Another silly question!
Does the 914 have air conditioning?

A/c was a dealer installed option. So, yes, some did have that installed.

The installation involves cutting a big hole in the front trunk (where the spare tire usually is), for the condenser, running lines down the sides to the compressor on the motor (more cutting of sheet metal to make it fit) and a big air handler unit inside the car. Fairly invasive procedure, and the compressor robs power from an already underpowered motor.


Most have been removed in the mean time. However, plenty of folks on here still run a/c.

See link below, this is the most popular unit installed. Some folk are installing newer more modern units.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=333209

What about installing an electric unit out of an electric or hybrid car like a Prius or Leaf? That should have most of the parts you need right?
I don't know jack about AC work, so I am reaching here but I know hybrids and electric cars do not have engine driven AC systems...

Something like these Tesla units? https://www.ebay.com/bhp/electric-ac-compressor that price is right... no idea what other parts you would need but that's usually the expensive piece. If anyone else is interested in this I am SUPER interested in figuring this out. its HOT in Texas!

Edit:
What about something like this? How on earth do you install this?
https://www.southernrods.com/a-c-and-heat-c...mplete-kit.html

This would fit in a modified center console.
https://www.southernrods.com/a-c-and-heat-c...mplete-kit.html

As far as Electric compressors go, the electric cars do not run on 12V. You need a 12v compressor, like the benling one.
https://chinabenling.en.alibaba.com/

Note this compressor takes 40amps to run, plus the evaporator fan, plus the condensor fan. Classic air makes a 911 kit and they recommend a 911 3.2 90 amp alternator at a minimum.
http://classicretrofit.com/products/electr...r-conditioning/

Most of the Hybrid or E-Car stuff is high voltage (48v+)

That Classic retrofit product does seem like a viable answer to add A/C

I agree, between the classic retrofit compressor and southern air evaporator and condenser, you could easily build a system. The only issue is the alternator. I have a 3.2 six, so my alternator is fine. I’m hoping to get an AC system working in my car by next summer.

We live near DFW airport, and my wife's 914 has working air. The stock under dash system used r12 and a huge York compressor that sucked the power out of the motor. Converting to a rotary compressor and R134a will get a working system that is fairly good. Adding a 911SC condenser and a couple of fans to the underside of the engine lid and running it in series with the dealer installed condenser, plus replacing the fan on the dealer installed condenser will make the AC work great.

The 4 cylinder stock alternator can't keep up with the load imposed by a 12v electric compressor. It just doesn't make the amps to support a electric compressor.

There is a thread on here that describes how to make an evaporator to replace the fresh air blower. 914 In Dash Evaporator. I plan on doing that to my 4.0L six. I am going to use an electric compressor, but the 964 engine my 4.0 is based on has a 180amp alternator, so it will handle the load.

Clay, curious how that evaporator will work in Texas since it cannot recirculate air.
Even in so cal, I have to recirculate the air in my daily driver rice rocket to cool the car in the summer.

I think he left out the re circulation function on it. It is in the drawing, but I don't see it in the actual unit.

I was going to work it into my version of it.

Clay

There is a recirculation duct on the evaporator I built. You can see it in this photo of the evaporator module installed in the car, but before the gas tank is re-installed:

Click to view attachment

The duct is the 3" black hose wound with white reinforcing cord to the right of the evaporator box itself. It draws air from above the driver's feet and is always open as a source for the air blown through the evaporator coil, unlike the outside air vent, which has a damper that can be closed. There is room to add a similar duct on the passenger's side as well, which is something I've been considering doing in order to get a bit more air flow.

Thanks for the replies folks!

I have an A/C unit for sale, removed from a ‘73 1.8, if anyone is interested. You’ll need new lines. yt

I think this thread has one of the best ideas for mounting a new style Sanden compressor: on top of the fan shroud, like the factory did with smog pumps...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=192917&hl=

I still think there are better places / ways to mount the evaporator, like the rear wheel well(s), or a circular evaporator coil under the spare tire using the factory body plugs.

I get it ,that a 914 can get hot in the summer .

But air conditioning in an air cooled porsche ?




Thats like having a peace symbol button on your shirt
And writing born to kill on your helmet


https://youtu.be/KMEViYvojtY

I replaced the York boat anchor in my DPD system with a rotary compressor. Also did modern barrier hoses, flushed entire system, kept it R12. You can hang meat in there it gets so cold and the rotary compressor robs only minimal HP.

Living in the Tampa Bay Area in Florida, it's almost a necessity. Back in the late 90's I had a DD 74 2.0 with a DPD AC system (with the York compressor and R12). Bought it with the system installed and working. That AC system blew ice cubes and was immensely appreciated while stuck in rush hour traffic. It wasn't that big of a drag on the engine. The engine never overheated, even with a single carb setup and I simply turned off the AC if I needed to pass, etc.

I also had a DD 70 911T coupe with dealer installed VPC AC. That AC system was marginal at best and only really blew cold while underway over 40 mph.

You don't live in Texas. When it is 105 outside, and the basket weave seats will leave 3rd degree burns in the back of your legs, you WANT a/c.

