AC keep it or lose it? Options

[yellow75]

My 75 1.8 has dealer installed AC. Of course it doesn't work. I really don't need it either. Question is should I keep it? It was dealer installed not factory as with all of them, so it won't be on the Cardex. In my opinion is it's just taking up space. I have another trunk floor I can weld it when I take the condensor out. The bigger question is work much work will removing everything be?
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[Tom_T]

Hey PGH! ... from a PGH born in SoCal.

In PGH/Western PA you won't use the AC as much as in SoCal/Southwest or humid Southeast, but I know it still gets hot & humid there in PGH.

The dealer AC equipped cars are few & far between - relatively speaking - so IMHO not a negative to have it intact & usable.

As an alternative to removal, you might consider updating the system with a modern Sanden/sim. rotary compressor (which will only "rob" 1-2 HP, vs. 4-8 HP with the original York), will run on R134 Freon, & provide better cooling.

I'm pretty sure that you can install it in the original period correct dash vent unit, while the 1 or 2 evaporator/condensor units may need their own shrouds/housings.

Auto Atlanta, Retro Aire & some others offer good updated AC systems for 914s.

You can tell which dealer installed AC you have, by looking at the condenser coil in the front trunk - if it has a rectangular housing, then it's a VPC unit (VPC = Volkswagen Products Corp.); if it has a round conical (flat topped) housing, then it's a DPD unit. Both the VPC & DPD were "commisioned" to make AC unitis for Porsche 911/912/914

The DPD is better for allowing the spare to sit over it & at about the normal height so the floor board is at its normal height & you don't lose much trunk space. Whereas, the VPD has the big flat condenser which the spare sits on top of, & it eats up the trunk space by the height of the unit. The DPD in the cabin also has 2 vents further left to cool the driver with the controls centered under the air vent controls in the center of the dash face, whereas VPC

If you can fit the replacement condenser for the new unit within the DPD conical shroud or keep it's condenser operable with the upgrade, then you can save space with the spare nestled over it.

Note that you mount the spare with DPD AC opposite the factory position (with the inside of the wheel facing up), so that with the DPD the spare wheel outside faces up - since the inside is deeper & has the wheel sit lower over the conical housing, it's very close to the stock height position.

All that said, if you choose to remove it, as others on here have done - then beyond the front trunk floor, to do it right & avoid future rust & other problems, it's a bit more involved than just welding in another trunk floor piece. So you'll also need to remove the F-to-R AC lines (usually run behind the pass. side rocker panel) & weld up all the access holes that they drilled for the hoses to pass between the engine bay & front trunk bulkheads, etc.; remove the compressor & receiver/drier & their brackets, repair/weld any engine shelf cuts, & get a good used engine tin where they would've cut the original for the AC; & make sure to rust proof/primer all those welds before you repaint.

If you don't do it properly, then you'll make what looks to be a very nice 75, into a bit of a buggered up mess, with gaping holes inviting the "tin-worm" & other problems.

If it were mine, I'd bite the bullet & spring for the AC update, because all of the other work will cost about as much in labor & materials - even if you do it all yourself, your time is money, so apply your job's pay-rate to the time for a true comparison.

Go Steelers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)
Tom
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[yellow75]

Hey PGH! ... from a PGH born in SoCal.

In PGH/Western PA you won't use the AC as much as in SoCal/Southwest or humid Southeast, but I know it still gets hot & humid there in PGH.

The dealer AC equipped cars are few & far between - relatively speaking - so IMHO not a negative to have it intact & usable.

As an alternative to removal, you might consider updating the system with a modern Sanden/sim. rotary compressor (which will only "rob" 1-2 HP, vs. 4-8 HP with the original York), will run on R134 Freon, & provide better cooling.

I'm pretty sure that you can install it in the original period correct dash vent unit, while the 1 or 2 evaporator/condensor units may need their own shrouds/housings.

Auto Atlanta, Retro Aire & some others offer good updated AC systems for 914s.

