Has anyone tried to modify the a/c system in any way so that it actually works as intended? By this I mean blows with the force of any other General Motors car. Please advise. Have cold air(44 degrees F.), blower is new and turning up to speed, actuators work and all doors are operating properly. Thanks, John
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Re: C-3 A/C
Air flow through mixer and duct work will NOT produce a 'hurricane' wind (less than other GM passenger cars of the era because cabin of Corvette is much smaller and there's no need to blow hard enough to reach the 'back seat'). About all you can do is insure the internal air passages of the duct are debris clean (common on early Sharks for leaves, Etc. to wend their way through intake cowl and block fins of evap core).
Last, mods were made to the fan itself around '72. Maybe this was in response to low air flow comments from consumers. Early cars used formed steel squirrel cage and later ones employed nylon cages. I changed the steel cage on my '71 for a nylon unit (see your local scrap yard). The lower rotational inertia of the nylon seems to boost air flow through the duct work by, maybe, 10-15%.
BUT, it still doesn't get the system up to passenger car flow rates where they needed to move enough air to reach the back seat and keep folks comfortable back there. I find my system works good enough NOT to complain, but will agree it doesn't move the volume of air on initial pump down one experiences in something like a Chevelle/Impala of the same era. Driver's position w.r.t. ducts is the same in both cases, but passenger car is 'howling' away to reach the back seat area.... -
Re: C-3 A/C
Air flow through mixer and duct work will NOT produce a 'hurricane' wind (less than other GM passenger cars of the era because cabin of Corvette is much smaller and there's no need to blow hard enough to reach the 'back seat'). About all you can do is insure the internal air passages of the duct are debris clean (common on early Sharks for leaves, Etc. to wend their way through intake cowl and block fins of evap core).
Last, mods were made to the fan itself around '72. Maybe this was in response to low air flow comments from consumers. Early cars used formed steel squirrel cage and later ones employed nylon cages. I changed the steel cage on my '71 for a nylon unit (see your local scrap yard). The lower rotational inertia of the nylon seems to boost air flow through the duct work by, maybe, 10-15%.
BUT, it still doesn't get the system up to passenger car flow rates where they needed to move enough air to reach the back seat and keep folks comfortable back there. I find my system works good enough NOT to complain, but will agree it doesn't move the volume of air on initial pump down one experiences in something like a Chevelle/Impala of the same era. Driver's position w.r.t. ducts is the same in both cases, but passenger car is 'howling' away to reach the back seat area....Comment
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Re: C-3 A/C
John,
I think that the slow air movement is a quirk of the C3 models. I know the factory A/C in my '66 coupe blows much harder than the air did in my '80, which worked fine, just didn't have the volume of air I like.
Alex
'66 A/C CoupeComment
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Re: C-3 A/C
John,
I think that the slow air movement is a quirk of the C3 models. I know the factory A/C in my '66 coupe blows much harder than the air did in my '80, which worked fine, just didn't have the volume of air I like.
Alex
'66 A/C CoupeComment
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Re: C-3 A/C
John,
Many C3 owners complain of this problem. If you're willing to deviate from original, I recall that one of the speed shops or related suppliers (Summit, Jegs, or someone else?) has started marketing a replacement C3 fan unit and claim a significant increase in fan output (cfm). Hopefully someone with knowledge of the suppliers name will post.
Good luck,
Ed
NCRS # 13671Comment
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Re: C-3 A/C
John,
Many C3 owners complain of this problem. If you're willing to deviate from original, I recall that one of the speed shops or related suppliers (Summit, Jegs, or someone else?) has started marketing a replacement C3 fan unit and claim a significant increase in fan output (cfm). Hopefully someone with knowledge of the suppliers name will post.
