Question: 1979 After Market Air conditioner

[Ron Baker]

Just purchased a 1979 Corvette that doesn't have air. I can't find an after market unit for this year. Does anyone have a solution? I found a Gen II unit but will need some fabrication for brackets, etc. Thanks for any feedback.
RB

 

[bill81vette]

Welcome to CAC!!
enjoy!!!

I thought they all came with A/C back then ..
Did it have A/C and someone removed it????

 

[TimAT]

http://www.vintageair.com/2013catalog/2013 VintageAir Catalog Webpgs 17.pdf

 

[Ron Baker]

Welcome to CAC!!
enjoy!!!

I thought they all came with A/C back then ..
Did it have A/C and someone removed it????

No, it came from the factory without air! It will be tough to drive it in the summer here in Alabama without air. Guess it will be my winter car...

 

[Ron Baker]

http://www.vintageair.com/2013catalog/2013 VintageAir Catalog Webpgs 17.pdf

I called them and several other companies. It appears all A/C companies stopped making a full after market unit at 1976. If there is an after market for 1979 I haven't found one. I will have to buy a Gen IV ($1,500) and have special made parts to accomodate the missing items.... I did find a factory unit but the $4k price is too much.... I would then have to pay for installation.

 

[TimAT]

I had a '74 that I purchased a Vintage Air system for. Complete, in the box. Install charge and cold air. Before I got it installed a deal came along on a 77 and the 74 went away. Bottom line, I installed the whole system in the 77. Had to do some re-engineering on the control head to get the cables to operate correctly, but the end result was cold air when I wanted it and heat when I needed it. Looking back, I think I would have done the electronic control option and been done.

 

[6880 Mike]

...I thought they all came with A/C back then...

AC became standard beginning with the 1980 models.

Ron: purchase the 79 assembly instruction manual (AIM) and take a look at the factory AC installation. You could add factory air to your car without having to attempt to adapt any other system. The AIM has several pages showing the installation, lists GM part numbers, etc.

 

[Ron Baker]

I had a '74 that I purchased a Vintage Air system for. Complete, in the box. Install charge and cold air. Before I got it installed a deal came along on a 77 and the 74 went away. Bottom line, I installed the whole system in the 77. Had to do some re-engineering on the control head to get the cables to operate correctly, but the end result was cold air when I wanted it and heat when I needed it. Looking back, I think I would have done the electronic control option and been done.

Thanks for the feedback, did you do the work yourself?

 

[Ron Baker]

AC became standard beginning with the 1980 models.

Ron: purchase the 79 assembly instruction manual (AIM) and take a look at the factory AC installation. You could add factory air to your car without having to attempt to adapt any other system. The AIM has several pages showing the installation, lists GM part numbers, etc.

Thanks! I have the AIM book, I did check with one company that had factory air but he quoted $3-4K and said some of the parts like the compressor may have to be rebuilt. Do you know any company that sells factory air? Or would I have to find a salvaged 79'?

 

[hotmtrsports]

I had a '74 that I purchased a Vintage Air system for. Complete, in the box. Install charge and cold air. Before I got it installed a deal came along on a 77 and the 74 went away. Bottom line, I installed the whole system in the 77. Had to do some re-engineering on the control head to get the cables to operate correctly, but the end result was cold air when I wanted it and heat when I needed it. Looking back, I think I would have done the electronic control option and been done.

I like the idea of that approach. I'd call Vintage Air again and talk to them about that. When I called them last year about installing AC in a 1978, the main difference and problem they cited was the cabling and the controls in the center console. I think everything under the hood would match. I'd also private message TimAT and talk to him directly. Help from someone that went through this would be fantastic!

I don't remember seeing a '79 without AC. There were 47K+- w/AC out of 54K+- cars produced.

If you found a 1979 with AC next to you, I'd take 100 pictures.

You would first need the firewall housing, heater core for AC car. There is a sensor on top of the housing that may have more wires than you have. Does your car have the ducts on the lower end at each side of the dash?

It's no problem getting a condensor and the brackets to hold it in, the hoses can be bought, the dryer can be bought. The compressor can be bought as a rebuild. You should be able to buy the bracket to hold the compressor. I think you may have to find a donor to get the guts under the dash. You could get there if you wanted stock. There's quite a bit of patience and work getting it there.

Chuck M

 

[6880 Mike]

...Do you know any company that sells factory air? Or would I have to find a salvaged 79'?...

Salvage is probably best. Anything factory air car 77-82 would work. I do not know any vendor which sells complete factory AC units. A good many of the necessary parts are available through the aftermarket providers (pullies, brackets, belts, hoses, fans, HVAC controls and harnesses, etc.) The correct compressor is the R4. You can find those remanufactured almost everywhere. Factory used R12, but now would be a good time to swap to R134a.

 

[Ron Baker]

Salvage is probably best. Anything factory air car 77-82 would work. I do not know any vendor which sells complete factory AC units. A good meany of the necessary parts are available through the aftermarket providers (pullies, brackets, belts, hoses, fans, HVAC controls and harnesses, etc.) The correct compressor is the R4. You can find those remanufactured almost everywhere. Factory used R12, but now would be a good time to swap to R134a.

Thanks Mike, I really appreciate your feedback. I have some homework to do now!
Ron

 

[Ron Baker]

I like the idea of that approach. I'd call Vintage Air again and talk to them about that. When I called them last year about installing AC in a 1978, the main difference and problem they cited was the cabling and the controls in the center console. I think everything under the hood would match. I'd also private message TimAT and talk to him directly. Help from someone that went through this would be fantastic!

I don't remember seeing a '79 without AC. There were 47K+- w/AC out of 54K+- cars produced.

If you found a 1979 with AC next to you, I'd take 100 pictures.

You would first need the firewall housing, heater core for AC car. There is a sensor on top of the housing that may have more wires than you have. Does your car have the ducts on the lower end at each side of the dash?

It's no problem getting a condensor and the brackets to hold it in, the hoses can be bought, the dryer can be bought. The compressor can be bought as a rebuild. You should be able to buy the bracket to hold the compressor. I think you may have to find a donor to get the guts under the dash. You could get there if you wanted stock. There's quite a bit of patience and work getting it there.

Chuck M

Thanks Chuck, if Maine wasn't so far from AL I would hire you to do this!
Ron

 

[TimAT]

Thanks for the feedback, did you do the work yourself?

I did the install. The only things I don't do are machine work and alignment. If I had the cash for all the equipment, I do that too. Alignment I could do, just to lazy to go borrow the tools and find a level spot in my garage.