Need AC Condenser for 1965 Riviera

[cjp69]

I still am using R12 in my Riv and would like to keep it that way.  My condenser has a hole in it. Who makes a new one that is a direct bolt in fit and looks stock?  or does someone have a good working used one they would sell?

 

Thanks in advance, Chris

 

 

Edited June 17 by cjp69 (see edit history)

[Turbinator]

I have s 63 using R12. Update the whole AC system. Used a new AC condenser. It leaked. Came up with old condenser ( original) still in service. Before I buy any after market I check to see if I can original rebuilt. Dame happened with radiator. I spent high dollars on a US Radiator $550 awhile back. SOB leaked. Took my original radiator to a real radiator shop in Baltimore. Dragged if he did not recore the old radiator $550.00 cash money no tax. Radiator still holds good.

Get your condenser fixed and pressure tested forget the aftermarket s$(/.

Turninator

Edited June 18 by Turbinator (see edit history)

[RivNut]

2 hours ago, cjp69 said:

I still am using R12 in my Riv and would like to keep it that way.  My condenser has a hole in it. Who makes a new one that is a direct bolt in fit and looks stock?  or does someone have a good working used one they would sell?

 

Thanks in advance, Chris

 

 

Send me a PM

Ed

[cjp69]

anybody try either of these new AC Condensers from OPGI or Cooler Classics? 

 

1965 65 BUICK RIVIERA AC Condenser A/C OEM AC1260 New Made USA No Modification | eBay

 

AC Condenser, 65 Riviera @ OPGI.com

 

 

 

 

[cjp69]

I ordered this one, will let you guys know how if fits/works!

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265069088612?epid=2294731056&itmmeta=01J0PJ5GV5E93VWQF49QQ381FR&hash=item3db7594f64:g:XeIAAOSwb79j7G0B

 

 

[JZRIV]

Good Luck Chris. I ordered an aftermarket condenser when doing 66 and sent it back. It would have fit (sort of) and functioned but it did not look like the original. Of course the 65 condenser is a lot different so hopefully yours will be OK.

At the ROA tech session Winston McCullom mentioned there being a internal design difference between condenser designed for R12 and R134A. The 134A specifically having a design that makes them more efficient for 134A. 

After all this time I never heard or was aware of the condenser design being relative to R12 or 134A.

 

So have to wonder are these repop condensers internally designed like the OEM R12 or are they built for 134A  

[1965rivgs]

1 hour ago, JZRIV said:

Good Luck Chris. I ordered an aftermarket condenser when doing 66 and sent it back. It would have fit (sort of) and functioned but it did not look like the original. Of course the 65 condenser is a lot different so hopefully yours will be OK.

At the ROA tech session Winston McCullom mentioned there being a internal design difference between condenser designed for R12 and R134A. The 134A specifically having a design that makes them more efficient for 134A. 

After all this time I never heard or was aware of the condenser design being relative to R12 or 134A.

 

So have to wonder are these repop condensers internally designed like the OEM R12 or are they built for 134A  

  Yes, what Winston related is true re condensor design. I assume developmental steps were made toward a more efficient condensor design in the first couple of years after the intro of R134.

  In my experience, I have a '96 Suburban equipped with R134 that has been acceptable in operation since new. But my '03 Escalade has always blown ice cubes since new and still does at 350 K miles of brutal service.  

  The Suburban required many service repairs, mostly for corrosion related issues, but I've basically never touched the refrigerant system on the Escalade. A testament to " if it ain't broke, don't fix it".    

  GM engineering was surely paying alot of attention to hvac systems during the period immediately after the intro of R134.

Tom

Edited June 24 by 1965rivgs (see edit history)

[RivNut]

I just installed a Vintage Air in my ‘64.  The VA tech said I would not be happy with the VA installation if I chose to use my stock condenser and drier. I chose wisely and went with the condenser VA had that was closest to the original size.

[Seafoam65]

              I don't think I mentioned this, put the tubes on a modern R134 condenser used on cars and trucks since about 1999 are so tiny that you can't even shove a needle into the holes of the tubes. they are literally microscopic. For this reason, when your R134 compressor goes bad, you have to change out the condenser, orifice tube, and flush out all the lines because the condenser tubes are so tiny they cannot be flushed out to remove trash from the compressor failure like on an R12 condenser.

Edited June 28 by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

[EmTee]

My understanding is the old R-12 condensers were 'series' style; a single tube that snakes back-and-forth from top to bottom.  Flushing these condensers is pretty easy, since there's only one path from inlet to outlet.

 

R-134a condensers, however, are a 'parallel' style that consist of a stack of horizontal tubes that are joined at the ends in a pair of 'manifolds'.  Those condensers can't be cleaned reliably because there's no way to ensure the solvent makes its way through each of the parallel tubes.  In fact, the tubes with the most crap in them will more likely than not allow the solvent to flow through due to the sludge that is blocking them.

[Turbinator]

On 6/27/2024 at 8:15 PM, EmTee said:

My understanding is the old R-12 condensers

My skillful hand punched a hole in one of tubes ( not internal tube) in my original AC EVAPORATOR. Would you know if the hole in what seems to be aluminum tube be reliably repaired to hold the pressure?

