Is it rare for a NA spec car to not have air conditioning?
I own GTS 04004 which is US spec and never came with air. In my opinion not that uncommon to have a US spec car without A/C, but as you get further along in the E series run, most of the later cars tend to have A/C
Chas, If you car wasn't originally equipped with A/C I see it as a plus. The factory A/C system just added complexity and problems. If you wanted to add A/C, you need to make sure your car runs well in all climates especially in super hot weather. You could engineer a modern A/C system with upgraded cooling system that is basically hidden. If your plan is to eventually concours your car, it's a points deduction. If your plan is to drive it/enjoy it and you live in a hot and/or humid area this would/could be a welcome option. Freeman
One thing to note is that the OEM valve that controls the coolant to the heater core is a terrible design that never seals properly and causes hot coolant to always flow to the heater core. As such you get air that is hotter than it should be flowing through the vents. Because these cars are normally driven in warm weather many owners install a 'summer valve' that is nothing more than a shut off tap that keeps the heater core from getting any hot water. It is a popular and cheap upgrade that ensures your Dino stays as cool as it can.
Rob, I thought the valve was standard. Is it different from the one on the car? I just keep mine off. Freeman
At least on the M and L series cars the valve is not standard (I cannot comment on the later E Series cars). Most people use a FIAT valve that looks 100% correct in the engine bay so you would never know it was not original. We installed ours in a hidden location and keep it off all the time too. Makes for a much cooler cabin.
my us GT 3422 is a US non a/c car. I look at it as one less thing to break .. as they really don't work all that good anyway.. although a modern hidden a/c would be nice but probably would never add it.
The interesting thing is that the E series was built in anticipation that many cars would be ordered with AC as an option. If you pull the dash off an E series non-AC Dino (which only has 2 outlets on the top of the dash) you will find 3 feeding outlets UNDER the dash of a non-AC Dino - the same as in the AC optioned Dinos. (See Tav. [Table] 119, Fig. N. 17).
No I never covered it and for the life of me I can't find a single photo of it either. It is amazing that we took thousands of pictures and still managed to miss entire assemblies.
Gents, I believe this is the little gem that you are discussing. It was a common item on older Italian cars. There are currently several on eBay. As I recall, vintage parts suppliers have them available directly. Try the Search option for other discussions & pictures of installations. Synchro talks about his setup in a thread started by simonc entitled "Replacement heater valve," dated 12-15-2010/10:30 AM. Cheers, Coop Image Unavailable, Please Login
