Dealer Installed A/C ?

[Lorne G.]

My 67 has a complete original A/C system installed but since it was not included on my tank sheet I assumed that a previous owner had installed it perhaps from a wrecked air car.
In documententing the history I spoke with the second owner last week who told me that the original owner ( deceased ) had the A/C installed at the dealer six months after buying the car since he wanted A/C badly and did not like the 68 body style so a 68 A/C model was not an option.

Is this feasible? Could and would dealers install a major option like A/C in a Corvette? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.
Lorne

[Jack H.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

Many things are 'possible' for dealers to install, but adding factory A/C to a car is a BIG job! I'd find it TOUGH to swallow a dealer providing the amount of labor necessary to duplicate a factory original A/C system!

That's why there was a separate product (Chevy A/C vs. Four Seasons A/C).

This was intended to 'solve' the problem of adding A/C to cars not originally factory equipped. You know what I'm talking about...the lumpy 'box' unit that was bolted below the dash... But, I'm not sure it that system was qualified for Corvette due to the lack of underdash space.

[Lorne G.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

Jack, there is no lumpy box under the dash, it is the correct A/C unit as pictured in the Assembly manual and also 67 Service manual.

My thought is that if it was a really big job for a dealer to do, would the original owner have done this on his own? I know a lot of us like to work on our own cars but install an A/C system in a new car that was only 6 -8 months old at the time?
This has me really puzzled and since the original owner is thought to be deceased I guess I will never know the answer but was hoping just to know the possibilities.

Lorne

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

Any chance you have a factory air car and your tank sheet is from another car ???

[John H.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

I can't imagine that any dealer in the 60's would have had the knowledge and expertise to correctly install a complete factory-style A/C system; just identifying and ordering all the parts would be a major undertaking, much less doing the major body/firewall modifications to accept the adapter assembly and evaporator case. It would be far less costly to just buy a car already equipped with A/C.

If it's a St. Louis body, what's the trim code on the trim tag?

[Lorne G.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

The car is a high optioned 400HP car that was built in St. Louis and delivered into Canada. It's an automatic with STD. black trim.
Although I do not have the orginal tank sticker I do have Canadian documentation from GM Canada which lists all options, selling dealer, production date, shipping date, etc. I also received a photocopy of a microfiched ledger sheet from GM Canada that was supposedly the factory shipping document that showed the various cars being shipped to Canada that day or week and each car is fully itemized with option codes, key codes, trim information, color, serial number, dealer number, dealer order number, body number, etc. This is the same information that was used for the tank sticker. However A/C is not listed on this sheet.

I was also told that the wealthy original owner purchased this car for his daughter and was supposed to have air but did not come in with air. That could be another reason the dealer did the installation ( only a guess. )

Could it also be possible that the option code was left off the GM Microfiched delivery sheet accidently and originally was on the tank sticker? GM Canada only confirms the options that are listed on this mircofiche document.
Lorne

[Wayne W.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

I can't imagine that any dealer in the 60's would have had the knowledge and expertise to correctly install a complete factory-style A/C system; just identifying and ordering all the parts would be a major undertaking, much less doing the major body/firewall modifications to accept the adapter assembly and evaporator case. It would be far less costly to just buy a car already equipped with A/C.

If it's a St. Louis body, what's the trim code on the trim tag?

I dont think it would be so unusual actually. I have seen several over the years that were done, it was said by the dealer. One in particular was a 63 that I looked at many years ago. Intersted, because it was a 63, I took a long look. The story was that the car was given to a dealers daughter to drive. She wanted AC later when it was generally available in 64, so the dealership added it. It was a complete 64 system installed.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

My 67 has a complete original A/C system installed but since it was not included on my tank sheet I assumed that a previous owner had installed it perhaps from a wrecked air car.
In documententing the history I spoke with the second owner last week who told me that the original owner ( deceased ) had the A/C installed at the dealer six months after buying the car since he wanted A/C badly and did not like the 68 body style so a 68 A/C model was not an option.

Is this feasible? Could and would dealers install a major option like A/C in a Corvette? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.
Lorne

If you will PM me, I will tell you what to look for to determine if it was factory or later installed.

[John H.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

The car is a high optioned 400HP car that was built in St. Louis and delivered into Canada. It's an automatic with STD. black trim.

The "STD" (black trim) eliminates the trim code telling us anything; Wayne can help you with "clues".

[Lorne G.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

Thanks Wayne,
I have sent you a PM.

Lorne

[Ken A.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

I can't imagine that any dealer in the 60's would have had the knowledge and expertise to correctly install a complete factory-style A/C system; just identifying and ordering all the parts would be a major undertaking, much less doing the major body/firewall modifications to accept the adapter assembly and evaporator case. It would be far less costly to just buy a car already equipped with A/C.

If it's a St. Louis body, what's the trim code on the trim tag?

The Ft Worth, TX dealership I worked at in 63 installed the factory air "kit" that was available over the parts counter on 63 full size Chevrolets. We did over 20 cars and this the "factory air" option, not the add on unit. The flat rate was 22 hours and the 3 of us could do one in 6. We also did ONE 63 Corvette. We did cars for dealers in Dallas & Ft. Worth. The kit included everything & was relativaly easy to install.

[Lorne G.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

Thanks Ken,
This is good information to know. So there is a good chance my A/C unit was installed by the dealer after all.
Wayne has sent me some tips to determine if my A/C was actually factory installed or after factory installed.
Thanks to all for the input and assisstance.
Lorne

[Peter L.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

Lorne - Interesting thread. I figure Wayne has hit on a number of items but a couple of this things like the compressor foil tag information, A/C hose dates, A/C muffler configuration, water shut off valve date, battery location, battery cable part numbers, blower motor, etc can provide clues. Good luck. Pete

[Ken A.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

Thanks Ken,
This is good information to know. So there is a good chance my A/C unit was installed by the dealer after all.
Wayne has sent me some tips to determine if my A/C was actually factory installed or after factory installed.
Thanks to all for the input and assisstance.
Lorne

If it was a factory kit & installed correctly, then it will be undetectable. All parts that were factory installed were in the "kit" and came from production service parts.

[Lorne G.]

Re: Dealer Installed A/C ?

Based on the clues I received from Wayne and the confirmation from Ken regarding dealer installations, I have come to the conclusion that the A/C was not installed at the factory but rather dealer installed.
Aside from one stud, the installation is absolutely correct and undetectable. I spent two hours this morning comparing it to a factory A/C car and could not see any difference aside from the heater hoses being routed slightly different.

I hope the twenty two hours labour and parts bill for the original owner to add the A/C was worth it for him, I know it sure is for me.

Thanks to all that helped me solve this mystery.
Lorne