Forum: Like many I am not happy w/factory AC.
I'm tired of spending money and not getting the cold.

I like the idea of the cross folw condenser and a better compressor.
Some have torn out old and replaced w/aftermarket.

Has anyone checked out these people?

http://www.restomodair.com/ac-systems/

I don't mind spending money, if the results justify the costs.

Any thoughts from those in the know about AC?

R

 

vintage makes them spec'd for C3's as do others , cheaper

 

I know this: stock factory air was always good on my '74. It's also good on my '80.

 

I also bought the Vintage air kit for my '70, $1,285 as I remember. The kit has a LOT of pieces, but the cleanup in the engine bay alone is worth it.

 

that's an awful lot of money for just the under dash unit & misc. the "awesome vents' appear to be what other companies call "vents"- they prabably cost very little to make so at that price they should give you a boxful. the ad calls the unit a "technical marvel"- really?the fan looks impressive (ask for the max cfm) but the unit is 4 in. longer than most- those 4 in. are important in most cars. the a/c & heat lines are much farther apart than most other similar units- thats quite an improvement but hardly worth the extra cash. appears to be too much buck for the bang. you only have 16 in. from the right kick panel to the tunnel & i don't believe it will tuck up into the dash. most units hang down below the dash a little i think & that's not a problem but it just looks too big to me (& measures 24 in.- LONG). call & ask about the cfm on the fan then compare to others avail. several co. make close to fit for most c3's. there really isn't a lot of room under the dash. i suggest a search- there is a lot of info here on aftermarket units but it's not that easy to find (or i'm not using the right search words). in short the "flagship' just seems too long. all its "wonderfullness" ain't worth much if it won't fit.

 

Taijutsu,

Not sure what you have done for the factory ac in your car; I did this to my 71 and 76 vette and both blow very cold (42f vent temps in south LA).

Clean out ac box, both of mine were full of leaves, acorns, etc
New seals in ac box
Flush all components
New Orings
Make sure your poa or vir is metering the freon correctly
Install new drier
Vacuum and charge with R12
Enjoy cold air

Roger

 

I've installed both Vintage and Classic Auto Air. Both companies were GREAT to work with. Be sure to research them before buying aftermarket.

 

if you are handy with tools and since you already have a/c, there are retro fit systems that will convert to an updated compressor for bout $400, but making sure yours is fully functioning would be a good start

 

Too many shops out there that claim they can service A/Cs but have no expertise or knowledge on how they work or are just hacks in general.
The factory A/C should work fine if everything is up to snuff-
Unfortunately, you get places wanting make a quick buck doing half-assed R134a upgrades and the like.
The biggest issues for A/C systems are also the most overlooked.
Is the condenser and evaporator clean and free of crap?
Is the system itself sealed properly and free of contaminants?
90% of your issues will fall into the these 2 categories and are the same regardless if it's a 40 year old OEM system or a brand new $2000 system. If you have crap either inside or outside the system and/or pressure leaks, it won't work.

 

I live in Las Vegas and have done all kinds of upgrades to my original system to keep me cool in the over 110 degree summers. Roger3 has the right idea. Here is a couple of things I've learned over the years with mine. The compressor doesn't matter that much...it just moves the refrigerate through the system. As long as it is doing that and not leaking that is what you want. The condensor and airflow through it make the most difference. Unless you are trying to stay original get rid of your 60s technology condensor and replace it with the biggest and best you can fit in your car. This will require some hose changes but if you don't do this don't even try to run R134. Check your vacuum operated door in the cowl passenger side. Most of them are broke, this enables the system to recool the air in your cab rather than the hot air outside. Clean out your evaporator box, this isn't easy and is best done with the engine out but mine was close to 50% blocked. You will be amazed how much this increases your air flow. If you still don't have the airflow you want you can put a bigger and better squirrel cage fan in. This requires making a spacer to get it to fit. Check your airflow through the condensor. Are all the seals present for your condensor and radiator? Is your clutch fan working properly? Check for leaks for the air path from the passenger side foot board to the evaporator. Cab air is sucked in there and goes through two vacuum operated doors to the evaporator. Both doors need to be operating and sealing properly. Look for air leaks between the fender and this air path. Check the evaporator box sealing under the hood, a bad seal here sucks hot engince compartment air straight into the path. Install a heat shield on the evaporator box where it is close to your headers. There are lots of little things that all add up to a much better operating system.