air conditioner removal

[kmacpher]

I’m working on my ’81 red vette for fall/winter.

Driving season ended prematurely with Torsional damper debacle (aka: harmonic balancer not) went off about month ago, engine still started and ran, but that darn thing was making a pinging noise and I read many bad things about crank shaft damage are associated with not having this key component working properly. At the time I thought I threw a rod or lifter, so a $50 hunk of metal from AutoZone seems cheap. (Do I need a fancy torsional damper for more power or extra coolness?) Started the process of replacing. Whilst there, I’m contemplating removal of the air conditioning system, removal was always a thought but never a real threat to actual occur until now because it seem too much like work, not enough like fun driving.

Why remove AC, I’m thinking removes critical mass, did not work anyway, and I live in Ohio, whereby higher speeds and airflow are my conditioning (one more reason to push the speed). Less draw on engine another reason to remove. Should I remove the condenser cooler (radiator thing in front of the engine radiator) while I have the whole front torn apart? Does front radiator core and assemble provide strength to body or protection for the engine radiator?

The factory shop manual says to “remove the hood from the car,” to remove condenser, is the hood a pain in the ass to put back on afterwards? Of course it is. I ****ed away a weekend replacing the fuel filter. I guess that I’m looking for Caveats in this action.

Can anyone provide reasons NOT to remove factory air? Resale or value reduced because missing? – of course I’ll keep the parts in a box somewhere in the garage, with the idea that I’ll put them back on if I resale.

Is there severe danger to bodily hard on the a/c gases, which I doubt are there anyway?

NOTE: While there I’m replacing the old radiator which was literally “glued” together to make it through the rest of summer, again, broken radiator driving in summer, welcome to Ohio and a gallon of water. Is the weight reduction of the aluminum radiator worth the $500 price tag?

Many questions, one posting.

Regards

 

[81 Corvette]

I dunno, so far i've removed the easy stuff on mine. Compressor and brackets. The air pump is long gone as well. If i get the energy, i'm gonna try and take the radiator condensor thing off this winter. I think i can get out without taking the hood off. time will tell.

 

[gravismaximus]

i have a answer to your question. seeing how i have almost removed every thing on my 81 and replaced with better or left out to weight reduct. the a/c was the first thing to go on my car, and it worked great. like you said you have windows and probly t-tops, the only time you would ever get hot is if your stuck in traffic (happened to me once whished i had it then) but you get a nice hp gain by not having it. dont know about ohio emmision laws, if you can get rid of the super GAY air pump, also comes out easy. as for the condensor you do have to take the hood off to be safe, my hood still not lined up right but only if you look really close. another problum you will encounter with that gone is the radiator brakets wont fit right anymore. easy fix i did-- where they bend at a 90 cut it, turn one peice upside down and weld or braze toghther. works good for me no slop for the radiator--then again i put in a (be cool) so maybe thats why i had to do all that. if i was you get rid of it and sell it on ebay. you will loose close to 70lbs after the a/c pump ,lines, acuator, air pump, condensor. it will also alow coolr air to the carb if you have already got rid of the air ducts as well. hope this helps)