To AC or not to AC....that is the question

[Mocajava]

Removed the dash from my 69 Coronet and am staring at the original AC unit. I am thinking on removing it completely but wanted to touch base with the forum first. All of the AC parts were hooked up when I bought the car but the system wasn't charged so I never tried it...this IS ALASKA, it never got used! Several questions I have:
1) I do want the heat and defrost, is there parts I leave or will I be looking for additional parts to make this work?
2) Is the factory AC set up an add-on to a basic heat/defrost system, or is this a completely different set up?
3) I have a FS manual but it has no depth, does not show both version (AC vs non-AC). Where can I find the prints that I see pictures displayed of throughout the forum? Several of you professors come up with fantastic full drawings...where do you get them?

 

[Ghostrider 67]

Go to ..MyMopar. hit the reference library and download manuals. Sometimes the parts manuals have better pics.

 

[747mopar]

The boxes are completely different plus there's more holes in the firewall for A/C cars. Are you restoring the car meaning will you be painting the engine compartment? I ask because if I lived in Alaska I would clean up all the A/C only holes in the firewall and put a heat only unit in.... only A/C cars have the blower motor visible from the motor side. If it won't be getting painted and you just want to get it going I'd just throw the A/C unit in and forget it, you could leave the evaporator out but it wouldn't make any difference while switching to a heat only box will really clean up the motor compartment and lighten it up a bit.

 

[Dennis H]

AC.

 

[HT413]

Although you clearly won't use the AC, I'm not sure I see the benefit of removing the under dash components. The way I see it, leave all that stuff and maybe just pull the compressor, condenser and line set from the engine bay and cap all of the lines nice and neat. besides, keeping the factory ac intact improves the value.

 

[Mocajava]

Thank you gents! Just removed entire dash and yes, I will be repainting the engine bay and entire car. This Coronet is coming down to a skeleton to start from scratch and the AC at this point may be deleted...maybe? I will download as Ghostrider suggested and see if I can still use the existing duct work and under dash unit to get heat, defrost and vent to work properly. Don't mind having it sit in there just thought it could be somewhat straight forward to swap to non-ac, I could blank off/delete certain aspects and still retain the functions I am wanting. I appreciate the info! Mocajava

 

[cdr]

as 747 said leave the evaporator out & that will lighten it up a lot, the heater & defrost will still work, the duct work for non ac is different, the vents on the sides of the dash are not cut out.