Factory air conditioning?

Most AC systems are designed to shut off at Wide Open Throttle. So it could be handy for time under full course yellow, it won’t be running when it’s race time.

I thought most tracks don't allow use on track since many cars will be dripping water.  It's an easy way to get black flagged for looking like you are leaking something vital (if it is enough to be noticed).  Ducting might not work as well as you think, there is no good air gap once you are strapped in to allow for flow in the suit.  I know they make them for helmets, though, and I am sure that would feel great.  I have a cool shirt and it makes an incredible difference just by itself and will be more reliable than a clunker with AC.

Yeah, that's potentially one of the big problems with air conditioning: the condensation is a dripping fluid. Even if it isn't noticeable on track, it may get noticed when entering or leaving the track or in the hot pits and be reported to the judges anyway. It's also not just a question of going to the penalty box once and explaining "Oh, it's the AC" and calling it good. The judges aren't going to ask everyone to ignore your car's future leaks on the theory that it's probably just the AC again, because what if it's something else the next time? You'll get flagged again, and again, and again, and at some point you'll be told to stop running the AC and stay off the track until it's done dripping.

It may still be worth trying, but just be aware that you shouldn't count on being allowed to use it if it makes your car look like it's leaking.

But ours is only 19 yo... HA
Sounds like we'd have to trust the compressor and collect the condensate...  It's not sounding so cool now. 
I appreciate everyone's comments. 

Cheers

I think you guys are way over thinking the dripping water deal. We ran a full race with the factory AC installed, and on (simply because we forgot to turn the HVAC off when the car was started), and seriously, there are cars that knowingly go out with worse coolant or oil leaks than what the condensate drops.

But I do agree, build a cool suit to do most of the driver comfort. The cool air to the helmet might still be an interesting idea, but there are ways to do that without the factory AC.

Many people don't realize that your standard street car's cooling system relies on recirculating the cabin air to achieve those cold duct outlet temperatures. The biggest AC systems (typically SUVs) are only going to get you a ~30°F drop over ambient inlet air temp across the evaporator. In a summer race, i.e. when you'd want air conditioning, the air coming into that HVAC system and hitting the evaporator will be WELL in excess of 100°F and even if that outlet air is coming out at 70°F, it sure won't feel very cool.

I hate to be a Debby Downer, but I predict disappointment. If you are hell-bent on running cool air through the HVAC case, consider plumbing cold water from a cool-suit ice chest into the evaporator, or the heater core and just set the temp to HI.