| Author |
Message |
dungeoncrawl
Samba Member
Joined: January 17, 2008
Posts: 105
|
 Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 4:13 pm Post subject: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
 |
|
I have a 1970 Ghia convertible that apparently has the remnants of an AC in it. I can see a condenser that is mounted very tightly under the front torsion bars but I can't, for the life of me, figure out how to get it out. I'd leave it in but it blocks the hose hole that needs to be open to remove the transmission shaft in order to change the bushing. (TERRIBLE PLACE TO PUT A CONDENSER IMO).
The first view here is the condenser from the front under the car. It's snugged super just between the torsion bar and the metal panel of the spare tire.
The above bar seems to be in place to stabilize the condenser but it isn't resting on it. I can't tell, for sure, what is holding the condenser up. Below is another picture of the bar extending and mounting onto the car. I 'think' I should remove this but don't see how. Even if I did, the condenser would still be connected somehow.
Here are some top-down views after I removed the gas tank to try and get more visibility and access. No help it seems.
There is this nut that you can see if you lean into the trunk and look out toward the front of the car. If I squeeze my hand behind it, I feel a metal pin sticking through that seems like it could go into the top of the condenser. However, there is no space to get on the other side to see if there is a screw/bolt going in from the front.
My thought would be to 'somehow' remove that bar below the condenser first so that if I ever can find something to loosen, the condenser could fall to the ground and be removed.
I'm stumped so any help is appreciated. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Era Vulgaris
Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2012
Posts: 1678
Location: Raleigh, NC
|
| Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 4:35 pm Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
Remove your sway bar and see what happens. It's definitely not coming out with the sway bar in place.
Those sway bar clamps are annoying to deal with. Last time I just used a cutting disc and sliced through them for removal. It'd be a good time to replace those sway bar bushings so may as well just get new clamps anyway.
_________________
Currently own:
66 Karmann Ghia, L390 Gulf Blue, under construction, here: www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=760505&highlight=
99 Mazda MX-5 10AE, Sapphire Blue Mica, 6 speed, LSD
Previously owned:
98 Porsche Boxster, silver, 2.5L -- 67 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1500sp -- 98 BMW Z3, Atlanta Blue Metallic, 2.8L I6 -- 75 Porsche 914, Laguna Blue, 2270cc -- 72 Porsche 914, Signal Orange, 1.7 FI -- 74 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1600dp -- 74 Triumph TR6 with O.D., sapphire blue |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dungeoncrawl
Samba Member
Joined: January 17, 2008
Posts: 105
|
| Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
| Era Vulgaris wrote: |
Remove your sway bar and see what happens. It's definitely not coming out with the sway bar in place.
Those sway bar clamps are annoying to deal with. Last time I just used a cutting disc and sliced through them for removal. It'd be a good time to replace those sway bar bushings so may as well just get new clamps anyway. |
I can wriggle the sway bar and see it has no effect on the condenser. You can see the bar move and it's not attached to the condenser or holding it up in any way. I agree I would have to remove them....but it will change nothing on that condenser unfortunately. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jeffrey8164 
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2018
Posts: 3819
Location: Georgia
|
| Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 8:32 am Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
When I bought my 70, my condenser was mounted by two extra long bolts that actually held the cover plate on for the shift rod that you were trying to access.
Hard to say if yours is the same as all of these were dealer installed options.
_________________
Volkswagen!
Turning owners into mechanics since 1938.
“Let he that is without oil throw the first rod”
(Compression 8.7:1) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dungeoncrawl
Samba Member
Joined: January 17, 2008
Posts: 105
|
| Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 9:46 am Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
| jeffrey8164 wrote: |
When I bought my 70, my condenser was mounted by two extra long bolts that actually held the cover plate on for the shift rod that you were trying to access.
Hard to say if yours is the same as all of these were dealer installed options. |
No bolts visible. However, I've crawled all under it and my best guess is that the bolts are behind this metal plate with NO room between it and the front of the condenser coils. Any ideas how I remove this plate? I see no bolts and it doesn't 'look' welded but won't budge. The X is about where I think the bolt is.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SCG9860
Samba Member
Joined: April 10, 2022
Posts: 53
Location: Lakeside, Ca.
|
| Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 1:59 pm Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
I'm not positive but I believe these are screws (head side toward the rear of the car). You should be able to access the heads through the opening where the fuel tank normally resides. There are likely two more on the driver's side of the car. If you remove these, I believe that you should be able to remove the condenser. Once removed, you should likely have access to remove the rest of the mounting hardware. My best guess based upon your photos. Good luck.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
|
| Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 2:14 pm Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
| dungeoncrawl wrote: |
| jeffrey8164 wrote: |
When I bought my 70, my condenser was mounted by two extra long bolts that actually held the cover plate on for the shift rod that you were trying to access.
