do you use your aircon in your 911 SC?

[kalawao]

my aircon is currently not working (need a refill and probably something else) ..

i don't even know if a 83SC aircon works properly or if should remove it and come closer to my goal to looooooose weight .. what do you guys think? is it blowing as cold as in modern cars? how much extra fuel is it consuming?

thanks, martin

[911SauCy]

In my targa the air is always on... aka top off and wind in the hair

I completely removed all air-con associated things and stored them neatly in a cool dry place in the basement

[kalawao]

okay .. with a targa .. i should mention that i do have a sunroof .. therefore air is coming in .. ;-) and the windows are working as well ..

any idea how much weight (loss) the removal counts in?

[WPOZZZ]

I use it on my 930. It is nice to have on a hot day, but the max setting is like #1 on a modern car.

[wwest]

Originally Posted by kalawao

my aircon is currently not working (need a refill and probably something else) ..

i don't even know if a 83SC aircon works properly or if should remove it and come closer to my goal to looooooose weight .. what do you guys think? is it blowing as cold as in modern cars? how much extra fuel is it consuming?

thanks, martin

Location..? In other words have often, how much, do you need A/C..??

As shipped your '83 A/C has a few shortcomings. But those can be easily overcome with a little DIY effort and a few $$$, less than $200.00 if you already have the windows tinted, plus 3M now has a CLEAR film that when used on the windshield will block out most HEAT from the sun.

[kalawao]

good one .. well, i live in hamburg, germany .. people tend to say that it's raining all the time .. which is .. not true

but speaking of my daily driver (mini cooper s) - very rarely .. not within town, only on long drives in hot summer ..

thats why i am asking .. if the a/c works (i mean just blows) a bit cold, it should bring quite a lot to just remove it .. plan is to backdate the car and make it extremely light .. so the a/c might be - how much in total weight!?

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by kalawao

okay .. with a targa .. i should mention that i do have a sunroof .. therefore air is coming in .. ;-) and the windows are working as well ..

any idea how much weight (loss) the removal counts in?

All out, I'm pretty sure it was north of 70lbs

[DonNewton]

In my '83, the air conditioner hasn't worked/been on/repaired in over 10 years. I think the best description I ever heard was it was like being cooled by an asthmatic breathing through a straw.

[TheSt|G]

I'm on the fence about chucking mine as well. It's pathetic. I think I might do it and keep the blower fans for air flow.

[Arne2]

After enhancement (['84 Carrera] A/C re-work for mild climate), mine works OK. I used it extensively on Saturday. No, it's not going to overcool the car, but with the outside temps Saturday around 95°F (35°C) and the sun shining full on the windshield, the car was relatively comfortable inside for the two hour return trip.

Yes, the A/C is probably 70-80 lbs. (30-35kg), but without it there was no way I would have been able to talk my wife into taking the Porsche on this trip. So to me, the A/C has value.

[Josh D]

I use mine everyday from about mid May to mid October. Mines been updated with modern components and works pretty good, considering the heat extremes we get.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by Arne2

After enhancement (['84 Carrera] A/C re-work for mild climate), mine works OK. I used it extensively on Saturday. No, it's not going to overcool the car, but with the outside temps Saturday around 95°F (35°C) and the sun shining full on the windshield, the car was relatively comfortable inside for the two hour return trip.

Yes, the A/C is probably 70-80 lbs. (30-35kg), but without it there was no way I would have been able to talk my wife into taking the Porsche on this trip. So to me, the A/C has value.

That's a really nice primer into AC restoration, thanks.

[carl135i]

I use mine. It was a requirement for me when I was looking for a car. Southwest Florida is too hot not to have it. It has a modern compressor and works Ok. Not ice cold, but much better than windows down and Targa out. It sure sucks down perfomancxe when on, but easily turned off when spirited acceleration is needed.

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by kalawao

my aircon is currently not working (need a refill and probably something else) ..

i don't even know if a 83SC aircon works properly or if should remove it and come closer to my goal to looooooose weight .. what do you guys think? is it blowing as cold as in modern cars? how much extra fuel is it consuming?

thanks, martin

I still dive the Targa I bought new in 1979 and I live in Los Angeles. The car I wanted was a no-options, basic model. My mechanic friends told me air conditioning is just a nuisance when doing any maintenance work on the engine. It makes the car more expensive for not much added convenience. I never felt I needed air conditioning and don't regret my decision. Of course Los Angeles is the perfect place to dive a Targa anyway, practically the whole year with the top off. But I also drove the car a couple of times to Las Vegas in hot weather. Can be done, at night hours, with a coupe of stops in air conditioned coffee shops. None of my earlier Porsches, and VW's had air conditioning either, the cars are just not designed for air conditioning. I drove a 912 once through Death Valley in April and a 1956 VW convertible from Munich through Yugoslavia into Greece in the middle of summer. All very doable. Maybe I just enjoy the simple life with a minimum of modern technology that separates me from the outdoors.

[Arne2]

I agree, it is not absolutely necessary for me either. But having working A/C makes it able for me to decide to drive the car more, especially with my wife along. Don't have to avoid travel in the hot part of the days, etc. And if I can drive it more, it's a good thing.

[RSBob]

I have an 82 sunroof car and removed all tha AC for about a 72 lb weight savings. I also pulled about another 70 lbs of non-essentials like console, back seats bumper guards etc. as a result the car is more responsive and accelerates more quickly. In Deutchland AC can be nice on humid days but the stock AC on an SC is so worthless it's probably a waste of money and weight.

[imoto]

Living in Queensland I use my air con a lot. My car is an 81 SC with a duel Kuel Griffiths system. It works well and the car is much more enjoyable as its warm here on Saturday night I used it to demist all the windows in the car that is an added bonus. My standard dealer fitted system was pretty mush useless and if the upgrade was not available I would have scrapped it.

[clutch-monkey]

used it for a month or so then scrapped it. was not effective enough to warrant the weight.

[Bill Douglas]

Being in New Zealand I only use "Maori air conditioning", that is the window down. It never gets too hot around here and doesn't get really cold either so I don't have working heat in the SC either. If it does get cold I just take the Corolla with excellent aircon and heater.

[oneblueyedog]

Oh yes indeed I do. It's Texas. The ac can be made to work so you won't sweat out. If it's not superheated in a parking lot, it stays in the mid 70's in the cabin. Not great. But if you get the cabin superheated, it takes quite a few miles to get bearable at max fan. It consumes more fuel. It does not cool like a modern car. You must have the revs up and driving for the compressor to do it's job. The manual states this.