"TOOK OUT" My Desert Duty Front Condenser this AM on a drive to the hardware store!

[mthomas58]

Well, there won't be any charging today! Went through a road construction/ rough rail road track this AM on the way to the hardware store to search for a couple of fittings for today's A/C charging project. Very severe pavement transition. I was only going about 10-15 mph at impact....problem was when I saw how severe the transition was, I braked going into it, lowering the front end further.......A total cluster Cage came loose and was dragging till I could pull over and check the carnage. Check out the pics.....impact actually creased the tub between the condenser and gas tank!

This was my first time over the tracks since I lowered the bar. Would just lightly tap the skid plates before.

For those who have been following my project, recall that I lowered the crash bar but had not yet mounted the center mount of the bar.

Griff, I'll be placing an order for your front condenser!!!!

For the record, the chunk was already missing from the front chin spoiler.

[1974carrera]

Major bummer, Mark! I've followed your installation and know you've gone to a lot of effort, and expense, only to arrive at this point. It looks like the crash bar is still in place...was the rock guard/condenser still lower than the crash bar even though you had lowered the bar?

Hang in there...you'll recover from this.

[Elombard]

That sucks, I feel your pain, what is that $200 + down the drain

[Jim Sims]

That's frustrating! The engineer in me wonders is it still leak tight; how much damage can these units take?

Also looks like the lateral chassis tube was punched up some on the driver's side. There's likely a reason why Porsche went to front fender mounted condensers in the later cars - combining the function of a condenser and a skid plate results in a heavy component that is not optimized for either function. I also think the belly mounted condensers are a bad idea. Griffith's rear fender mounted condensers make more sense, especially in a lowered car.

Good luck with the repairs and revisions.

[fintstone]

Tough break!
I was afraid of that when I did my '74 because it is so low in the front...plus, since mine was a non-A/C car...I didn't want to make the cut-out...so, thanks to Jim Sims advice, I used the dual-Keuhl ones that go in the front and back of my left wheel well. Good luck on the fix.

[berettafan]

Wow that's a bummer!

[4flyboy]

Son of a b@#tch.........you are showing remarkable composure! I would have been too pissed to post. Way to get into the solution. Subscibed.

Scott

[mthomas58]

Front condenser stone guard 911.573.058.01 $146.75 new or $40.00 used.

Don't know why I thought they'd be cheap. Guess I'll be bending it back into shape!

[89911]

The AC's on 911's are just begging to be removed. Such a stupid place for a condenser in the first place. Here's your golded opportunity! And it won't cost you anything.

[khamul02]

I'm running the same condenser. It is the lowest point on my car and it is very scary. I guess if I this happen to me I would just replace it with a lower profile condenser.

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by 89911

The AC's on 911's are just begging to be removed. Such a stupid place for a condenser in the first place. Here's your golded opportunity! And it won't cost you anything.

Salt on the wounds. The Oath of Hippocrates, doc?

Mark. Take the rest of the day off. We'll help get you back on the right
road. Your Kuehl unit and o-rings are in transit.
If I find a stone guard in the "barn" we'll throw it in the box.

Griff

[mthomas58]

Originally Posted by kuehl

Salt on the wounds. The Oath of Hippocrates, doc?

Mark. Take the rest of the day off. We'll help get you back on the right
road. Your Kuehl unit and o-rings are in transit.
If I find a stone guard in the "barn" we'll throw it in the box.

Griff

[GH85Carrera]

Mark, once you remove the damaged condenser keep it. Mount it on the wall in your garage as a "trophy" of your project. Right now you are feeling the pain, in a few months or years you will have a neat but very warped trophy for the garage. If nothing else no one else will have a brand new never used, bent and destroyed front condenser like yours.

[OldTee]

Don't feel bad. I know somebody who forgot to put the big washers on the top of the motor mounts and after driving a few miles the engine fell out. He was lucky it happend at the bottom of his driveway and only took out some fuel lines and the main engine electrical connection. It was a older SC..

[Buckterrier]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Mark, once you remove the damaged condenser keep it. Mount it on the wall in your garage as a "trophy" of your project. Right now you are feeling the pain, in a few months or years you will have a neat but very warped trophy for the garage. If nothing else no one else will have a brand new never used, bent and destroyed front condenser like yours.

What he said. Hang in there!!!!!! How's the financial adviser, (aka wife), taking it?

[derkpitt]

Mark,
My deepest sympathy.
If it will make you feel any better, I got the other N2 bottle back from filling, if you need it later.

[mthomas58]

Originally Posted by Buckterrier

What he said. Hang in there!!!!!! How's the financial adviser, (aka wife), taking it?

Oh don't you know it! That was the worst part. Explaining that not only was the project not completed after 3 weeks but it would cost more $$$. We got her an iPhone today....this may work!

[mthomas58]

Originally Posted by derkpitt

Mark,
My deepest sympathy.
If it will make you feel any better, I got the other N2 bottle back from filling, if you need it later.

Bruce, the fitting on the Nitrogen set up is for R12....can't connect with my 134a hoses. Went shopping for a 134a set up today with not luck........hardware stores are a no - go. No luck at NAPA either. Will check the A/C sites tomorrow.

As we discussed, better to wait and get it right than to rush to complete the job!

In hindsight, today was a crappy day for charging anyway.......62 degrees and rain!

This A/C thing is like war. Never give up, never, never, never!

[mthomas58]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Mark, once you remove the damaged condenser keep it. Mount it on the wall in your garage as a "trophy" of your project. Right now you are feeling the pain, in a few months or years you will have a neat but very warped trophy for the garage. If nothing else no one else will have a brand new never used, bent and destroyed front condenser like yours.

This it truly the best idea of the day.........I'm already thinking of some mounting ideas!

[khamul02]

Originally Posted by mthomas58

A/C thing is like war. Never give up, never, never, never!

WAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender