Removing Parts from the Engine Compartment

R

Ryan Jonsberg

Hello

I've been looking at a Pro-Car (Ambulance) that I may consider purchasing in the future, however, If I do I plan on doing a Custom Restoration of sorts on it, And I'd kind've like to clean out some things on it and Make the Engine Compartment look less Cluttered.

And Since, chances are it won't be restored to its Original working Condition, some of the things I wouldn't have use for and could be considered "Dead Weight" (Air Lines and Compressors) (Blowers and Venting Lines for the Back)

I'm just kinda curious on some of your guys' input on this,
As I don't wanna screw anything up by removing these things If I do Purchase this Pro-Car. (Wiring and Openings)

Perhaps I shouldn't even mess with doing this?????

Just if its not going to be used or Operational, whats really the point of having it there??? (Unless Required for other things to Operate Correctly??)

And this would be a Car for more Less my own Personal Enjoyment, and not something I'd Restore and then Turn around and Attempt to Resell for some sort of Profit.
As I'm sure if some of these things were removed it would Hurt the Overall Value of the Car as it wouldn't be considered "Complete" or "Stock"
 
My rule of thumb is that if you can remove it properly by unbolting and that you save the parts and pieces, so that some future owner can put them back if they want to, you have done nothing to hurt the value or collect-ability of the vehicle. Generally speaking, since these cars are made up of replaceable parts, that means that you can take just about anything off the engine that you want, that will not prohibit the engine from functioning. If you want to remove the rubber heater hoses, that is your choice. One thing to consider is if what you are removing is going to give you a significant weight reduction and the amount of effort that is required to remove it. Removing an air conditioning compressor is going to save you about 50 pounds, but it will also expose the entire air conditioning system to future contamination, once the lines are disconnected. Most likely you will be doing more harm to the system than the total amount of weight savings. If you remove the coolant lines from the heating system, the heat exchanger core will deteriorate if it doesn't have a constant flow of anti freeze flowing through it occasionally. I have no idea why they deteriorate, but I have seen this happen frequently in the past. It is also possible that the heater core was already deteriorated, so removing the coolant lines had no effect. Can't really say for certain.
I have heard people say that they were never going to sell the car, so what they have done for modification is of no consequences. Keep in mind that you or someone else will sell this vehicle at some time in the future, so the only time that it won't matter, is if the next buyer doesn't care about the changes. If this is an original unmolested car, then I wouldn't do anything to change that. If it has already been molested beyond the point of reasonably bringing it back to original, then do what pleases you. It is your car, and you are the ultimate decision maker. All that anyone else can say is what they would do if it were their car. I am a traditional conservationist when it comes to my cars. I never change anything that can't be put back. I have friends that are perpetual modifiers, that make changes that cannot be reversed. That is their choice, and I have no right to try to instill my values on them. Follow your heart in making the determination as to what you ultimately want to do to this vehicle.
 
Thanks Paul

Paul,

Thanks for the Feedback on this, I hope others share some input as well.

I guess the Reason I was thinking of possibly Remvoing those items if I do happen to buy this car wasn't really a Weight Factor, as lets face it whats 50 Less or More Pounds on these Behemoth Automobiles???

Just I've always kinda thought that the Engine Compartment on these Pro-Car Ambulances always seem to look Cluttered and Confusing with all the Stuff thats going on up front around the Engine.

So I was thinking of Trying to Simplify it a bit, by removing some of the things I would No longer be using or need.

What would I do with the Assemblies & Parts I'd remove??? I'm not sure, I pondered Selling them to someone that could use them on a Pro Car they were working on, Or Keeping them in a Box and Tucking it away somewhere.

And you are Right Paul, at some point this car is gunna change hands, wether it be as a Result of an Accident, or something suddenly comes up and its the "Giving" Point, or perhaps sometime down the road when my time is up and I pass on............"Cause ya can't take it with ya When ya Die!"