Hard to say if yours is the same as all of these were dealer installed options. |
No bolts visible. However, I've crawled all under it and my best guess is that the bolts are behind this metal plate with NO room between it and the front of the condenser coils. Any ideas how I remove this plate? I see no bolts and it doesn't 'look' welded but won't budge. The X is about where I think the bolt is.
|
It is spot welded in place. Open on the back side.
_________________
GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jeffrey8164
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2018
Posts: 3819
Location: Georgia
|
| Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
If you don’t care about it at all…there’s always a saws-all. 😜
_________________
Volkswagen!
Turning owners into mechanics since 1938.
“Let he that is without oil throw the first rod”
(Compression 8.7:1) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rbsurfguy
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2008
Posts: 1757
Location: Fairfax, Northern Virginia Formerly Huntington Beach, SoCal
|
| Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 9:32 am Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
| jeffrey8164 wrote: |
| If you don’t care about it at all…there’s always a saws-all. 😜 |
I was thinking the same thing, destructive tools are fun tools!! 
Jeff
_________________
1971 Ghia convertible (Body off rebuild)
2019 VW Atlas 4Motion
2012 Passat-Sold
See my build on The Samba at:
Jeff's 71 Vert Restoration/Reassembly http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6...highlight= |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kent70ghia
Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2020
Posts: 176
Location: Tacoma, WA
|
| Posted: Sat May 14, 2022 8:00 pm Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
| We need a Ghiapet mod, quick call Chris 🤣 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dungeoncrawl
Samba Member
Joined: January 17, 2008
Posts: 105
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 7:19 pm Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
| Era Vulgaris wrote: |
Remove your sway bar and see what happens. It's definitely not coming out with the sway bar in place.
Those sway bar clamps are annoying to deal with. Last time I just used a cutting disc and sliced through them for removal. It'd be a good time to replace those sway bar bushings so may as well just get new clamps anyway. |
Realized I'd never come back here and updated everybody on my success. For sure, that sway bar had to come out as a first step. I had to use a saws-all as somebody suggested to cut through those sway bar clamps as they were NOT moving. It was still a major project even after it was out. Ultimately, the dominos started to fall after I removed some tiny bolts on the VERY bottom of the condenser that I hadn't seen. Once that bottom cover came off, more tiny screws were visible. I just kept removing things. FOR CERTAIN, it's impossible to get it out through the trunk and gas tank area. Down is/was the ONLY way. I'm convinced that my shift bushing had NEVER been replaced since the condenser had to come out to get the shift bar out. Good riddance and happy to know that any future maintenance will go much more smoothly. Now to get the new sway bar bushings and clamps in there and get my sway bar back on. Makes a huge difference driving it without. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dungeoncrawl
Samba Member
Joined: January 17, 2008
Posts: 105
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2023 7:23 pm Post subject: Re: Help me remove this AC condenser please!!! |
|
|
| dungeoncrawl wrote: |
| Era Vulgaris wrote: |
Remove your sway bar and see what happens. It's definitely not coming out with the sway bar in place.
Those sway bar clamps are annoying to deal with. Last time I just used a cutting disc and sliced through them for removal. It'd be a good time to replace those sway bar bushings so may as well just get new clamps anyway. |
Realized I'd never come back here and updated everybody on my success. For sure, that sway bar had to come out as a first step. I had to use a saws-all as somebody suggested to cut through those sway bar clamps as they were NOT moving. It was still a major project even after it was out. Ultimately, the dominos started to fall after I removed some tiny bolts on the VERY bottom of the condenser that I hadn't seen. Once that bottom cover came off, more tiny screws were visible. I just kept removing things. FOR CERTAIN, it's impossible to get it out through the trunk and gas tank area. Down is/was the ONLY way. I'm convinced that my shift bushing had NEVER been replaced since the condenser had to come out to get the shift bar out. Good riddance and happy to know that any future maintenance will go much more smoothly. Now to get the new sway bar bushings and clamps in there and get my sway bar back on. Makes a huge difference driving it without. |
These screws were the ones I was convinced had nothing to do with anything but were the key to it all.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
