A/C Compressors, is there a newer model compressor that will work on our Zs?

[Paul in VA]

Hi All:

I am just curious... Has anyone updated the compressor (and possibly improved the Air Conditioning in the car) with a newer style rotary compressor (or any other compressor)?

[VetteMed]

The limiting factor is going to be the height available under the plenum. A bigger compressor like an HT6 would be nice but it's physically much larger. Custom lines would also be required.

What I've learned in my trials and tribulations with the ZR-1 A/C system, is as follows:

The system is very capable of cooling the car, when everything is operating properly. It doesn't take much of a problem to seriously degrade the effectiveness.

The possibly undersized compressor is not a major player in the effectiveness of the A/C system, in my opinion. The evaporator core housing, which restricts some of the effective cross-section of the evaporator core, is likely to be a bigger detriment to overall cooling capacity, but again, is not going to cause poor performance if everything else is working as it should be.

A dirty evaporator core, or dirty evaporator inlet screen, would be far more detrimental than the physical design of the core housing.

A dirty condenser (or radiator or oil cooler) will also be far more detrimental to overall system performance, than the aforementioned issues.

Poor electric cooling fan operation will contribute greatly to poor A/C system performance under 55mph or so.

Blend door issues (allowing hot heater core air into the ductwork) can also be an issue.