hey there guys.....while replacing a lot of the front end, my buddy an di had to remove a lot of the ac components to get to the a frames and now am left with a dillema....the ac does not work. the heater core has been bypassed, and right now half of it is out of the car.....what are you opinions about the what i should do with the ac.....this is a convertible. i would like to at least get a vent system going, but dont know how i would go about doing that. all i know is right now i have heat from the engine bay getting pulled into the car and is pouring out of the vents....help from esteemed firebird guru's is appreciated.
The downside with the ac car is that it lacks the Astro venlation cutouts. (Maybe someone can post pictures of the differences.) With that differences in design--and without cutting open the areas and associated components--you'll never get the same volume of fresh into the car as you would with w/o a/c. For starters, you need something sealing the outside part of the firewall to end whatever air exhange.
You pretty much have three choices, repair the damage you caused removing the A/C components, or strip it down and make it a heat-only system, or strip it down further and make it a blower-only system. If you've bypassed the heater core already then you are on the way to the third choice.
I have air on my convertible. Other than the inevitable pain to service issues, I enjoy it.
No matter which route you choose, you will need to close off all the openings through the firewall.
Merv is dead on...it will never be as good at venting as a non-A/C car. If you install kick panels for a non-AC car it will help, but the dash ventilation will still be lacking.
Vikki 1969 Goldenrod Yellow / black 400 convertible numbers matching
i would love to keep the ac in the car...i just dont know what to replace to get everything to work. for starters i need new cables actually turn it on. number 2. the bulk of the original components seem a little over kill......do they make smaller components that do the job. and i really dont want the heater. i live in florida...the car is a convertible so i dont tend to drive it during non convertible weather. so with that it mind....do i keep it bypased. i dont want to revisit these issues down the road so 1 would like to get the first option going. i just have to stop pulling the heat from wherever it is coming.
My suggestion is to do whatever you can to save the A/C while you have ease of access. Maybe look into Vintage Air if you want newer or possibly even smaller A/C/ parts.
I live in the Tampa/St.Pete area and have a 68 Convertible that the previous owner stripped down and made a heat-only car. He was from New Jersey and figured "who needs A/C in a vert". (why I ought a !@$#@$@)
Not a day goes by in April/May/June/July/August/Sept (read half the year) that I don't wish for A/C. I will end up shelling out the $1500 or so for the Vintage Air system sooner rather than later.
Orlando is hotter (no sea-breeze), think of sitting on the OBT at midnight (when it’s still 85 degrees out) and how nice it’ll be to have a blast of cool air. This is even more important if you plan on having any ladies ride in the car with you!!!
