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Non A/C box vs box with A/C

Old 01-10-2017, 05:19 AM
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Non A/C box vs box with A/C

My car is equipped with A/C and I have no need for it and would like to replace that hideous a/c box with the smaller flat one that comes in a non a/c cars. My question is if it is a direct fix or is there some custom work that needs to be done. I've found the non a/c box on ebay for 50$ not bad price. Any help would be great. Thanks
Old 01-10-2017, 05:42 AM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

The box will bolt in, but you need the matching blower motor as they are different.
Old 01-10-2017, 05:45 AM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

Kool thanks, I should be able to buy a new blower for the correct box for pretty cheap I suppose.
Old 01-10-2017, 06:45 AM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

Edited.... I have lost my dang mind this am.

Last edited by TTOP350; 01-10-2017 at 07:26 AM.
Old 01-10-2017, 07:17 AM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

No you can't the squirrel cage offset us different and as such they will nit interchange.
I posted the pics of that somewhere
There's also one hole in the firewall that the non ac box doesn't use. Plug it. Although it's perfect for running additional wiring through
Old 01-10-2017, 07:22 AM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

Found it...


Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
If you use the AC resistors and high speed blower relay you will retain the high speed setting that the non AC cars do not have. NOT all the resistors will fit however, the later weatherpack style will not fit without enlarging the hole. The wiring harness on those will also not fit the non AC motor, which will have a round connector and seperate ground tab.

connector difference:



motor difference



squirrel cage difference



...and you can not swap them over



This is what fits bolt on without mods, the earlier resistor bridge.

Old 01-10-2017, 11:35 AM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

I have a complete box like the one pictured above for sale if interested its complete includes blower, cage, pipe and resistor

Last edited by prossi; 01-10-2017 at 11:39 AM.
Old 01-10-2017, 03:29 PM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

You can buy an aftermarket fiberglass heater box that accepts your larger AC blower. That's what I did.
Old 01-10-2017, 10:27 PM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

you can also cut the white fan down to fit..thats what I did..and yes it runs fine...
Old 01-11-2017, 12:34 AM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

What I wanted to show us that using the non ac squirrel cage with the ac motor will nit work because the offsets are different.

To get the all the speeds working you need to swap over the resustor bridge and high speed relay. Might need a little filing on the resistor hole and some tweaking if the original relay bracket to cleanly mount it to the box. I have pics of several solutions in my 82 87 and 88 project threads and in gerrutcamaros thread. All made to look factory with the high speed option. Non ac doesn't have that
Old 01-11-2017, 08:19 PM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

Originally Posted by Twin_Turbo
Found it...
I would just like to add to your info. The (afik, not gospel) 87-older A/C cars had the separated (single post and chassis ground) power wiring. From the looks though, the non A/C cars has a slightly different frame stamping (more circular as opposed to pentagonal shaped)
Attached Thumbnails Non A/C box vs box with A/C-87_ac_blowermoter.jpg  
Old 01-12-2017, 12:42 AM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

yes the motor shapes are not the same, the surge hose is clocked differently, the hose itself is different. The seperate ground post and not is a matter of model year, I have a bunch of these cars and only the 90 up have the weatherpack type connectors. It really doesn't matter a lot though, it's very easy to rewire.
Old 11-26-2017, 06:26 PM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

Originally Posted by articwhiteZ
you can also cut the white fan down to fit..thats what I did..and yes it runs fine...

Could you give me a step by step on how you did that ?, how did you reinforce the end that you cut ?
If you have pictures, that would be great too.
Thanks George
Old 11-27-2017, 12:33 AM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

ill try to get some pics..but in short..using the AC parts in a none AC box..I cut about 1" off the white fan..outer ring..on mine I did not add anything after just reinstall it..i just used wire cutters to snip the outer ring and a bit of the blades off..till it fit the housing...
I did this 20+ years ago...runs fine..I did not over think it..

Last edited by articwhiteZ; 11-27-2017 at 12:39 AM.
Old 01-22-2018, 07:51 PM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

I just swapped squirrel cages from my Non AC box motor to my A.C. motor and it fits fine. Works with zero issue. Although I did need to make a longer box cooler hose which sucked lol
Attached Thumbnails Non A/C box vs box with A/C-20180121_171437.jpg  
Old 01-22-2018, 08:32 PM
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Re: Non A/C box vs box with A/C

Originally Posted by robertfrank
I just swapped squirrel cages from my Non AC box motor to my A.C. motor and it fits fine. Works with zero issue. Although I did need to make a longer box cooler hose which sucked lol


Does that mean you have a extra non A/C squirrel cage ??
If so how much ?


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