[wwest]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

1980, converting to 134, need all new hoses.
I have an underbelly, decklid and front condenser.
Will not be switching to any new brands. all of the condensers/evaporator/compressor are in good shape. Only moving hoses.

I hoped to just repair the hoses I have, but it turns out that the system that the PO put in about 10 years ago was NOT barrier hoses, like I thought (the crimps run along the hose, not perpendicular to it). So, need all new hoses, which is fine (some are damaged, some are old, some are going to be too short, etc, so wwest, you can keep your "barrier hose is useless" stuff to yourself).

I have NEVER taken the position that barrier hoses are "USELESS".

My position has been that by restricting the high side pressure to limited range the non-barrier hoses will not leak, most especially post conversion to R-134a. And as you know both the US Government and Dupont support that latter position.

I would consider adding a handbuilt condenser in the front driver's wheelwell. Don't exactly want to, but would consider it.

So, give me some ideas. The current routing is compressor-underbelly-decklid-front-dryer-evaporator-compressor.

Options I've considered:
1) underbelly-decklid-front
2) decklid-underbelly-front
3) REVERSE THE GAS

Ask Charlie what he thinks of this...

4) add a wheelwell, go underbelly-wheelwell-front and delete the decklid
5) add a wheelwell and go all out, decklid-underbelly-wheelwell-front

Or, delete the front and add a wheelwell, which opens up a future IROC bumper or oilcooler or something.

I'll be making all my own hoses and doing my own charging, so some experimenting is an option. SOME experimenting, mind you...

6) eliminate the underbelly... subject to debris and radiant roadbed heat, add the fender well blower/fan. Front fender most desireable, only radiant heat source would be the tire, and you could run the fan(s) from a thermostatic switch on the R/D just as Porsche did with some models.

My only direct experience with the underbelly condenser is having purchased a '79 Targa in Salt Lake. A/C thermostatic switch had failed and upon repair I was advised that the belly condenser had been bypassed.

Contacted the PO who said the underbelly condenser seemed to work fine in NJ where he lived previously, but was advised that the poor performance in SL was due to the lack of efficiency of the underbelly condenser.

He said that after bypassing the underbelly condenser he felt the A/C worked better.

If it is true that the belly condenser is no longer available there might be good reason.


NJ vs Ut..???