Where did all the condensers go?

[Geezer gone wild]

Yup,

just went through the whole process that your going through now.
I needed a spectra 7-3232 for my camino, but as I found out, the $120 something spectra was nowhere to be found...., Anywhere!

I called spectra out of Montreal, and they confirmed that they had discontinued that model and a few others.

So after an exhaustive search, I found someone that will build what I need..., a new condenser.

Here are the catches though...,

1) $300 + shipping

2) custom order, small shop build.

3) 4 to 8 weeks lead time..., maybe longer. They are Really backed up!

4) it's parallel flow.

5) Did not commit to a discount after offering to by five from him. ( In case any one else was interested in replacing their condenser) Let me know, if so, i'll try and push him on a bulk purchase if worth it, and if he will do it.

6) Have my order in now, been 2 weeks so far.


So we will see. Won't have A/C this year it looks like but maybe next spring I can at least have it in by then.

You can put your own order in here......

https://www.originalair.com/1978-1984-chevrolet-el-camino-ac-condenser-parallel-flow

Boy, this thing just keeps getting better! After studying up on piccolo vs parallel, I looked at my 87 Chevy truck that I put a LS in 2011. At that time I changed to Sanyo compressor and replaced receiver/dryerand changed to R134. Still has the original piccolo style condenser and I noticed no difference in cooling. So, I'm going to reuse the condenser that was in the Cutlass. The worst that can happen is I have to change it later. It wasn't damaged, I thought might as well upgrade while the car was dismantled. That was when a replacement was $115 and plentiful. Thanks for all the help.

 

[pagrunt]

All of this makes me wonder if I could salvage the one off the parts car that has been oprn to the air for about 10 years now. Then again I never did have working A/C in my '81 since we bought it in '90.

 

[abbey castro]

Try 813-993-1229 originalair.com If you are going to go thru the pain of taking the lid off, might as well do the Heater core too. I bought a kit for the foam seals, not worth it since all the foam stuff can be bought at your local hardware store. Try and save the upper part of the seal, that was the only useful seal in the kit and I used only the upper portion of it since i didn't unseal the bottom part of the box. The foam on the condenser is from a shop vac washable air filter foam also from LO..... There could be 4 clips that hold it to the condenser and they just push thru the fins. I lost one, still haven't found it. As uyou may have already looked there are a gazzilion screws to remove and cussing/tugging to get the top off but it will come off. Good luck.

a

 

[Fnlowrider]

Was all set to order a Spectra 7-4013 condenser and in the last few weeks they have disappeared from the fave of the earth. Rockauto, partsgeek, Napa, Oreilys, Autozone, Advanceauto, Ebay...out of stock and will not order. So has anyone found something close that will work?

Wow That sucks, I might be looking for one soon. Keep me posted. Thanks in advance

 

[abbey castro]

I totally messed up, I read condenser while all the while thinking on the evaporator! There is a difference. Will I be forgiven or raked over the coals!

 

[mikester]

I totally messed up, I read condenser while all the while thinking on the evaporator! There is a difference. Will I be forgiven or raked over the coals!

Funny. I had the whole box all done in my wagon. FINISHED. Then I realized I didnt put the ground wire on the heater core and I left the filter material off the evaporator. I bought the filter material from a local AC supply. Found the push in clips in a Cutlass at the local junkyard. While I was taking the cover off I wound up tearing the new firewall seal. Got another one from Mikes Montes. Took all the bolts out, pulled the box out just enough to slip the new seal in. Not bad. In the process of doing all this a second time I broke the two little plastic vacuum lines that come out of the plug at the bottom of the box. Broke them flat at the plug. This was months ago. Yesterday I spend a good amount of time pulling a perfect setup out of a Cutlass sedan thats been a source of parts for me for at least two years. The only G body that had it out of 7 cars in the yard. Getting that round rubber plug with the vacuum lines and harness out with the inner fender still in was a pain in the butt. There wasnt enough room between cars to pull it down. Cleaning it up and cleaning the terminals will be tomorrow afternoons job.

 

[abbey castro]

Funny. I had the whole box all done in my wagon. FINISHED. Then I realized I didnt put the ground wire on the heater core and I left the filter material off the evaporator. I bought the filter material from a local AC supply. Found the push in clips in a Cutlass at the local junkyard. While I was taking the cover off I wound up tearing the new firewall seal. Got another one from Mikes Montes. Took all the bolts out, pulled the box out just enough to slip the new seal in. Not bad. In the process of doing all this a second time I broke the two little plastic vacuum lines that come out of the plug at the bottom of the box. Broke them flat at the plug. This was months ago. Yesterday I spend a good amount of time pulling a perfect setup out of a Cutlass sedan thats been a source of parts for me for at least two years. The only G body that had it out of 7 cars in the yard. Getting that round rubber plug with the vacuum lines and harness out with the inner fender still in was a pain in the butt. There wasnt enough room between cars to pull it down. Cleaning it up and cleaning the terminals will be tomorrow afternoons job.

I took weeks of taking the top off trying to not break anything. I looked at a bunch of cars in the pick and pull and none had the the plastic foam clips. So As you saw in my pics, staggering the 3 I had left. I think my cement garage floor ate one cause I took out four. I grind down a corner of the lid close to the fender so that I could slid it in with minimal cussing and pushing at it!

I have a box full of those plastic vacuum lines along with the rubber plugs in the colors they came (gray, purple etc) Our pick n pull gets G bodies once in a awhile and I get a call from one of the guys there and I go and strip it of misc stuff. Those lines, rubber plugs and harnesses with connectors that are not dry rotted and screws/bolts with the factory markings are valuable stuff. Specially when working on your car that the previous expert owner butchered.

 

[JAMCAR223]

First it was a points condenser, then an evaporator core... what next?? Evaporator canister 🤷‍♂️

 

[joesregalproject]

I bought all of them. No you can't have any. 🖕🙃

 

[fleming442]

Holy schmoly! I just called my local Carquest to get one for the Pig (2002 Firebird application), and at first, he said it was unavailable. Then, he said he could get it from the factory- $7 freight charge from TX. It is unclear whether there is an actual factory in Texas or the "factory" is the Mexican border.....
Only replacing because I'll have the core support apart to replace the radiator.