simple) as possible, but it looks like a bit of fabrication work will be required here also.
oh,well.....John
oh,well.....John
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,128
Likes: 3
From: Deltona (son of Deland and DAYTONA) FL
Originally Posted by Bob Onit
Call me curious (or whatever you want) but.......... WHY?
Even if its not working someday soon it will decrease the value of your car.
Even if its not working someday soon it will decrease the value of your car.
Hehe, all this after spending several months getting them all working properly, driving the car on the street for a few years. I realize myt 79 isn't going to be worth a ton of money like a chrome bumper would. I just want to build a functional, reliable, consistent race car with the beautiful lines of a C3.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
The previous owner removed the A/c (or most of it), I removed the rest as well as the heater core. A heater is pretty much useless here in FL....
I made a fiberglass plate to cover the hole in the firewall. It's a bolt on deal and can be restored to 'original'
The plate is made from 4 layers of fiberglass mat and resin, the bolts are stainless.
I made a fiberglass plate to cover the hole in the firewall. It's a bolt on deal and can be restored to 'original'
The plate is made from 4 layers of fiberglass mat and resin, the bolts are stainless.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 1
From: VetteMOD
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
Completely removing the heat and AC is easy but it sounds like you want to "convert" to the smaller heat only air box. I am doing the opposite and I think the only problem you will have is that the cutout in the firewall is larger for the AC box. So I guess you will have to make a plate or glass the hole.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
Originally Posted by BBShark
Completely removing the heat and AC is easy but it sounds like you want to "convert" to the smaller heat only air box. I am doing the opposite and I think the only problem you will have is that the cutout in the firewall is larger for the AC box. So I guess you will have to make a plate or glass the hole.
John
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 21,427
Likes: 456
From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
...I converted my '75 coupe two years ago to a non-A/C car when I converted it over to a 4spd car and also put in a 260hp crate motor at the same time. I used the smaller non-A/C heater box cover and heater coil. When I had the dash out to do the pedals I removed all the A/C duct work and got the correct wiper switch bezel that says "C-O-R-V-E-T-T-E" instead of having A/C ducts there. I also replaced my A/C controller with a rebuilt non-A/C controller from Zip's. I also very "neatly" fastened the right passenger side footwell fresh airdoor so I have continuous air flow into the car. The defroster, vent and footwell airflow works just like a non-A/C car does. Only difference I have is not having those two cable operated doors, but, like I said, I fastened one permanently open anyways. Yeah, I spent some money on the non-A/C controller & non-A/C heater core & cover, but what I sold of all the A/C for I wasn't out that much money. It looks so stock and neatly done, 97% of people that have looked at the car don't even realize that it "used to have A/C".
