My 69 Cutlass seems to have factory AC but I am under the impression that it did not come with it. All parts are correct for it but it appears to have fresh air vents. They are currently blocked off. Can someone confirm one way or another. It seems like a lot of work to add it later but as far as I know you couldn't have AC and fresh air vents.
thanks,
Steve

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I’d go off the firewall. If the firewall is setup for A/C, then it’s likely that it came from the factory that way. Cutting the firewall to add factory looking A/C is quite an undertaking. It’s doable but expensive and would probably wind up looking aftermarket-ish, unless someone was really dedicated to ginning it up to look factory. Even then, I believe A/C firewalls and Non-A/C firewalls were different stamping.

The air vents for non/ac are much easier to add than cutting the firewall. In my ‘66 big cars, swapping in the air vents for the block off plates as used in A/C cars might take 30 minutes, but then you’d need to figure out some vacuum solution for opening them too. The block off plates are held in by 5 or 6 5/16’s sheet metal screws. Very easy to remove.

Someone before you might just have wanted some additional venting on top of what was available through the A/C system. Or maybe the A/C evaporator got moldy / smelly and they wanted a quick solution for fresh air.

Disclaimer: I know much less about A-bodies, so if someone has a better idea, please disregard the thoughts above.
Chris

 

thanks. It all looks to be factory. AC and non-AC kick panels are totally different and the firewall doesn't show any signs of modifications. ???
Steve

 

The firewalls are stamped differently for the non A/C or heat only. Something is definitely screwy there, the fresh are vents are clearly visible, but the servo for the recirc door is also there. Those parts shouldn’t be together on the same car. Is there a fresh air vent on the drivers side, or is there a block off plate like the factory A/C cars used?


A conversion from heater only to factory A/C is a big project. I would think if someone attempted it, the surgery to the firewall would be fairly easy to see, at least from the inside.

Who knows? Maybe Fisher body wash having a bad day and accidentally installed the vents for the fresh air on a A/C car? I would think that highly unlikely, but I suppose things like that could happen.

 

The air vent is the same on the DS. I was wondering if it was by mistake too. I've had the heater box out and everything looks factory. No indication of someone modifying things.
Steve

 

I would say it is unlikely to be a factory mistake as I think the "flappers" (part that adjusts air flow in the tube) would have been added on the asembly line while the tube would have been part of the original firewall from fisher body. Meaning it would have been the result of 2 mistakes at 2 different plants. Have you taken the evaporator case off the firewall? The underhood side is likely where you will find evidence of A/C being added. If the firewall pad was still on with the heater box off, it would have covered the areas where the changes were made. Adding factory A/C is a big job but doable. I added A/C to 2 of my 66 chevelles that were both original heat only cars. 68-72 is a little easier as you really only need to change the shape of the hole passing through the firewall going to the heater box and add two holes for the heater core tubes.

68-72 heat only firewall:


68-72 A/C firewall:


64-67 heat only firewall


64-67 A/C firewall:


Here is a shot of my 66 convertible that I added factory A/C to: