73S longhood factory AC?

[smiles11]

Is there a way to confirm whether a longhood car has aftermarket AC or factory AC? Is there a way to tell looking at it or possibly the vent assembly in the interior? What should it look like etc?

[GH85Carrera]

I believe the factory never installed AC in that era. I suspect it is dealer added.

I think the SC was the first 911s to have factory installed AC, but I have been wrong once before.

[lindbhr]

Not sure when factory A/C cars started, but those are the vents used on a factory A/C car. If you search the Early 911S Registry website you'll find some details.

[deemsriddle]

I believe that 1971 was the first year that you could get AC from the Porsche factory. One tell tale sign is that the front pan is not hacked up where the blower is mounted over the front condenser. A lot of AC systems were installed at the dealers, some well done and some not.

[Mocker]

The under-dash blower unit looks correct, but the compressor in the picture is a modern rotary unit.

[Mocker]

Yes, you could order A/C from the factory in '73--reportedly 60 1973 Carrera RS cars were so ordered! Here's some pics of one...given their rarity, it's pretty safe to assume the parts are correct, or nearly so.

https://www.europeancollectibles.com/vehicles/589/1973-porsche-911-carrera-rs

[EC900]

Looks dealer installed to me, also had this on my 77 and in a 68 VW 311.
Compressors either York or Behr. Smuggler box blower should have label on it indicating VPC CCCCool with a serial number, some used Behr blowers too. The under dash air distribution console is an indicator for dealer installs using the VPC Volkswagen Parts Corp unit. Latter models utilized the existing dash vent plumbing.
Here’s where's the 2 holes cut into the tub (circled) for a dealer installed VPC AC - note there is a 1-1/2” stand-off on passenger side wood footboard for the evaporator space making it obvious there’s a giant hole in the tub behind the footboard carpeting.

[dg567]

Any photos of the front blower in the front pan?

[HarryD]

That looks to be “factory” (aka POE) AC. How do I know? The plate that the distributor sets on was only used with factory AC cars.

[RSTarga]

The under dash portion is factory, the compressor is a more modern unit than the original York, more efficient and less vibration. Most cars were updated to this Sanden 505 type.
There should be a front condenser under the front with a blower in the trunk to feed air through.
Factory units had the windshield washer reservoir mounted in front of the bulkhead cover at the back of the trunk.
That is a really nice looking car.
You can always go to a Classic Porsche dealer and request a verification and authenticity sheet for a small sum. They should be able to tell you all the original equipment the car left the factory with.

[RSTarga]

By the way that is not the original steering wheel setup.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by RSTarga

The under dash portion is factory, the compressor is a more modern unit than the original York, more efficient and less vibration. Most cars were updated to this Sanden 505 type.
There should be a front condenser under the front with a blower in the trunk to feed air through.
Factory units had the windshield washer reservoir mounted in front of the bulkhead cover at the back of the trunk.
That is a really nice looking car.
You can always go to a Classic Porsche dealer and request a verification and authenticity sheet for a small sum. They should be able to tell you all the original equipment the car left the factory with.

Exactly what was in my car.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by RSTarga

By the way that is not the original steering wheel setup.

Why do you say that. The batwing is the standard.

[RSTarga]

Originally Posted by HarryD

Why do you say that. The batwing is the standard.

The original batwing horn actuator has been replaced with a horn button. That might be an RS type steering wheel, can't tell, looks nice and the original 400mm steering wheel was too big anyway. The 380mm RS wheel was much nicer.

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by RSTarga

The original batwing horn actuator has been replaced with a horn button. That might be an RS type steering wheel, can't tell, looks nice and the original 400mm steering wheel was too big anyway. The 380mm RS wheel was much nicer.

Ahhhhhh. Thanks for the correction. I Looked away to quick.

[kuehl]

You have a Behr Knee Pad 6 Louver Vent AC Vent Panel which can be found in the Porsche parts schematic. Your compressor is not 'factory'; design is like a "Sanden" style. If you have pictures of your rear deck lid condenser, hoses attached to it, a front condenser if you have one, and the receiver drier in the LH front fender behind he tire then one could comment on 'factory' style or other.

Clean car by the way. Nice.

[70SATMan]

My 70S had factory AC, listed on Kardex. One of the first things I ditched. Skinny Behr vent assy like OP shown. The hole in the bulkhead should be a neat cutout with matching mesh grill and grill plate attached.

The distributor plate is correct to lower the coil because of the deck lid radiator.

One last thing that still puzzles me,,, normally in 70, the lower knee pads went to the foam formed units like the dash but, mine are like the earlier steel framed with padding and vinyl wrap. My suspicion is that those knee pads are unique to the factory AC cars because the Behr vent assy attaches to the knee pads with screws.

The metal framed knee pads would have provided a solid connection point. They could have used longer screws with the later knee pads,,, My car was tired but largely original when I bought it.

[kuehl]

Out of the various "Knee Pad Vent Panels" for the early year cars that did not have vents in the dash, the Behr is the most well designed in terms of style, air flow and simplicity. The reason it may seem so 'light weight' is because Porsche wanted no weight.
And Europeans tended to be shorter than North Americans, hence they did not bang their knees on the knee pads.

[smiles11]

So I spoke to PCNA & they gave me some information over the phone since I already have the CoA. Normally you’d need a CTC to confirm option codes & other details.

The only option that wasn’t listed on my CoA was Dunlop tires

C02 - US Emmissions
409 - Leather Sport Seats
568 - Tinted Glass

No mentioning of car having code for factory A/C.

So I assume my cars A/C was not a factory option, as it would have been listed.

[darrin]

@smiles11 -- per the 2009 ad/thread for your car "The air-conditioning system is new including new front condenser, hoses, connections, and front fan. For better operation, an additional condensor in the rear wheel well was installed. This A/C system blows very cold!"(see, FS: 1973 Porsche 911 S Targa. Incredible Restoration Over 2,000 hours!) -- so, regardless of whether you car was delivered new with a/c, sounds like a "new" (and nicely upgraded with both a rear fender condenser and a rotary sanden compressor) system went in during its nuts/bolts restoration.