I'm not looking for any reasons, and I have my own reasons for keeping or removing my A/C. Just wanted to see what you guys/gals think I should do...keep A/C or remove A/C. I think I have my mind made up already, just want to see what the forum members would do. Thanks

 

Removing the A/C will greatly devalue the car if you try to sell it in the future. So if you take it off, keep all of the stuff in a box. Why would you want to remove it anyways? Weight savings?

 

I passed up many good cars until I found one with A/C. As I live in FLA, I assumed A/C would be a necessity to enjoy my car year-round. The first day I drove the car, I cranked the A/C and soon realized it was worthless. The heat beating through the conv. top combined with the heat from the engine/exhaust, made the passenger compartment a toaster-oven.

I disconnected my A/C soon thereafter and drive the car at every opportunity with the top down, save for the warmest days.

On the down-side...at every car show, I have to hear at least two morons say "A/C doesn't work does it? Why ya got the belt off?".

D. Ocean
Miami, FLA

 

If you remove the AC, the parts inside will start to dry out. The freon lubracates and preserves the system.
Exposing to air will start a corrosion -- so, YES do remove it! :hat

 

Here is my opinion, others have theirs. I do not like the bulkiness of the engine compartment of a Corvette with A/C. I'm in the middle of removing my A/C from my '75 Coupe. Have rounded up most of the "correct" non-A/C parts. For a "seasonal" car that is only driven a few thousand miles a year, I just can't justify the maintaining of this system. I know there are people that keep their A/C working, but seems like "most" C3 ads for A/C cars(pre-79 mainly, so it seems)say A/C not working, "just needs recharged" :lolg: like most of the eBay ads say. If its so simple that it needs " just recharged", why even try to sell with it NOT working :confused: :mad . 90% it's alot more than merely needing "just recharged". I know several people who have spent several hundreds of dollars on their system and when they get their car out of storage in the Spring the A/C does'nt work again and needs "re-charged". My other three C3s are factory non-A/C cars, and I love the "simpleness" of them. The next time my '75 is driven, it too will be a non-A/C car. It'll look very, very stock. Someone will have to look and know what they are looking at to be able to tell I've converted it to a non-A/C car. :yesnod: I know too there are others will say I've "devalued" it by removing the A/C. Yes, this may be true, but I seriously doubt on a '75 coupe with 149,000mi that it'll make a bag of beans of difference. Least I'll be able to change the plugs on the passenger side in about 7 minutes :lol:

 

If the AC works--leave it in. Why screw up something that works
If it doesn't work, then take it out

 

I never used my A/C so I took it out.

 

I've passed on quite a few cars where the A/C has been removed. I just tell the seller, "good luck bubba" and move on.

The A/C in my '75 works like a dream and I've never found it to be that big of a pita when it comes to working on the engine. I typically use it when the temps are in the mid 90's or higher. Nothing better than pulling up next to another Vette with no A/C and laughing at Bubba sweating like a pig and sticking to his seats.
Only car I own that doesn't have A/C is my '66 Corvair...and I am working on building a custom system for it.

 

Engine compartment looks neater without it. But other than that I say if it is there, leave it alone. If you are going to take it out do it right and take it all the way out and put the correct heater box and other parts in. Nothing looks worse than a car with the A/C half way off. Again I say, leave it as is.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the hole in the firewall different for a non-A/C car as well as the ductwork, vacuum lines, wiring harnesses, and controls? Seems like it would be a monumental job to remove it so it looks like it was never equipped. Personally, I think "all original" is worth more at selling time, my opinion is fix it, or just pull the belt and leave it. If the belt is pulled, a short non-adjustable belt should be installed between the water pump and crank pulleys though, Gates #7345.

 

Based on the amount of heat my 76 puts out I could not drive it on most days here in the South Carolina without the A/C. I am thankful I have it converted to R134a and it's working 100%. Even on the hottest day I have to turn the A/C down cause it gets to cold inside...

Value of the car aside, if you cant stand the heat every time you get into it..

If on the other hand heat is not an issue for you while driving and the engine is not in show condition then take it out. But if the engine is in show condition (and you show the car) 99% of the mid 70 owners will know that you removed it.

For me it was driving comfort that made my decision.




[Modified by Pete76Shark, 7:46 AM 1/3/2004]

 

:confused: Why? Keep it !

 

If you're going to post a poll, post it as a POLL. :rolleyes:

 

Living where you do I'd keep it. If you don't want it the next owner might. Who knows, you might want to sell the vette for a differnt model sooner or later.

 

Are you kidding? we both live in Ga. No way I would pull mine out. As a matter of fact I'm in the middle of a 400-420 hp rebuild/upgrade more with nitrous and the AC is definitly staying. I know alot of folks at the track with VERY fast cars that run with their AC's on and nitrous spraying down the 1/8 mile. Why would you even consider removing it?

 

If your AC doesn't cool the pass compartment down there is something wrong. I hear the "C3 AC's were no good anyway" all the time and I think it's a cop out. A C3 AC system in good order will cool just fine. I drive my 71 year round and even in 110F heat here in Dallas I get home without breaking a sweat.

 

Right!

If I were not going to use it, would remove it.

:cool:

 

A/C wasn't putting out cold air when I bought the car and it was not a deal breaker for me. Here in Northern Ohio I have never missed using the A/C in the Corvette (T-Tops off and it's cool enough) and it's probably the reason the original owner never recharged it either.

R12 is way to expensive to even think about and the conversion is just money wasted IMHO if you are so worried about the car being original.

I very rarely use A/C in my daily driver either...... Maybe someday I'll get around to removing the compressor but it's not high on my list of things to do.



[Modified by KenSny, 10:26 AM 1/3/2004]

 

As the owner of a non A/C vert.... if I lived in Georgia and had an 80 coupe, I think I would go to the trouble of keeping the A/C working! Otherwise I would be changing the sweat stained seatcovers annually!!! :lol:

[ Paul, I am SHOCKED!!!! I hope I am around when you submit that 75 for bowtie judging to blow the whistle on you!!! :lol: ]
MJ

 

My A/C is all there and hooked up but blows warm. My car had a vacuum problem that the air wouldn't blow out of the vents. I took the entire dash out of the car to find three broke vacuum hoses. I repaired them and now all of the vents work fine.

I am going to check it for leaks and recharge the system. I want everything on my car to be in working order.