Good luck,
Ed
NCRS # 13671Comment
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Re: C-3 A/C
Thanks guys. I will definetly look into the suppliers you have mentioned. I have been trying to source out either a fan assembly of a modified squirrel cage for this car for 3 years now. JohnComment
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Re: C-3 A/C
Thanks guys. I will definetly look into the suppliers you have mentioned. I have been trying to source out either a fan assembly of a modified squirrel cage for this car for 3 years now. JohnComment
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Re: Mid-year side exhaust continued
This has been a very interesting thread. I can not believe that GM, in those days, had a way of coordinating sidepipe / non sidepipe cars at A O Smith. I would think that all A O Smith bodies were made the same. The cuts to the body for the sidepipes could be easily made at St Louis. The only difference that could exist between an "original" St Louis side pipe car and an "original" A O Smith sidepipe car (if they exist) is that the rocker molding supports that were normally welded to the body were either 1) left off when the body was made at St Louis 2) cut off when the body was made in St Louis 3) cut off when the body was made at A O Smith. Personally, I believe cars with A O Smith bodies could be "original" sidepipe cars. For the record, I have a St Louis car with sidepipes. It appears to be an original sidepipe car, however on a frame off restored car, who really knows these days.
All Comments are appreciated.
john lolliComment
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4.? Why couldn't they have been left off at A.O.S? *NM*
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Re: Mid-year side exhaust continued
John,
I agree with what you've mentioned and have maintained the same personal outlook. Micheal Murray has pointed out at one time or another that the A.O. Smith factory at Ionia, Michigan produced the bodies there by following the "broadcast sheet" of the Corvette Order Copy. I hadn't made that connection before but it certainly would fit in with some reasoning at the least. And if that would be the case, then I believe as he additionally has responded here that the rocker panel brackets would not have been installed at the A.O. Smith plant if the N14 Side Exhaust option had been designated. And I can agree with his input and information as well. Just some additional comments. TBarr #24014Comment
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Re: Mid-year side exhaust continued
Tom and Mike
It is entirely possible that Ionia followed a broadcast sheet and the brackets were left off. I personally dont feel that GM had the ability to coordinate the process that finitely back then. Pages 30-32 of Noland Adams book discusses A O Smith. When I look at all those bodies on page 31 sitting on rail cars in the snow. I have a hard time imagining they were able to coordinate N14 cars. I think they forecasted how many coupe convertibles colors etc and then just had Ionia build them. Also, the picture in the upper left on page 32 show a birdcage being painted. There is no paperwork visible anywhere in the picture and the bidcage has brackets attached. Likewise the picture (lower) of the big block body on page 33 also has brackets. I think it was easier and cheaper for GM to have all the cars built the same and then just cut the brackets off and modify the bodies in St Louis than coordinate production requirements. Please understand, I am in no way disagreeing with either of you. Heck I really dont know for sure either way. It is quite interesting discussing the topic. Like I said earlier -- it is entirely possible Ionia followed a broadcast sheet and left them off.
It sure would be nice if we could hear from someone who worked at the Ionia plant and solve this mystery.
regards and thanks for the comments
john lolliComment
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Re: Mid-year side exhaust continued
Hi Folks, I have to agree that is is an interesting topic. At one of the Mid-Atlantic annual meetings (about 2 years ago) Al Grennen was a guest speaker and did a seminar on build sheets,broadcast sheets, etc. I believe that he stated that 1965 was the first year that IBM sold the new tracking system to GM to keep up with orders. I would be hard to believe that GM would build cars at A O Smith as speculated cars. You would think that the had to know things like what cars got things like power windows as well as side exhaust. Since the cars came from A O Smith with interiors. Page CampbellComment
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Re: Mid-year other "body cut" options continued
they came with interiors from Smith? really? I wouldn't have guessed that they would body drop with a complete interior. I pictured a bare shell. Given that hoods were painted "on", hoods must have also been in place, thus they would need to know SB vs BB.
PW was mentioned as another option. How about AC with the inner fender & heater box cuts? was that done right away at Smith or customized later on the St.L line? Seems that they would have done it earlier - especially if interior involved. Wouldn't the (AC) core support also be shipped with the body? My point is I agree that if they could have known of these options then N14 is just as possible. Very interesting discussion...Comment
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