I recently bought my first vette (after many years of saving my pennies) a 73 coupe with T-tops. The car orginally had AC installed but the previous owner took off the compressor, condenser and dryer to rebuild the 350. I have the compressor but will have to purchase everything else. I'm not sure how the controls mounted on the console work though. It looks like they are vaccum operated. Does anyone have any ideas where I can find a book or something else that I can use to show how the hoses run etc... Do these hoses run the AC or just the heater? Thanks for your help....

 

Hey Stoney, I really like the Haynes manuals. They are concise and accurate. There is also a company called Mid America Corvette that has a vacuum hose routing book. Corvettes seem to run everything off vacuum. As far as the controls on the console I suspect all the vacuum hoses are still routed to the firewall. Remember that your car uses R-12 refrigerant and you can't find it any more. Now would be the time to retrofit with R-134. Also one question, Have you ever been in 70's Corvette with the A/C running. Mine is a 72 and wide open, it just bearly cools the cockpit. Old Corvette's need to be driven with the tops off and the windows down. The top on mine has not been up in 10 years.

 

Thanks for the help Buck. I'll try to find the book from MA vettes. I live in FL and it gets pretty hot down here and even a little bit of cool air should help some. Thanks again. Stoney

 

http://www.madvet.com/shop?frame=1.68.2992

I think the vacuum manual they have is for the headlights/wiper doors only.
This manual should cover what you need, and it's handy to have around.

I'd have to agree with the other poster though. I ripped out my A/C about 8 years ago (didn't want to pay for the R134 conversion and it never worked well anyway). Now the car weighs less, cools more efficiently (condenser doesn't block the radiator anymore) and doesn't have a power robbing a/c pump to spin. Put the T tops in a safe place in the attic and have fun! My method for turning the a/c up? Push down a little harder with my right foot.