A/C for '73, factory or dealer installed?

[wa5ngp]

Just to add to this. (I love a good troll and the flames). I've got a 73 that I've had since 76. The evaporator core is just above and to the right of where the passengers feet are. The thermostat that cycles the compressor is on a little black box right in front of the choke lever. It was definitely after market because I have some of the info that was included when it was installed in San Marcos texas. It is very well integrated and to the casual view you might conclude that it is factory air. As a matter of fact the brand name on the little box with the thermostat say "Factory Air". I've since replaced the 2 lung tecumseh with a nice rotorary.

Now what I need to do is go buy some of that insulation sound deadning foil foam to line the inside and make the ac a bit more tolerable in the summer. Its ok now, but sometimes it gets to 110 degrees here.

Don

[moonpup]

The main problem with these units was not the units themselves but rather the fact that the S30 was not designed for an ac system.

The evaporator unit was mounted such that the blower was forced to SUCK air through it. (not very efficient) Most modern units are designed to have the blower do what it was designed to do and BLOW air through the evap. unit.(mo effecient)

Now combine this with vent hoses that have diameters the size of softballs and it's like trying to fart thru the Holland Tunnel! :stupid:

I went rotory and replaced everything I could on my 72 and the best it would do was just keep me from sweating at highway speeds. Forget stop & go traffic...had to shut the damn thing off to keep from overheating. (Remember, we're talking Houston, TX in the summer!)

[gogriz91]

I'm in the process of installing a 105 amp alternator and a Honda blower motor and I fgured the system might actually do a decent job provided there were no leaks. I just didn't want to carry the weight around and put the load on the engine to run it in stop and go traffic.

[moonpup]

If you're still planning to pull the system, which I assume you are, then to answer your earlier question, YES you will need to seal the holes left in the firewall from the high and low pressure hoses.

I would try and find some type of rubber plug similar to the ones used in your floorboards. You might also check with a local company in your area that installs and works on AC units. They may have a plug designed just for that purpose.

[HS30-H]

The main problem with these units was not the units themselves but rather the fact that the S30 was not designed for an ac system.

As a matter of fact, the S30 was designed to incorporate an air conditioning system. The Factory was fitting a very comprehensive system right from the beginning of sales to the general public in late 1969.

Of course this was on Japanese home-market models, and not the HLS30U.

Whether it actually worked as well as some people would have liked is another ( different ) discussion.

Another interesting discussion might be whether the original Factory air conditioning system was not offered on the HLS30U because it was designed for an RHD configuration, and only an RHD configuration - which would be interesting..........

[sblake01]

I can't speak for the aftermarket systems on the early S30 but my 78 has an aftermarket system with a center mounted evaporator. And like the factory systems in the 74-78 S30, the blower does blow through the evaporator. I use R414B which is knows in the trade as 'Hotshot' and my system will actually reach as low as 34 degrees at the center vents. It gets pretty hot here in So Cal too and I have had no overheating problems in either of my cars. The main thing is to get rid of the upright compressor, make sure you have a good fan, make sure everything is sealed like where the evap vents into the system and where the ducts connect. I wouldn't suggest converting the old systems (factory or aftermarket) to R134A. It runs at to high a pressure and will eventually kill the system. Might not be easy for the average Joe to get some of the R12 replacements, but like I said I'm EPA certified and can buy any kind of refrigerant. Through experimentation, I've settled on Hotshot since it doesn't cause and pressure related problems and both cars have been trouble free for over three years now.

[HS30-H]

For reference purposes:

Scan from the Nissan 'Service Shuho' booklet no.184 ( the first for the S30-series Z ) which introduced the new model series to the Japanese dealers. Dated November 1969:

[sblake01]

Alan, I don't see why that system wouldn't have worked on LHD cars. I doesn't appear that anything from the system is in the footwells nor would it interfere with the steering column regardless of what side it was on. It looks rather similar to the system that they started using here in 1974.

[moonpup]

As a matter of fact, the S30 was designed to incorporate an air conditioning system.

What's funny is that when I was first writing my reply I had written "240Z", but changed it to S30 in an effort to be politically correct. I'll be more careful in the future or maybe that's what got me here in the first place.

[HS30-H]

Hi Stephen,

As far as I understand it ( certainly looking at the Factory parts catalogs for the LHD models ) the complete layout of the LHD heater system changed in July / August 1973.

Previous to July August 1973 the blower unit was under the RIGHT hand side of the dash on LHD models ( as opposed to the LEFT side of the dash on RHD models - as illustrated in the scan I posted ), and post July / August 1973 the blower ( and all its attachments ) moved over to the LEFT side of the dash - just like the RHD models.

Am I right?

[moonpup]

Hey Alan,

I believe post July / August 1973 the blower remained on the right side of the dash in the LHD models.

It is interesting that they had a system designed for the S30, yet they waited until 1974 to offer virtually the same system in the 260Z to the U.S. market.

[HS30-H]

Hey Alan,

I believe post July / August 1973 the blower remained on the right side of the dash in the LHD models.

That's not what I see in the Factory parts catalogs for the LHD models.

Look at these two scans. First is 'up to July '73', second is 'From August '73'.

Blower motor and Intake Duct etc clearly moves from the left side of the dash to the right in July / August 1973 on LHD cars.

Please tell me I'm not going nuts..........