Despite strong opposition from the wife, I'm gonna remove an ill-functioning a/c system and all it's respective parts in the engine compartment. This will create some room in there for future engine work, but it will also leave a void (opening)in the firewall. Is there a plate I can purchase to seal it or does it have to be fabricated? Maybe a used parts dealer. Thanks, Guys.

JR - Miramar,FL

What difference does it make? If your wife's objections are even half of what my wife's would be, how are you planning to drive with your newly-dislocated shoulder duct-taped to one of your two newly-broken legs?

Vaya con dios, amigo.

John

LOL....My '72 took 30yrs to arrive also so I'll have to find a way. Thanks, Big John.

JR - Miramar,FL

Well you may want to do some checking, but HOT Rod Air sells a retro fit kit and I believe it has a Block Off Plate that comes in their kit. If they do have it you may want to ask if they would sell it to you seperate. If they don't then you can fab your own.

Thanks a bunch! By the way, your car is a stunner. Is the color a closely-guarded secret?

JR

Man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Hey, I can respect that.

I've been looking at the '72 assembly manual for a little while on this one. I see a couple things that need to be figured out before you get too far off into this thing.

First thing is that the stock blower assemblies are completely different (A/C vs no A/C). Since the heater fan and motor are mounted to this housing, you have to have a blower housing (unless you want to ditch out the heater, defroster and vents too).
If you want to remove ALL of the underhood A/C components, then you are going to need a lot more than a block-off plate. Either you will have to locate a used blower box from an air-less wreck in the boneyard or else fabricate one from scratch. Hey, my hat's off to you if you can fab that sucker.

Second, if you use a salvaged part, you're going to have to replace the heater core as well ($68.00 @ Eckler's). Core plumbing is different and not interchangeable. There may be a repro blower housing out there. I only glanced at Corvette Central and Eckler's, but didn't see one from either house.

My '72 also has factory air that needs some help. And, one day (soon, I hope) I'm gonna turn it over to my A/C mechanic to do the voodoo he do. Let us know what other options you find and how it all turns out.

Good Luck

John

Whew!! Gotta think about this one. Actually, down here in deepest, darkest So. Florida, where it'll get down to 40 half a dozen times a year, the last thing I need is a heater, since there's so much heat coming thru the firewall and console. Crossroads.....

Thanks, Bossman.
JR

Another option is to remove the VIR assembly and convert it to an orafice tube system, and use R134a refrigerant. Depending on what mine acts like when I get to that point, I may take that route.

Two things.

You can take it to the Corvette Clinic. Chris Sells a 134 Retro fit kit for our years and keeps all the factory controls. Its very reasonable for what you get. He can actually do the install if you pay for his time. Since he is in FL and you are too. I would jump at this opportunity.

Phone for Chris is (407) 323-7804

As far as the color goes for my '72. I bought it from the son of the father who had passed away. The son said the color was a color used in 1969 called atlantis blue. I have not been able to verify this was ever a color in 1969. If it is a GM color, I have never seen another Vette this color. It used to be Elkhart Green. Either way I get alot of comments on the color.

Thanks for asking.

Thanks for useful info, been a great help.

JR