Does anyone have AC and regret it? Anyone rip it out? Anyone

[Healey3000]

My car came with only half the a/c components in place so I ripped out the rest.  No regrets and I've driven it in 100+ weather, although the Bay Area is blessed with low humidity.

 

I prefer to reduce weight and unclutter the engine compartment.  So far, so good.

[Zorac]

PO took mine out, wish it was still there...      All i was left was two holes in the firewall and a heavy bracket on the engine.

[Conserv]

I’m back in the Northeast, so I don’t drive the ‘76 from November through March on account of salted roads. If I also crossed out the hot humid months of July, August, and September, I’d only be able to drive the car four months of the year.

 

Lots of owners tear out their A/C units. Most of them have never had those units operating for one day, and many more have never had their A/C operating fully and correctly.

 

The A/C removers I’d want to speak with, if I were you, are those that lived with ‘02 A/C, which operated fully and correctly for at least a couple years, and then decided to remove it!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[dlacey]

AC is a basic human right in the tropics. Not only to lower the temp, but mostly to pull the humidity down. Most important when it rains...a car without AC is undrivable because of condensation.

 

[Seth Horwitz]

23 minutes ago, Conserv said:

I’m back in the Northeast, so I don’t drive the ‘76 from November through March on account of salted roads. If I also crossed out the hot humid months of July, August, and September, I’d only be able to drive the car four months of the year.

 

 

I'm in the same boat (in NYC, today, but heading out of the city to get a house mostly for more parking), and that's the rub. I'd only take the car out if it's nice, but ruling out "too nice" would be a waste. I have other things to drive, but why buy a toy you can't use? I'm looking at two cars, and buying something which doesn't, or won't, have AC seems like a non-starter. 

[Mike Self]

My '73 had air (Frigiking) when I bought it in 1978--when it was my wife's daily driver she used it a lot.  Now that it's mine, I rarely do, but it's nice to have when I need it.  I installed a 3 row core radiator in 1987 and that solved the running-hot-with-the-A/C-on problem, but I still don't use it very much.  Converting from the original York piston compressor to a rotary made a huge difference in compressor drag.  I've not converted to R134 because I lucked into a partly filled R12 canister at a garage sale some years ago, so will use that up first.  

 

My '69 never has had air, and I wouldn't add it now...

 

mike

[2002#3]

We had a 1973 2002 as our only car for 34 years.  Had A/C.  In NC, even when functioning well, it did not cool the car sufficiently.  Always too much trouble to maintain in my opinion.  Now 1974 2002tii in Ohio.  Had AC.  Removed it.  Do not miss it.  One less thing to maintain...at least in this car.  Admittedly, our other 3 BMW's have deep freeze ice boxes to turn on when we need help in hot climes.

[Buckeye]

No regret whatsoever.

before

 

after

Edited February 17, 2019 by Buckeye

[ray_]

This is almost like politics ? 

[NYNick]

I removed mine. I'm in the NYC area and only drive during the nice weather, meaning Spring through Fall. I don't like the look of the added on dealership items and even think the console is unnecessary. That's gone too. I've kept all the parts however. They're in the garage.

 

I have another collector sports car that I've driven for years without AC. Open the windows, open the sunroof, open the rear windows, turn on the radio and go. It's never been a problem for me.

 

If I lived another 500 miles south of here, I'd change my tune. But I don't, so no AC for me.

[Dudeland]

I am putting my AC in.  I am in the NW, and believe it or not there are months that you absolutely need A/C.  My EFI system will accommodate A/C nicely including shutting off the compressor at full throttle to give you the extra performance boost and maintaining idle when the compressor cycles.  

 

I can't imagine trying to have to deal with whatever is involved with a carb'd system nor understand what is required to maintain it. 

 

 

[jgerock]

The tii has Behr A/C and the original York compressor.  Believe it's only been used 5 or 6 times over the last 13 years of my ownership.  During one long trip in late May, I used it and noticed the temperature gauge climbed close to the red zone.  Car uses R12 and has a 2 row radiator.

 

I do have a Hobie Dave bracket and newer rotary compressor, but I'm fearful of starting down another path of expensive projects.  All the hoses are old and stiff.

 

I weighed the stock mounting bracket with York compressor and idler pulley removed from my 72tii engine: 30 lbs.  That's a lot of weight hanging off the front of the engine.

[TobyB]

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locomotion 

 

and my brother works as an a/c tech.

 

There are a lot of factors that go into this, methinks.

 

t

likes spam with pineapple

Edited February 17, 2019 by TobyB

[tme]

12 hours ago, mike said:

My '73 had air (Frigiking) when I bought it in 1978--when it was my wife's daily driver she used it a lot.  Now that it's mine, I rarely do, but it's nice to have when I need it.  I installed a 3 row core radiator in 1987 and that solved the running-hot-with-the-A/C-on problem, but I still don't use it very much.  Converting from the original York piston compressor to a rotary made a huge difference in compressor drag.  I've not converted to R134 because I lucked into a partly filled R12 canister at a garage sale some years ago, so will use that up first.  

 

My '69 never has had air, and I wouldn't add it now...

 

mike

Mike,

Do you recall what rotary compressor you are using and anything else that you changed assuming I stick with R12?

 Thanks 

[Jimmy]

3 hours ago, TobyB said:

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locomotion 

 

and my brother works as an a/c tech.

 

There are a lot of factors that go into this, methinks.

 

t

likes spam with pineapple

 

Not to mention location.