Even though I heard story once of a Guy that Requested that he be burried in his car when he died....

The More I think about it and Consider what those of you that have contributed your input, The More I'm leaning towards just leaving it alone if I do buy the car.
As I've ran into situations, where a person can open up a can of worms by just trying to remove something that seems fairly simple and Insignificant.

(Don't get the Wrong Idea it wasn't a Pro-Car)

Anyone else with any Input, please by all means,..... Share it!!!!
 
I'm trying to think what you are talking about. most everything under the hood of a Hearse is necessary. same as a limo. the only thing in a ambulance I could think of, flasher and siren. I don't see anyone taking the AC off but there are plenty of cars in the 70's that did not have ac from the factory. heater hoses got to be there, the splice for the rear heater isn't much. all the other clutter is factory stuff. the newer you have the more of it is there. but it got put on by who ever made the car. if you look under the hood of a 60s car there is almost nothing there 50 even less. so what your removing is factory stuff which is a lot of clutter. but keep it because just think 10 years from now you will really have a hard time finding it to put it back on when your tired of the car not running right. having spent a long time looking for the plastic piece that goes threw the radiator support to the air cleaner for a 75 olds I can tell you some of that stuff is hard to find today. some they only did one year.
 
Wrong Idea

I'm thinking some of you may be getting the wrong Idea when I say "Custom Job"

If I do buy this Pro-Car Ambulance, I can Assure all of you that I won't be Chopping or Modifiying it to the point that in my opinion, it could be considered DeFacing the Pro Car.......

My Intentions for it would be to give it a New Coat of Red and White Paint Still not 100% sure How I'd arrange it yet, (Color Scheme)
And Partially Tint all the windows (Its kind've hard to explain),
And perhaps find some sort of Universal Aftermarket Rim's or HubCaps that look Decent, And I'm more of a Person that goes for the "Old School" look so all those fancy Chrome Rims that you see on Cars these days are not what I'm refering to when I Say "Aftermarket Rims"
I was thinking along the lines of a Set of Older Keystone/Cragar SS Style Rims.
That would be about all that I'd Change on the Outside.

I really wouldn't do much of anything different to the Interior of the Car, I was Pondering Installing a Lighting System to the Inside of the Rear Compartment, and having it on a "Dimmer Dail" But that was just an Idea.

I guess I've watched the Movie, the "Ambulance" Too many times as thats where some of these ideas are stemming from, if you haven't seen the movie you may want to check it out sometime to understand some of what I'm refering to.

I'm not looking to "Jack it Up" or turn it into a "Lowrider" or add a "Air-Bag" system to it or some sort of LOUD Stereo Set-up or anything foolish like that, as its those sorta things that I feel Deface a Pro-Car.

But Who am I to Judge?????
As they say........."It's Different Strokes for Different Folks!"
 
just trying to figure out what you need to take off under the hood. I like the clean look of a 50's car. you open the hood of the 67 and wounder how it can run with out all that extra stuff. so I understand what your saying. just don't think there is a lot you can remove. with out going to a early style power plant. to much is intertwined there
 
Yeah, I didn't know if it was at all possible or not so thats why I asked, and like I said before its not that big of a deal, as I'm thinking I'm just going to leave it as is Under the Hood after getting some input on it from all of you.

I don't want to start undoing & Unbolting things and risking screwing things up. So I think I'll just leave it alone if I do buy the car.

As I think it would be More Trouble than its worth, trying to "Open" up the Engine Compartment some.
 
Ryan,
A PCS member actually ownes the car from The Ambulance, I will email you some pics I have of it.

Great movie,
I was thinking of playing it at the event in Marshalltown, along with some other things.
 
John-
Really???
I knew that they had used multiple cars for the making of that movie,
Just never knew what ever became of them.

Just a Shame that they had to Destroy one of them in the final Scene.

I guess that was a Set-Back of the time it was Produced.
 
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