Help with day 2 goals

[Too Many Projects]

There are kits to rebuild vintage alternators to 100 amp, but I don't know about the external regulated system being capable of that. Internal, easy. Early 70's Cadillac's and Buick's came with 90 amp alternators for all the power equipment and A/C already being installed back then. The early internal alts look enough like the external alts to not really be noticeable, except to the people who know these cars very well. You leave the regulator on the core support and use 1 jumper wire to, effectively, bypass the regulator.



Having worked in automotive A/C and been trained, I don't see how you would ever get the temp of the gas down enough to turn back to liquid with the condenser behind the radiator, that air is just too hot. It needs to be the first thing the air hits and, like Lynn said, it needs the proper space to the radiator for that to cool enough to not overheat too.


I'm with Big Gear Head, no Lithium-ion batteries in ANYTHING I own.

[Rallyegreen68SS]

Thanks for all of the great input! I'll address some of these one at a time. Norcam, if I was fortunate enough to live in Alberta, I don't think I'd worry about a/c either! I'll check with some local electrical guys about upgrades to my alternator. Thanks. Lynn, I'd figured 120 amp output would be ideal minimum, so you were about where I was on numbers. And I will go ahead with it, will take your advise & start a tutorial thread once my car is back in my shop. I appreciate the suggestion. BCreekDave, I hadn't thought about an extra battery, or putting condenser in trunk after allowing for circulation, intriguing idea! I've been a Mercedes-Benz master tech for a couple of decades, they use LI batteries on some of their AMG S-class cars. I know auto LI technology has progressed by exponential amounts over the last few years. Have never researched aftermarket applications for them, will definitely look into it, even the possibility of a lead-acid battery for extra capacity and to act as a buffer. L78M22Rag, it's a Rallye Green with parchment interior D80 car. JM said it had been years since he had seen such an unmolested original paint car, said the light interior was a rather uncommon in 68. He phoned owner #2 and had a long conversation about what he knew about car. There was enough rust that partial quarters, trunk floor and floorboards all required metal work. Will plan to post pics when I start the a/c fitment thread. Too Many Projects, I researched your comment about condenser location, you are spot on. It'll have to go in front of radiator, as you said. Will sort out what condenser options I have. Thanks again, guys.

[NorCam]

Yeah...most of our hot summer days are in the mid to high 80's, but we do get the occasional stint with temps in the 90's plus, but normally a dry heat and w/o humidity. I still remember the first time I stepped out of a car when we drove down to Atlanta. I about died when I stepped out into that muggy mess of July heat. If I was down there, I'd be sure to have a couple of cars ready to go. A driver car with air perhaps, and a solid lifter car that was built for evening cruises and days when the temps were a bit lower. GM never put a/c into solid lifter cars back in the day, and I think solid lifter cars should always be that way...but that's just me.

I say do what you like with your own car as I have never let other people's feelings get in the way of whatever I want to do with mine. After all, it's gotta float my boat before I'm ever gonna worry about what someone else likes or doesn't like. I'll be following your build thread once you get started.

Cheers

[big gear head]

Originally Posted by Rallyegreen68SS

L78M22Rag, it's a Rallye Green with parchment interior D80 car. JM said it had been years since he had seen such an unmolested original paint car, said the light interior was a rather uncommon in 68.

Couldn't you put air conditioning on another car and leave this unmolested L78 car unmolested? Once you do this you can't undo it. It won't be "such an unmolested original paint car" anymore.

[Rallyegreen68SS]

Well, the plan with the a/c is to install it without any non-reversible modifications to the car. High up on the list is not messing up the car visually, while making it more user friendly. Time will tell, but I hope the end result will stay true to that goal. Will keep you all posted.

[big gear head]

You are going to have to cut and drill holes in the car to make this work. Those are not reversible modifications.

[Tommy]

Just reading through this and I have to agree with everyone lol. Your approach isn't day 2 at all but it's your car. I do have another option if you want A/C. There were companies making under dash A/C units back in the 70's and they looked pretty good. I had a 72 Nova with a working aftermarket air conditioner. The under dash unit was black plastic with the fan built in and the compressor is a upright style similar to some found on older ford's. Your still going to have the hoses and a/c parts under the hood but it'll look the part instead of a cobbled up mess.

Tommy

[Tommy]

The compressor on my old Nova was a "York" compressor.


Tommy