Air conditioning conversion question.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,478
Likes: 985
From: Houston Texas
Air conditioning conversion question.
It looks like from Karl Ludvigsen’s book that AC was not as popular in the 1970 to 1972 cars I am looking at, going from 38.5% of 1970 model year Corvettes to 52.7% in 1971 and 62.9% by 1972. My question is how hard is it to source the original interior vents, controls, flaps and evaporator? I would assume the dryer, compressor and condenser are easily sourced. I am not adverse to upgrading to non-stock parts you can not see, in particular the evaporator. Also, what do think all the parts would run?
Last edited by Michael T*; Sep 3, 2020 at 02:39 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,539
Likes: 1,972
From: Temple Terrace Florida
I added factory AC to my 68 many years before Vintage Air offered their systems. I bought the entire system inside and out from a Corvette junk yard. Good luck trying that today. I would just add a Vintage Air system. I added a VA system to my 66 and it cools better and is more efficient than my 68 system. Jerry
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,404
Likes: 791
From: Redondo Beach, California
The factory AC takes up a lot of space in the engine compartment. The cold air plenum of the factory AC is located about 1 inch from the exhaust manifolds in a big block car.......talk about inefficiency!!!!! The cold air plenum fiberglass wall is perhaps 3/16 of an inch thick. When I removed my factory AC from my 70, the heat from the exhaust had fried the nearby fiberglass plenum wall and there was an about 1 square inch hole in the plenum......the AC was blowing cold air on the exhaust manifold! Also, the factory AC compressor, an A6, is also massive. It has a tremendous cooling capacity to override the inefficiency of the factory AC. The factory AC has a large number of vacuum solenoids, vacuum operated this's and that's. If you want to install a factory AC, you need to buy all of this stuff new...$$$$.
I have installed the Vintage Air system in my 70. I have completed the interior installation. Supposedly this is the most difficult part of the installation.
Actually, I got rid of the factory AC and the factory PB because I didn't want anything in the engine compartment to interfere with installing headers on my new BB engine. Getting rid of this factory stuff frees up a lot of engine compartment room. I still will have PB because I've installed a Hydroboost (aka Hydrobeast) PB system.
I have installed the Vintage Air system in my 70. I have completed the interior installation. Supposedly this is the most difficult part of the installation.
Actually, I got rid of the factory AC and the factory PB because I didn't want anything in the engine compartment to interfere with installing headers on my new BB engine. Getting rid of this factory stuff frees up a lot of engine compartment room. I still will have PB because I've installed a Hydroboost (aka Hydrobeast) PB system.
Last edited by 68/70Vette; Sep 3, 2020 at 08:54 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
It would be nearly impossible to convert a non-A/C C3 to one with all the stock A/C parts installed and successfully working. If you want to keep your present car, install a complete aftermarket system, ie, Vintage Air, etc. Otherwise, you could sell your car and then purchase an original A/C car with working air.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 10,628
Likes: 132
From: Duvall, WA
I put in Vintage Air about 5 years ago and it works great. I don't use it at home very often because I always have the top down, which cuts down on the effectiveness of the a/c. It's fantastic for when we drive it down to California in 100°+ temperatures and have the top up.
