I thought you could just remove all the components. What parts do you need to delete the A/C?
Well if you still want heat you can swap in the Non/AC HVAC unit which saves some weight and space over the other unit along with the simpler control unit. If you want additional airflow inside the cab you can put in the additional fresh air vents that I mentioned. I am planning on putting up the components I have for sale so I will take pictures and share them in this thread for documentation sake.
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11:56 AM
infinitewill Member
Posts: 2344 From: Overland Park, KS U.S.A. Registered: Mar 2009
Being that my DD is black, I couldn't stand to drive it without A/C. At least I don't have a sunroof so the top of my (thinning hair but NOT balding) head doesn't get cooked as well I really need to run a vac down the ducting to see if I have leaves etc. blocking my system at the recharge did give me cool air but the volume of air isn't very strong.
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12:08 PM
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
I have 2 convertibles (duhh), and others I like to drive with windows down in summer. I even tried to order my new Magnum without air and couldnt. I took off all the AC on the New Yorker and thru it in the trunk.
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12:59 PM
CogFieroGT Member
Posts: 175 From: Gainesville, GA Registered: Dec 2008
Originally posted by Jefrysuko: Well if you still want heat you can swap in the Non/AC HVAC unit which saves some weight and space over the other unit along with the simpler control unit. If you want additional airflow inside the cab you can put in the additional fresh air vents that I mentioned. I am planning on putting up the components I have for sale so I will take pictures and share them in this thread for documentation sake.
Very interested in seeing pics. Where are the fresh air vents located/ installed?
Ok, here are the pictures. First the "Air Box" that houses the Fan, heater core, and mixing flaps. Notice that it is all cable controled. It also does not protrude as far into the passenger or front compartment as the A/C equipt unit.
Then this is what controls all the cables.
Then these are the plugs which fill the holes in the spare tire tub where the A/C hoses used to go. There is still a place for the heater lines in the one but the other is simply a plug.
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11:15 PM
Stubby79 Member
Posts: 7064 From: GFY county, FY. Registered: Aug 2008
Well, considering where I live it never gets truly hot nor truly cold...I have no desire for AC in my Fiero. It'll just add weight and waste power. Even my daily driver only has the AC turned on a handful of times a year, when it's been left parked in the sun and I don't want to wait for the interior to cool naturally!
For the record, I believe the extra vents are an 84 thing only.
Yes, but I just checked my 88 and the holes exist for the vents. There are just plugs in place of where the vents would go. I think I will try and put these vents on one of my cars in the near future.
This is what operates the vents. It is located below the gauge pod on the right side.
There are two cables. One long one for the passenger side and a shorter one for the drivers side.
This is one of the vents showing the side which mounts to the chassis
This is the other vent with the "deflector" removed to show how it opens up to let air through
This is simply the "deflector." I really don't know what to call it I named it the deflector because it looks like it is supposed to deflect the air down towards your feet.
Then this is the best picture I could come up with showing where they mount to the chassis. This was my parts cars and as you can see I cut off the windshield and I actually cut off the top portion of the holes where the vents go. The holes are really close to the bottom of the windshield and allow the vents to draw air from the front cowl area where the windshield wiper linkage is.
[This message has been edited by Jefrysuko (edited 12-18-2009).]
I just read in Car and Driver that the Porsche GT3 doesn't come with A/C. I can think of a few other "track ready" cars that don't come with Stereos either for weight savings.
Count the Dodge Viper in that category... luxury removal is an option - supposed to remove a fair bit of weight.
Anyways... my GT doesn't have functional A/C either. Didn't bother me much this summer - I just used the vent and cracked the sunroof when going highway and kept the window down in city
[This message has been edited by skuzzbomer (edited 12-19-2009).]
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06:17 AM
fieroX Member
Posts: 5234 From: wichita, Ks Registered: Oct 2001
my car is ac delete, thats why its painted white on top and black on bottom and not the reverse....i own a black chevy silverado with no ac and....it sucks. depends on the color of the car, if you need it or not.
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04:48 PM
LitebulbwithaFiero Member
Posts: 3381 From: LaSalle, Michigan Registered: Jun 2008
Yes, but I just checked my 88 and the holes exist for the vents. There are just plugs in place of where the vents would go. I think I will try and put these vents on one of my cars in the near future.
Thanks for those pics, I've never seen the cable operated box before. I wonder if those extra vents were only on the non-a/c cars because I cut up an 84 and it also had covers where those extra vents would be. My other 84 also does not have the extra vents.
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05:45 PM
PFF
System Bot
hyperv6 Member
Posts: 6148 From: Clinton, OH, USA Registered: Mar 2003
I am still on the original Freon from 1985 and man is it cold. At the vent I still get 43 degrees.
While most times I drive it with the tops out and the windows down I would not lose the air. Those hot August days coming home from a car show are much better in cold air. I have had the air on my hands on the wheel and they get so cold they hurt and on a hot day it is a good hurt.
Many people have forgotten how much better the old Feon was over the new stuff.
I even hae used the AC with the tops out when the sun is strong.
