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Old Mar 3, 2010 | 11:41 AM
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Default Air Condition Quality

Looking for a 69-72 and the wife want AC. Is it worth it? How well does it cool on a basicly original type car?
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Old Mar 3, 2010 | 11:44 AM
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My '72 has factory A/C with R12. It will keep you quite comfortable in pretty hot weather. It's also black!
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Old Mar 3, 2010 | 11:51 AM
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If it's working properly and that's a big if, it should keep you very comfortably cool.

In a coupe it's a option I would want to have...in a convertible not so much. I have ac in my convertible and I turn it on once or twice a season just to keep the compressor lubricated otherwise it's top down or windows down.
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Old Mar 3, 2010 | 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by z10kl
...the wife want AC. Is it worth it?...
That's up to you. Come home with one without AC and see how much trouble you get in.

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Old Mar 3, 2010 | 04:29 PM
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Yes, it's worth it if you live in a warm area or if the wife doesn't want to ride in the "open air". But, make sure the A/C is working well before you buy the car.
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Old Mar 3, 2010 | 05:30 PM
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I found that a '68 thru '72 big block optioned corvette with working A/C does a marginal job at best. Also remember that an a/c optioned Corvette does NOT have the center console levers for fresh air ventilation for the footwells. This makes a huge difference in a big block car where a tremendous amount of heat is generated into the cabin area. Having the fresh air ventilation down in the footwells makes driving a long time in these cars way more bearable.
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Old Mar 3, 2010 | 05:42 PM
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my 1st vette was a 70 vert 454 with air. it cooled the car down some but not like todays cars. now i have a 72 coupe with a 454. same story. even if they worked great i would hardly use here in pa. i like the top down or the t tops off and back window out. i also run it just to keep it oiled a few times a year. down side is if you get an oil leak you will probably ruin your hood from oil seaping into fiberglass causing paint to bubble. i wonder if it would work better if it were converted over to the newer freon.

Last edited by nutsy; Mar 3, 2010 at 06:30 PM.
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Old Mar 3, 2010 | 10:18 PM
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Originally Posted by nutsy
my 1st vette was a 70 vert 454 with air. it cooled the car down some but not like todays cars. now i have a 72 coupe with a 454. same story. even if they worked great i would hardly use here in pa. i like the top down or the t tops off and back window out. i also run it just to keep it oiled a few times a year. down side is if you get an oil leak you will probably ruin your hood from oil seaping into fiberglass causing paint to bubble. i wonder if it would work better if it were converted over to the newer freon.
Nope, Measured the vents before and after and it raised my temp 5 degrees.
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Old Mar 3, 2010 | 11:18 PM
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Mine cools reasonably well, but doesn't move a lot of air. Had to tighten up the seals in the ductwork and get the plenum door actuators working, but on a hot day the marginal AC is worth it. My wife only rides in it when the AC is on because she gets blown around too much with the windows down.
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Old Mar 4, 2010 | 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by gq82
If it's working properly and that's a big if, it should keep you very comfortably cool.

In a coupe it's a option I would want to have...in a convertible not so much. I have ac in my convertible and I turn it on once or twice a season just to keep the compressor lubricated otherwise it's top down or windows down.
I went to great pains to add it to my vert. I almost never use it to drive, but I turn it on every time I crank the car to keep the compressor lubricated.
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Old Mar 5, 2010 | 02:32 PM
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there's not much cubic footage in a vette to need cooled, it should work lots better than in a compareable impala.. but still.. who on earth drives a chrome bumper c3 with the windows up and the top up, or t-tops on? my top is never up, unless I am driving in the winter to keep out the cold.. after this winter, I am begging to be hot and uncomfortable...
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 12:20 PM
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Originally Posted by joewill
there's not much cubic footage in a vette to need cooled, it should work lots better than in a compareable impala.. but still.. who on earth drives a chrome bumper c3 with the windows up and the top up, or t-tops on? my top is never up, unless I am driving in the winter to keep out the cold.. after this winter, I am begging to be hot and uncomfortable...
Well maybe I'm the only one ? but .. on a real hot day I turn the A/C on, even with the windows down and the tops off .... It feels alot cooler while riding to me ....

Last edited by lock-n-load; Mar 6, 2010 at 12:22 PM.
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Old Mar 6, 2010 | 05:22 PM
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There are only a couple of problems with vette cooling. One is that leaves get caught in the A/C box and the fan doesn't have sufficient voltage. Fix one by removing the A/C box in the engine compartment and fix the other by rerouting the power feed to the fan control over to the alternator output.
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Old Mar 7, 2010 | 09:28 AM
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My AC doesn't work, its all there, don't care to maintain it , but with a white /convertible it isn't necessary . I have the top down 90% of the year and I don't drive in the rain period. , the rest of the time its cool and I don't need AC.....for those weekend winter cruises

I had a BLACK 1979 COUPE once ........WHEW !! that baby could cook , I felt like a FRENCH FRY in it sometimes and YES !!!!! the AC was a MUST for summer driving.

Drving a corvette with top down is WHAT ITS ALLABOUT BABY!!
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Old Mar 7, 2010 | 01:10 PM
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I have a blk vert and driving with the top down and 90 degrees outside, my wife and I were cooking inside the vette. About an hour like that. I have an A/C but not working. Bought a new compressor and am going to install it before the summer start. I need it.
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