As we get older, our tolerance for heat goes down and AC is appreciated more. A friend’s 914 2.0 with the dealer installed air worked quite well back in the day as the 914 does have a rather small cabin compared to a 911.

You drive your 914 in 105 deg heat ?

I have 110 deg here in foothill and i have a ford ranger with a tiny cab.
Ac gets cold quickly cost me less then it would to do ac in a 914 i would think

It sounds like people are becoming more weenie all the time. Drop the windows and use a spritzer bottle. That technique only made me happy in the hottest days of NV. Different times. AC is for your OTHER car. I'll drive my 914 every day regardless of conditions. She doesn't want all that extra garbage attached.

Betty drives her 914 every day. It is a true Daily Driver. And she doesn't like arriving at work all hot and sweaty. So, she gets AC. It is not a luxury here, it is a necessity.

I would never judge anyone living in hot and humid areas for adding AC. When we lived in Kansas, we had 914s without AC for our only transportation. In the 30 minute drive between leaving home freshly showered and arriving at work, we would feel like we had been dipped in sugar water. Not a big deal for me because I worked outside as a field biologist, but my wife had an office job and got to enjoy that sticky feeling all day. A spritzer in humid regions only makes things worse. Now that I live in the arid West, I realize that people who have never lived in the "sauna zone" don't get it. They also don't have a clue what a REAL thunderstorm looks like, but that's a different story.

You are right Brent. I guess I need to stop jabbing in fun. People in a shop get that kind of ribbing, but it doesn't come across online. Cheers.

Ain't that the truth. And you didn't even mention the HUMIDITY ! A shady spot offers no relief in that humidity. Driving home from a WCR with my wife and 2 dogs in 100F is what pushed me over the edge. Love my AC.

No worries and I hear what you are saying. People around here think the world is ending when the temperature gets above 85 with NO humidity, and I'm thinking it feels pretty good. I also remember visiting Arizona for the first time when I was living in Kansas. The temp was 120 and I thought it felt pretty good. It's that @#$% humidity that gets you. And yes, shade does no good. It's no joke that when I was working in the field, I could easily drink 3 gallons of water in an afternoon and never pee. I'm perfectly happy as an ex-pat from the Sauna States.

Humidity is a bitch. I've only experienced it to extreme once. Flew from west coast to Indiana, and it hit me the second I got off the plane. And that's not even where it's the worst, just happened to be a special day.

I'm still the stubborn old school guy though who will spritz water while the wind is moving and feel that relief. It only gets worse when you get out of the 914.

In Phoenix when it is 118+ you'd need to trade the spritzer bottle for a firehose...


Or be smart and get AC.

Yep, I'm in N.Texas and the heat and lack of A/C are amongst the main reasons I sold 2 differnent 914 daily drivers over the years. I'd driven both apprx 2.5 years straight, each.

When I got my second (10 years after the first), I'd convinced myself it wasn't so bad, no need for A/C! Now I see little up side to not having it - Just shut off the A/C when driving aggresively. My current will have a/c.

I'm in Miami, Fl and the humidity is crazy. I'll be adding an AC to mine and am now researching options. I think I will try to do an electric compressor and not have the long line back to the engine. The struggle will be with amp draw because of the alternator. Trying to work through that now. If anyone has attempted it please chime in I would love to hear what you did.
Lucky for me I have not built (or had built) my engine yet and I think if I go with the 911 upright cooling shroud, there may be a good possibility of a much larger alternator.

Open to suggestions or thoughts on this cuz this will be new territory for me. Once I start I'll post everything I'm doing.

Unless you spring for a really high amp alternator, an electric compressor is a no-go. Even a 3.2 alternator is not enough for one. I have a 3.6 alternator (180 amp) and I am going to run an electric AC compressor. There is no way a stock 914 70 amp alternator can come close to running one.

I suggest you stick with an engine mounted AC compressor. Betty's car uses a rotary compressor on the engine, and it works fine.

classicretrofit.com has the electric compressor and hi capacity alternator for the 911 fan. It's a bolt in system for 911's but would have to be adapted to 914's due to a different front air box. We've done a couple on 911's and they work well. Not cheap at $4K but neither is R&D to make your own system. I do agree with Clay, if you have a 914-4, use the stock system with an updated compressor.

LOL, I love you man. At 118, are you driving the 914?

Ford ranger ,little cab (kinda like a 914 cockpit wise)
with ac

Less then 4k .



But i do someone who really does daily drive their
Teeners . I did it for a month in spring.

Teener got same total milage on 16 gallons
As my mazda protege did on 11.5 .

But that's japenese tech for ya . Mazda ac never worked

Does going out into the shop and sitting in it and making "vroom, vroom" sounds while it is up on jack stands count as "driving"?


I had an 86 944 turbo that lost AC and I drove it for about a month in Phoenix during the summer before I got around to fixing it. I'll never drive a car in Phoenix without AC ever again.

Where's the AC smiley?

It is a dealer option and hasn't been installed on this model.