Can I just start removing the components? I know the refrigerant can do damage to skin. Is there a way to discharge it or just remove the component without hurting myself? For the hole in the firewall would a delete box or delete plate be better? I already have heat removed. Any other spots that I would need to modify or blank off? I am unable to take it to a mechanic as the car doesn't currently run.

By law you are supposed to have the refrigerant removed using special recovery equipment so it doesn't vent to the atmosphere. But. There is a schrader valve somewhere that would vent any refrigerant if it was opened. Just sayin'.

Since your car has R12 in it, you won't be able to take it anywhere to have it legally removed since nobody is allowed to deal with R12 any more.

If your AC system still works then there may be a little bit of a charge left in it. As mentioned above, there's a couple of schrader valve's in the system that can easily allow the freon to escape. Since you're removing the system, an accidental screwdriver through the condenser can achieve the same results. Once the pressure in the system is zero, you can remove the entire system without a risk of hurting yourself.

The only damage the freon can to to your skin is frostbite.

I find it asinine that no one can even remove R12 with a reclaimer anymore. People are essentially being forced to vent any remaining to the atmosphere now?

The problem comes from the machines used to do it. They are old and many times no longer supported regarding service parts and repairs. The new machines all seem to identify R12 as a contaminant, and once a contaminant is detected, a lengthy process of purging your equipment is then required along with having to find a recycler to accept the contaminated refrigerant. (Ever try to take oil that is obviously contaminated with coolant to a place like AutoZone?) Since new machines process R-134a or R-y1234 and they always recycle that through a secondary collection tank, you can see why the new machines don't want any contaminants in their reclaimed refrigerant; because it's going into this, or the next, customer's vehicle.

Any R12 system in need of repair because the freon has leaked out can't be recharged with R12 because it's illegal to buy it plus the cost per pound is far too expensive even if you could find it. There are alternative refrigerants but they are not as good as R12. The most common solution to fixing and recharging an R12 system is to have it converted to R134. If you took your car in to have the AC fixed, they would probably recommend a conversion to R134 to get it working again. If you do still have R12 in your system, there's probably a very expensive disposal fee since it can't be reused.

You might still find some corner garage that still has an R12 recovery machine but it's very unlikely.

Nobody is going to know that you accidentally damaged your AC system and the remaining freon escaped. Do you even know if your AC system has anything in it?

Wear safety goggles when you're working on the system. Even if the shrader valves have been removed, I've still seen accumulators splash out refrigerant when being removed.

I am a refrigeration tech. The refrigerant will not hurt you but can give you freezer burn if liquid comes in contact with skin "oil is mixed in with it and is harmless". Don't be to worried though I watched a guy spray him self in the face with R134 and he was fine. It turned in to a gas almost instantly. If you get caught venting the refrigerant it is a $32,000 fine so don't ever get caught venting it. This stuff can come out in a hurry so don't try to cut a line or anything cuz it will spray out in a hurry. I have let air out of tires by placing pebbles under the valve stem cap and screwing it down to deflate them and then carefully taking the valve stem out to make sure the tires were flat but would not suggest doing this to your AC as it is illegal

Reid is correct be carful as refrigerant can get trapped and spray out even if the system is open so be carful and wear safety glasses and cover your skin with at least a long sleeve shirt and gloves when taking it apart. Be carful of the suction line accumulator as it can have trapped liquid in it and will have some oil in it as well.

R12 isn't illegal to deal with, just not many places still have equipment to actually recycle it anymore. but most repair shops that do A/C repair should have a machine that can remove it from a system and put it into a storage container. its also expensive to buy.
honestly, the federal government and its contractors dump tons of R12 into the atmosphere each year. china still makes it & dumps even more into the atmosphere because its a cheap cleaner.
i can't say to just dump it, but i can say i don't care.
the so called hole in the ozone they have everone worried about is over Antarctica, and it was there when they figured out they could measure the ozone.
if you want to talk about bad for the environment, 134A is it. R12, it has a greenhouse value of about 15,... 134A, about 1500, the replacement for 134A,.. will be even higher,....

Yup. You can easily buy it as its all over craigslist. Just have to have a EPA refrigeration license I believe.

I can tell you the ozone thing is BS hydrocarbons are heaver than air so how they going to get in the Ozone? We use to just mix refrigerants in one tank. I believe they charge you more for mixed tanks. I don't see why they would considered a recovery system contaminated if R12 was recovered being your not ever using it to put refrigerant back with it.