joes c4 cab

My son and I are wrapping up our project 1986 NA 944 and we aren't sure about whether or not we should get the AC working again. Most of the lines are still there, but there is no compressor and the alternator has been moved to the bottom position with the proper bracket. We aren't sure if the compressor was removed because it stopped working or if it was to save weight. I imagine it would be quite expensive to relocate the alternator, purchase a used compressor, hook all the lines back up and charge the system and we are just not sure we would get that money back.

We live in So Cal, so even in the summer with top roof off and the windows down it is quite comfortable and fun to drive. But I don't think it would be possible in AZ or in the South.

What do you all think? Is no AC a deal breaker, or is lighter weight and less drag on the engine a plus?

PCA1983

Unless you live in Northern Alaska, Northern Canada or Greenland or Iceland, I'd make sure any car I buy has AC.
Unless you are NEVER EVER going to sell this Porsche, or don't mind taking a beating when you do sell it..

Tiger03447

If you can live without it do so, unless you want to resell the car. Fewer things to break, lighter weight= better fuel mileage and less $$ out of pocket. Apply the KISS principle..HTH some..JMO😀

V2Rocket

you are in a cooler place than i was, but when i lived in Poway/Riverside/Northridge/Rancho Cucamonga having AC was a godsend. it made driving a lot more enjoyable.

i have since moved across the country and swapped to a non-944 engine and am in the process of figuring how to re-fit AC to my new engine.

walfreyydo

I live in Wisconsin and it gets pretty hot up here (not as often as other places) but I can still deal with no AC even on 90-100 degree days, but it is moderately uncomfortable. The key is to have your window open and cup your hand in between the mirror and the a-pillar to divert wind directly onto your face. I find that I drive this way 75% of the time on hot days. I want to make some sort of deflector (perhaps from a plastic bottle or something) to make this happen without needing to keep my hand there.

I have working AC but it doesnt blow that cold and I also prefer to drive with the windows down - I am actually considering getting rid of it for weight. If I drove the car daily or something I think I would need AC more, but my car only sees occasional street time (or time to/from events) so I think its probably not needed. I get by with the windows down just fine.

It really depends on your use case, car condition and whether you intend to sell it and whether you intend to use it solely on the street and for how often... and of course your tolerance to heat.

StoogeMoe

Deleted AC 18 years ago to save weight for the track. Now it’s a daily driver. In PA it can get unbearable in the summer on occasion. In that case I just use my other car with AC.

audi49

I’d do what works for you. Is this a daily driver? A weekend car, occasionally driven? Living in SC it limited my use of the car for like 6 months out of the year, and so it was a must to get mine working and now works great after r134a conversion.

screamin94Z

Absolutely unequivocally get the A/C working. I live in Upstate NY where I rarely need it, but on a hot summer day when it starts pouring out there's no way to unfog the windows without it.

jeyjey

You can add Ireland to this list.

joes c4 cab

Thanks for the replies. I should have mentioned that my son and working on a car to sell. We do not intend to keep it long term. That said, I don’t think I’d pay $9,000 for a car that didn’t have AC, unless I intended to track it of course. It’s a tough one for me. I can make both arguments.

thanks for the opinions.

Autobreza

The 944 is a terrarium on even a moderately warm day. AC just make daily driving so much more enjoyable.

Gage

Speaking of terrariums, the AC also helps to dry the moisture that, after 30 some years, perpetually finds its way into the cabin.

MikePellegrini

+1 on getting moisture out. If your windows are fogged over bad, AC is the only way to clear it up quick.

For me, my car is black, and a black car in the sun is hard to live with. So the AC was one of the things I fixed first.

goblues38

I had my convertible for 3 year before I fixed the AC. Even with a convertible......sitting in the sun above 90 degrees with black interior was too much to take. planty of on line tutorials to follow....took me a day and about $800 to replace my compressor and other parts.

I say do it.

Tony5

Deleted my AC. No regrets. But its a fun car, not a transportation device. I would buy a car without AC for the same use case.
Knowing how I am with non essential systems, I was very unlikely to spend the money to get the AC working in my car. Eliminating the entire system, both under hood and in cabin was worth 45lbs, and I'm the kind of weirdo that gets very excited by an entire pound of weight loss.
Driving today in southern WI, 89° and I was very comfortable with the windows down (default driving mode for me) both on the highway and around town. I've driven on 95° days and its definitely bordering on uncomfortable.
All that to say that I would still want AC in a daily driver. After a long day of bending nails and cutting boards too short AC can be a lifesaver.