!983 GSL Air Conditioning
03-14-22, 08:34 AM
#4
I dont think youll find one.
You can find compressors, condensers, expansion valves and receiver/ dryers new, but as far as I know nothing else.
Your best bet is to get the remaining pieces from a donor car, (or find them piece by piece on e-bay). That would include the compressor mount, condenser mounts, evaporator core and housing and wiring harness.
I would recommend having new hoses made, or make them yourself. 40 year old hoses I think would be sketchy. I bought a crimper, fittings and made my own. This allowed me to route the hoses much more neatly as the original system was dealer add on and was routed for convenience, not appearance, if that matters.
Also since you will be using 134 freon you will benefit from a larger condenser , if you can do some simple fabrication to mount it a there is enough room for a bigger one, which will help get colder temps. you can find condensers any size you need.
One resource i used for hoses and compressor and fittings was cold hose .com:
https://coldhose.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw...AaAoRQEALw_wcB
This may seem a daunting task, but I have done two Rx-7s one with 134, and one with R-12 (that I had been hoarding since it was made illegal,) and both operate on par with modern AC, heck the R-12 car is better than modern , so in the end it is worth it, especially if, like me, you live in a hot clime.
You can find compressors, condensers, expansion valves and receiver/ dryers new, but as far as I know nothing else.
Your best bet is to get the remaining pieces from a donor car, (or find them piece by piece on e-bay). That would include the compressor mount, condenser mounts, evaporator core and housing and wiring harness.
I would recommend having new hoses made, or make them yourself. 40 year old hoses I think would be sketchy. I bought a crimper, fittings and made my own. This allowed me to route the hoses much more neatly as the original system was dealer add on and was routed for convenience, not appearance, if that matters.
Also since you will be using 134 freon you will benefit from a larger condenser , if you can do some simple fabrication to mount it a there is enough room for a bigger one, which will help get colder temps. you can find condensers any size you need.
One resource i used for hoses and compressor and fittings was cold hose .com:
https://coldhose.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw...AaAoRQEALw_wcB
This may seem a daunting task, but I have done two Rx-7s one with 134, and one with R-12 (that I had been hoarding since it was made illegal,) and both operate on par with modern AC, heck the R-12 car is better than modern , so in the end it is worth it, especially if, like me, you live in a hot clime.
Last edited by rwatson5651; 03-14-22 at 08:49 AM.
03-14-22, 08:42 AM
#5
Did the car originally have AC and somebody removed it? Or was it a non-AC-equipped model and you want all the OE-style parts to put the 1985 AC option into it?
If the car was originally an AC car then it will be easier to restore, because your dashboard controls and everything under the dash should still be there. With a little patience you can usually find the under-hood parts in the RX-7club classified section, epay and junk yards. You'll want to perform the upgrades that rwatson5651 mentioned above.
To find the proper dashboard controls and cables you'll need somebody doing a full part-out. I've had good luck finding unusual parts on epay. Just type in "RX-7 parts" and you'll find adds for fenders, doors, wheels, etc but they show a complete car. I then message them and ask for the parts I need and if the car still has it, they pull it for me. I've gotten brake balancer valves, rear axle brake splitter blocks, GSL-SE brake calipers and dust shields, interior trim, trunk poppers, etc etc and none of these parts were advertised. I just asked.
I'm on my second FB that all the under-hood AC parts were removed but the dash and under-dash is still setup for it. Mine would be pretty easy to convert back. But if the car never had it, you will need everything. There are several Mazda mechanics on the forum that can help guide you with the needed parts.
Do you want it all-original OE parts or would you be happy with an aftermarket kit like the hot-rod guys put in their cars from the '30's & '40's? That would be much easier, and you could have a shop install it for you if you prefer.
If the car was originally an AC car then it will be easier to restore, because your dashboard controls and everything under the dash should still be there. With a little patience you can usually find the under-hood parts in the RX-7club classified section, epay and junk yards. You'll want to perform the upgrades that rwatson5651 mentioned above.
To find the proper dashboard controls and cables you'll need somebody doing a full part-out. I've had good luck finding unusual parts on epay. Just type in "RX-7 parts" and you'll find adds for fenders, doors, wheels, etc but they show a complete car. I then message them and ask for the parts I need and if the car still has it, they pull it for me. I've gotten brake balancer valves, rear axle brake splitter blocks, GSL-SE brake calipers and dust shields, interior trim, trunk poppers, etc etc and none of these parts were advertised. I just asked.
I'm on my second FB that all the under-hood AC parts were removed but the dash and under-dash is still setup for it. Mine would be pretty easy to convert back. But if the car never had it, you will need everything. There are several Mazda mechanics on the forum that can help guide you with the needed parts.
Do you want it all-original OE parts or would you be happy with an aftermarket kit like the hot-rod guys put in their cars from the '30's & '40's? That would be much easier, and you could have a shop install it for you if you prefer.
Last edited by Maxwedge; 03-14-22 at 08:46 AM.
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