need air cond. help
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
From: macon, ga
need air cond. help
Hey guys I am planing to reinstall the air cond. in my vette over spring break. The previous owner removed all of it to lighten the car up, but black on black with no air is to much in west texas heat. So if yall dont mind could you send any info or diagrams, information or words of support that you guys might have. (I know i need to get a AIM.) thanks again for the help.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,119
Likes: 672
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Re: need air cond. help (ykp53)
Once you get it all sorted out and installed, have the entire system suctioned or vacumed out so it is clean and I'd install an in line air conditioning line filter as well. There's no sense in restoring the system and take a chance of it getting fouled by some loose dirty floating around inside.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: need air cond. help (ykp53)
Well aside from the obvious mechanical hook ups...
like said b-4, do a good pump down, make sure the lines are clean...I have just sprayed carb cleaner in them, then blown through with air hose...one way then the opposite...let dry under warm conditions overnite....
this works well for condensor, but may be questionable for the evaporator...
I don't recall what system your car has, but you may need one of those crazy VIR canisters...hope not, if available, they are expensive...but I see you are listing a BB in your year...so you might be able to get away with a '78 style pressure switch and expansion orifice tube...if you can, you save mucho dinero...maybe these can be installed in your system, depending on the parts you buy....
IMO, the published diagrams are a very poor substitute for seeing a complete car....getting a drift as to what's going on,..and making up your own system...
easy enough to do, but you need examples to go by...
I suggest getting in touch with your local vette club maybe through your locak chebby dealer, or NSRS.org??? web site...maybe NCCC......
they can get you in touch with your local club....ton's of tech help available there, and the price is usually RITE...;-)))
GENE
like said b-4, do a good pump down, make sure the lines are clean...I have just sprayed carb cleaner in them, then blown through with air hose...one way then the opposite...let dry under warm conditions overnite....
this works well for condensor, but may be questionable for the evaporator...
I don't recall what system your car has, but you may need one of those crazy VIR canisters...hope not, if available, they are expensive...but I see you are listing a BB in your year...so you might be able to get away with a '78 style pressure switch and expansion orifice tube...if you can, you save mucho dinero...maybe these can be installed in your system, depending on the parts you buy....
IMO, the published diagrams are a very poor substitute for seeing a complete car....getting a drift as to what's going on,..and making up your own system...
easy enough to do, but you need examples to go by...
I suggest getting in touch with your local vette club maybe through your locak chebby dealer, or NSRS.org??? web site...maybe NCCC......
they can get you in touch with your local club....ton's of tech help available there, and the price is usually RITE...;-)))
GENE
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
From: macon, ga
Re: need air cond. help (mrvette)
unfortunatly my system requires the vir canister. luckly i found a n.o.s. one. is there any place on the web that has good diagriams so i can figure out exactly what parts i need to order.
[Modified by ykp53, 8:07 PM 3/4/2002]
[Modified by ykp53, 8:07 PM 3/4/2002]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,220
Likes: 208
Re: need air cond. help (ykp53)
You might want to check out what Vintage Air has for offer.
www.vintageair.com
www.vintageair.com
Racer
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 446
Likes: 62
From: Sugar Land Texas
Re: need air cond. help (ykp53)
If the old system was flushed out, after removal, and stored properly, you might be okay, but I stored mine for several years, after ripping it out when I was younger and had bigger sweat glands. Unfortunately, the acidic nature of R-12 and moisture, ate tiney holes in my aluminum high pressure line and evaporator coil. I replaced both and the system worked as good as it could.
This past summer, among other items, I installed an aftermarket system and it is way simpler, not to mention better performing. You might want to investigate the possiblility of installing one. I now have a big open area where the evaporator box used to stick out from my firewall. I can open the hood and look right at the #8 spark plug. It's great.
The package, recommended to me, was a Vintage Air Compac Gen.II. You can go online at http://www.vintageair.com There is only one person, I know of, that installs these units in C-3's - Lewis Makeovers at 281-485-7366. I bought my system for $1095.00 and installed it myself, but Roger Lewis did the hose crimping for me, with his factory crimping tools. The retrofit was probably a 6,on the scale of 1-10.
This past summer, among other items, I installed an aftermarket system and it is way simpler, not to mention better performing. You might want to investigate the possiblility of installing one. I now have a big open area where the evaporator box used to stick out from my firewall. I can open the hood and look right at the #8 spark plug. It's great.
The package, recommended to me, was a Vintage Air Compac Gen.II. You can go online at http://www.vintageair.com There is only one person, I know of, that installs these units in C-3's - Lewis Makeovers at 281-485-7366. I bought my system for $1095.00 and installed it myself, but Roger Lewis did the hose crimping for me, with his factory crimping tools. The retrofit was probably a 6,on the scale of 1-10.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,220
Likes: 208
Re: need air cond. help (GWHITE75)
GWHITE75: Do you have any pics of the install? I have the same set up waiting to be installed in couple of weeks time and I could use all the info I can find. BTW I dig your car very much! :cheers:
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
From: macon, ga
Re: need air cond. help (mrvette)
Mrvette i think your righ it would help for me to see a car with AC but i only know 3 c3 here and none of them have AC. would some of you guys mind posting pictures of the system if you have them. i would grately apprciate it. thanks.
Yancey
Yancey
Racer
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 499
Likes: 0
From: honolulu HI
Re: need air cond. help (ykp53)
im in the process of getting parts together to reinstall the a/c unit in my 1980..i can help u as i go..im getting used parts to save money and so the brackets fit properly..i will take pics as i go and post them..i just set up the interior controller which was also missing..now i have a fan so the electrical part is now set -up....and working :)