Help I.D this A/C...

[Daniel Klajmic]

Hi
Just got my first 911...1970E...I noticed these vents and tought it was an a/c equipped car,but the owner doesnt have any a/c parts...he said something about the a/c getting in the way of the engine performance,etc...
Since Im from Brazil and its kinda hot in here...I want to find out what sort of A/C is that...is it factory?Aftermarket?...help!!!
Thanks...
Dan

[RNajarian]

The setup looks similar to the dealer installed A/C in my 1975 S. However, I have two knobs, one for fan speed, the other for A/C temp.

Check for the front condenser in the passenger footwell area. My car has a cut out with the condenser there. If your car had A/C I suspect that condenser (or at least the hole) is there. If not then the setup is a fresh air fan, which works pretty well in my car.

[tcar]

Similar to dealer installed system.

Don't think there was ever a condenser in the pasenger footwell area. Would make no sense to put it there.

Almost all had the evaporator in the smuggler's box in the front trunk, ducted to the passenger compartment - to the vents under your dash. Return air for the evaporator was often in the passenger footwell. Possibly the evaporator could have been in the footwell, but never seen it.

Condensers were usually under the engine grille and/or below/behind the front bumper.

Compresser in the engine compartment.

Are the refrigerant hoses still on the car? (from evaporator, to compresser, to condenser(s)?

[RNajarian]

Maybe it is an evaporator. I could have my terminology wrong.

The item in the footwell looks like a radiator (square shaped) and has a bendable wire "probe/sensor" which goes back to the temperature control on the facia of the A/C control unit in the vehicle cabin.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

Maybe it is an evaporator. I could have my terminology wrong.

The item in the footwell looks like a radiator (square shaped) and has a bendable wire "probe/sensor" which goes back to the temperature control on the facia of the A/C control unit in the vehicle cabin.

That's the evaporator.

Unusual. Most have it in the smuggler's box.

[geoz]

Yep, evaporator. I believe it also sits there for all RHD cars.

[kuehl]

Feels like a Coolaire brand system

[Otto]

Dpd vpc

[d.a.autry]

A/C isn't really rocket science, A good pump (compressor), condenser, reciever/dryer, orfice (expansion valve) and an evaporator and viola. . . A/C.

If the evaporator coils are still in the smugglers box (and the blower unit, and it works) you can go from there. It's all just a matter of $$$.

First I'd isolate, flush and check the evaporator only (no line sets) to see if it will hold a vacuum. If that's good then any good A/C tech should be able to get you going.

I wouldn't trust any of the rubber hoses, so those will be costly, they can be made though, and even better hard lines can be installed for the long runs too if you want to go that route.

The original condensors were S-M-ALL, and I wouldn't think they would work well with r134, which would be the best refrigerant to use of course. The long lineset itself will help though. Remember, with A/C you're not cooling the air, you're removing the heat, and you have to dissipate that heat somewhere. If it didn't come with the car, stock condensors are available out there that will work fine. You may even be able to use one (as well as the compressor) from a mid 90's+ 911 that was designed for a 134 system.

However again, a real A/C tech will (should) know what would be the best size for the existing evaporator. He may, and probably should, even change the expansion valve (orfice) size too.

BTW getting that compressor mounted will take some engineering/fabrication too unless you can find an original mount to start out with. Even then, if you use a later model or different compressor you still may have to make some modification. I believe the original compressors on many aftermarket systems were the York rebuildables. I'm not a good enough A/C guy though to know how effecient these would be compared to the r134 specific ones of today.

[kuehl]

Otto,
I was thinking the old Coolaire out of Miami because of the location of the controls and shape of the vents. I always thought the VPC only had 4 equally sized vents.

[kuehl]

Originally Posted by d.a.autry

And on the eighth day, God set events in motion that would culminate in the birth of Ferdinand. And He looked upon Ferdinands future work and saw that it was good.

Well, maybe except for the Boxster and 996 engine.... LOL

[tcar]

Originally Posted by kuehl

Otto,
I was thinking the old Coolaire out of Miami because of the location of the controls and shape of the vents. I always thought the VPC only had 4 equally sized vents.

You're correct. That's not a VPC unit. I have one in my car.

Coolaire sounds correct.