You can tell which dealer installed AC you have, by looking at the condenser coil in the front trunk - if it has a rectangular housing, then it's a VPC unit (VPC = Volkswagen Products Corp.); if it has a round conical (flat topped) housing, then it's a DPD unit. Both the VPC & DPD were "commisioned" to make AC unitis for Porsche 911/912/914

The DPD is better for allowing the spare to sit over it & at about the normal height so the floor board is at its normal height & you don't lose much trunk space. Whereas, the VPD has the big flat condenser which the spare sits on top of, & it eats up the trunk space by the height of the unit. The DPD in the cabin also has 2 vents further left to cool the driver with the controls centered under the air vent controls in the center of the dash face, whereas VPC

If you can fit the replacement condenser for the new unit within the DPD conical shroud or keep it's condenser operable with the upgrade, then you can save space with the spare nestled over it.

Note that you mount the spare with DPD AC opposite the factory position (with the inside of the wheel facing up), so that with the DPD the spare wheel outside faces up - since the inside is deeper & has the wheel sit lower over the conical housing, it's very close to the stock height position.

All that said, if you choose to remove it, as others on here have done - then beyond the front trunk floor, to do it right & avoid future rust & other problems, it's a bit more involved than just welding in another trunk floor piece. So you'll also need to remove the F-to-R AC lines (usually run behind the pass. side rocker panel) & weld up all the access holes that they drilled for the hoses to pass between the engine bay & front trunk bulkheads, etc.; remove the compressor & receiver/drier & their brackets, repair/weld any engine shelf cuts, & get a good used engine tin where they would've cut the original for the AC; & make sure to rust proof/primer all those welds before you repaint.

If you don't do it properly, then you'll make what looks to be a very nice 75, into a bit of a buggered up mess, with gaping holes inviting the "tin-worm" & other problems.

If it were mine, I'd bite the bullet & spring for the AC update, because all of the other work will cost about as much in labor & materials - even if you do it all yourself, your time is money, so apply your job's pay-rate to the time for a true comparison.

Go Steelers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)
Tom
///////

Thanks! Great info here. W ill try and post some photos so it can be correctly identified. It IS marked VW and my spare does mount upside down as you described. Small world I moved here to new castle from FLORIDA!! Yes Go Stillers! But I REALLY can't wait for baseball season again. GO BUCS!

[Spoke]

But I REALLY can't wait for baseball season again. GO BUCS!

I have no hope for the Bucs this year. They're going back to the downslide they were on that gave us 20 consecutive losing seasons.

The bulking up of players they did a few years ago worked. They broke the 20 year losing streak and even made the playoffs as a wild card. The 20 year losing streak was becoming a bigger issue than the game itself. Once the losing streak was broken, why keep paying players to try again. People still show up to the games.

So last year they don't pay hometown kid Neil Walker, let Liriano and Melancin go. I heard hints of trading McCutchen. It's a fire sale. Buckle up matey, it's going to be a long season. I hope I'm wrong.

The only things I say about the Bucs owner(s):

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/KMA.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pissoff.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/jerkit.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/boid.gif)

[yellow75]

But I REALLY can't wait for baseball season again. GO BUCS!

I have no hope for the Bucs this year. They're going back to the downslide they were on that gave us 20 consecutive losing seasons.

The bulking up of players they did a few years ago worked. They broke the 20 year losing streak and even made the playoffs as a wild card. The 20 year losing streak was becoming a bigger issue than the game itself. Once the losing streak was broken, why keep paying players to try again. People still show up to the games.

So last year they don't pay hometown kid Neil Walker, let Liriano and Melancin go. I heard hints of trading McCutchen. It's a fire sale. Buckle up matey, it's going to be a long season. I hope I'm wrong.

The only things I say about the Bucs owner(s):

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/KMA.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pissoff.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/jerkit.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/boid.gif)

Yeah sadly I have been thinking the same thing..I'll still be a fan though...and I even grew up in CLEVELAND!!!