One other thing I noted my best 1/4 mile times are with the AC on.
[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 12-19-2009).]
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06:25 PM
88GT.FASTBACK Member
Posts: 457 From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Registered: Dec 2007
Thanks for those pics, I've never seen the cable operated box before. I wonder if those extra vents were only on the non-a/c cars because I cut up an 84 and it also had covers where those extra vents would be. My other 84 also does not have the extra vents.
I was wondering the same thing. Everything I have ever seen would indicate that they were only on A/C delete models. There may not be enough room for the additional vent on the passenger side with A/C due to the larger "Air Box" but it really looks possible on the drivers side which may be beneficial enough for me to do it if I don't sell the ones I have.
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07:52 PM
ClayTonto Member
Posts: 524 From: White, GA, USA Registered: Dec 2008
Originally posted by mtjd25: ...depends on the color of the car, if you need it or not.
Good point. Good thing I haven't painted my car yet.
quote
Originally posted by LitebulbwithaFiero: Well how do all the cars, without factory a/c, defrost work? Not to mention that the defrost already barely works
I was simply referring to the A/C's ability to dehumidify the car. Look at it this way, when you run the A/C for a while, water accumulates on the condenser, well the opposite happens inside the car. It sucks the moisture out of the air. The defrost on a non-A/C car probably works fine in Michigan, but in the hot and humid south, on a rainy summer day, no A/C means low visibilty due to fogging. I'm sure others have experienced this.
[This message has been edited by ClayTonto (edited 12-19-2009).]
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08:09 PM
bonzo Member
Posts: 1350 From: Jacksonville, FL, USA Registered: Jul 2003
I don't see how resale value is important, because these are money pit project cars - with or without A/C, Fieros are pretty worthless. Every bit of weight reduction helps - it's just a question of is the compromise worth it to you?
Not with my Fiero, but in my previous car in which I deleted the working A/C system, here's a story:
It was a hot summer day, and I had a female friend as a passenger. She asked me if it would be okay for her to remove her shirt, so that she wouldn't get a diagonal sweat line from the seat belt on her shirt!
------------------ 84 Show winner 88 LT1
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08:14 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Lived in MD & now S/W Florida. To answer the question, no I wouldn't remove it.
I've found driving a car with a/c is more comfortable. Sure, here in fl, there are a few days, now & then when it's cool enough for windows only.
While driving cross country various times in ac & non ac cars, I found I can drive further - longer with a/c cars then with out. Driving through Texas, Arizona, New Mexico & Nevada w/o air was ridiculous.
When I had the 60 mile one way commute everyday to work, (office work) I was glad to arrive fresh, not sweaty. Worked with some people that smelled like they left the gym w/o showering.
Out of 12 cars, only had 1 w/o air.
My 1st car, 74 Hornet, did not have a/c, as a teenager, I'd wished it did. 2nd car, 79 Mercury Capri, I made sure to order it with a/c. 3rd car, used 82 VW Rabbit diesel, did not come with a/c, I had it added for only 250 bucks, it worked great. 4th car, used 85 Jetta diesel, had a/c 5th car, 84 Fiero w/ a/c 6th car, 85 Fiero w/ a/c 7th car, 87 Fiero GT w/ a/c 8th car, 95 Contour w/ a/c 9th car , 87 coupe w/ a/c 10th car, 99 Cherokee w/ a/c 11th car, 02 Suburban w/ 2 a/c's (front & back) 12th car, 04 Suburban, w/ 2 a/c's (front & back)
The belt on my A/C finally wore out completely recently. I do not like not having it working, it's far more comfortable with it and the Fiero A/C is excellent (cools the car down on a hot day very quickly).
The defrost will be useless without the A/C (air dryer). But, anti-fog spray might do the trick.
Thanks, for the info on the 84 fresh air vents. Is everything else on 85 up interchangeable?
Ive had plenty of old cars that didnt come with AC. It was a rare option in 60s. Defrosters on them seem to all have worked fine for 50 years. My 70 New Yorker even has factory rear defroster that is simply a blower fan mounted under the rear package shelf (no grid). My 66 Coronet has no AC and I drive it year round and no prob with defrosters in it either.
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07:07 PM
Dec 21st, 2009
ClayTonto Member
Posts: 524 From: White, GA, USA Registered: Dec 2008
When, I went to pick up my car from whodeanie's a few months ago. It was 80 degrees and pouring rain. All I know is I could barely see thru the windshield all the way home. It is definately a problem where I live and, before I remove the A/C entirely, it will need to be solved. This also happens in my Metro in the rain, because I have to turn the A/C off at redlights (3-cylinder LOL), the windows begin to fog until I hit the A/C toggle again. Newer cars will lock the compressor clutch if you just put it on the defrost setting, regardless of where your thermostat is set.
[This message has been edited by ClayTonto (edited 01-03-2010).]
I went the other way an added AC. Not only are the heater controls different, but the connectors to the controls are different as well. The AC box has two servo motors to operate the doors, the heater control has more levers, and consequently cables to control the doors. Jim