Thank you

Turbinator

[Turbinator]

On 6/27/2024 at 8:15 PM, EmTee said:

My understanding is the old R-12 condensers

My skillful hand punched a hole in one of tubes ( not internal tube) in my original AC EVAPORATOR. Would you know if the hole in what seems to be aluminum tube be reliably repaired to hold the pressure?

Thank you

Turbinator

[telriv]

Yes, by a skilled welder.

 

Tom T.

[RIVNIK]

I just got my new "Made in the USA" '65 AC condenser from CoolerClassics, as per cjp69. A few years ago I did what Turbinator did but eventually I came to prefer riding windows-down & never got around to replacing it, or else I am lazy. I will install it when I finally break down to overhauling the entire system. But FYI... the new one is a beautiful piece, identical to the original in every detail, save one. The vanes are not wavy like the originals but flat. does anyone think that significantly reduces the cooling ability?  

[cjp69]

Figured I should post this for when the ebay link expires:

 

65 BUICK RIVIERA AC Condenser A/C OEM AC1260 New Made USA No Modification

 

Item specifics

Condition

New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging is ...

 

Country/Region of Manufacture

United States

OE/OEM Part Number

3158967

Interchange Part Number

AC1260

Material

Aluminum

Type

A/C Condenser

Features

100% Leak Tested, Durability Tested, No Drilling/Modification Needed

Manufacturer Part Number

AC1260

Other Part Number

AIR PRO#420364 1260

Country of Manufacture

United States

Brand

ac global

Manufacturer Warranty

1 Year

[pfloro]

On 7/21/2024 at 8:36 AM, RIVNIK said:

The vanes are not wavy like the originals but flat. does anyone think that significantly reduces the cooling ability?  

Since the vanes (aka: fins) are flat instead of wavy, there is lightly less surface area to dissipate the condenser heat.  However, because they are flat, there may be more fins per inch...!  This would increase the heat transfer.  Depending on the design & engineering, it may not make any difference.

 

Enjoy the cool...!

 

Paul

[65VerdeGS]

Perhaps relevant to this discussion is that I had the factory A/C system in my '67 Corvette converted to R-134a about five years ago.  The shop evacuated what remained of the R-12 refrigerant, flushed the old oil from the compressor, replaced it with "PAG" oil (?),  and pressure tested the system.  The hoses and refrigerant lines held pressure so did not need to be replaced.  All stock parts were left in place including the POA valve and condenser.  The system was recharged with R-134a and has continued to work fine ever since. 

 

The system offers marginally less cooling than it did with R-12, but performs quite well nonetheless.  I get 40 F at the dash outlets vs. 37 F with R-12 before the system started losing its refrigerant charge.  It was not necessary to replace the condenser when converting to R-134a, nor was this recommended to me at the time.  I was told that installing an adjustable POA valve could help achieve slightly better cooling, but decided against it, being satisfied with how the system is able to perform as it is.

 

Note that 1st Gen Rivieras use an STV valve.  These were replaced with POA valves around 1967.  The STV valve might complicate things for those looking to covert to R-134a.  Perhaps someone here can share their experience in this regard.

[1965rivgs]

3 hours ago, 65VerdeGS said:

Perhaps relevant to this discussion is that I had the factory A/C system in my '67 Corvette converted to R-134a about five years ago.  The shop evacuated what remained of the R-12 refrigerant, flushed the old oil from the compressor, replaced it with "PAG" oil (?),  and pressure tested the system.  The hoses and refrigerant lines held pressure so did not need to be replaced.  All stock parts were left in place including the POA valve and condenser.  The system was recharged with R-134a and has continued to work fine ever since. 

 

The system offers marginally less cooling than it did with R-12, but performs quite well nonetheless.  I get 40 F at the dash outlets vs. 37 F with R-12 before the system started losing its refrigerant charge.  It was not necessary to replace the condenser when converting to R-134a, nor was this recommended to me at the time.  I was told that installing an adjustable POA valve could help achieve slightly better cooling, but decided against it, being satisfied with how the system is able to perform as it is.

 

Note that 1st Gen Rivieras use an STV valve.  These were replaced with POA valves around 1967.  The STV valve might complicate things for those looking to covert to R-134a.  Perhaps someone here can share their experience in this regard.

  Alex, your experience is consistent with what I have learned after doing many R134 conversions.

  The only variance I would add is the fact that, if I was working on a system that was "tight", I generally left the old mineral based oil in the system and simply added the R134 compatible oil. The old mineral oil is not miscable with R134 and therefore does not travel through the system with R134, it just stays pooled in each of the major components doing no harm except to take up minimal space.

  There is nothing "wrong" with flushing the system to remove debris or the old oil but what often determines whether that is the right path to follow is the skill level of whoever is doing the work. To take a system that is well sealed and open/reseal each of the connections could be problematic depending on skills.

  A condensor and/or a valve change, whether it be a POA or STV, will create a greater overall efficiency when converting to R134 but here in the Midwest it is most often unnecessary except in the most extreme conditions.

  BTW, I believe the change from the STV to the POA was in '66.

Tom Mooney