Carpokes Porsche Forum

Hi everyone.

I have a 1987 944 Celebration Edition and love the car. Summers are quite hot here in central Europe, but also the best time to really drive the 944. I don't mind driving with open windows on the highway, but my girlfriend and dog would both much more appreciate some cool air. Since my 944 is a special edition the normal response of "just get one that already has an AC" is not really an option for me.

Does anyone know if it is possible and what it would mean I would have to get? Any bits that are super hard or near impossible to come by? Any changes to the car that would have to be made?

Thanks!

It would be a big undertaking if you wanted to use factory parts. Off the top of my head, you'd need the compressor, bracket for compressor, belt and pully for compressor, receiver drier, low-pressure and high pressure switch with related wiring harnesses, radiator fan if not already there, condenser and condenser mounts, under hood a/c hoses and charge fittings, evaporator with de-icer, climate control box with a/c switch and related wiring, expansion valve, under dash a/c hoses and pipes, vacuum ports/lines at firewall, o-rings, refrigerant, and whatever I'm forgetting. The biggest challenge I suspect will be the evaporator, which is nested inside the hvac-heater console under the dash. I don't know if non-a/c cars use the same console, or if you'd need to replace the whole thing in order to fit an evaporator. Either way, it's a big dash-out job with lots of hoses and vacuum lines to keep track of, some of which you'd be adding. Not impossible, but not easy or cheap!

Thanks for listing all the parts and challenges @Tom. I don't mind a good challenge and I would not do it all by myself anyways. I guess it might be cheapest then to find a salvage 944 with a working AC, so at least I don't have to get all the parts individually. I'll ask around.