add A/C to non a/c car

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Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
885
Reaction score
4
Location
Conway, S.C.
My Car
1972 MACH 1
2019 F150
Since I'm moving south we need a/c added to enjoy on hot days.  Seen a few how to's, but need to know what to stay away from.  Buy universal kit or 71-73 kit.  Price is very different and is it worth the extra $500.  I can do it all myself having upgraded most of the car myself...... As usually the request I will send new pic's

Alan L.

 
I went with Classic Auto Air - Perfect Fit system.  Everything you need, except an idler pulley for the A/C belt.  A bit pricier than what you're thinking of, though (probably in the $2200 range) but it replaces absolutely everything.

 
I saw in your other post that your car already heats up in traffic, humm.

You can go with original but there are lots of pieces to find. Each one of these cars have a unique wire harness built for what came on the car. 

On the over heating. I have a 73 vert with 351 C. The PO had bored the engine .050" over cam, put Edelbrock performer 2-V to 4-V intake on and MSD. It also has AC, PS and automatic with shift kit and higher stall converter. 

When I got the car he had not driven for 25 years and I figured out he had installed a head gasket backwards. It would almost get hot and would blow coolant out when you turned it off.

With head gaskets right, correct baffle in the block and correct 292 deg. cleveland thermostat I have no issues. I did also install a stand along fan cooled transmission cooler. 

I drove to Charlotte couple weeks ago in 90 deg. + heat and drive around town here an in mountains. So it has stock radiator so you can make them run cool with AC. It is stock system but it did develop a leak I need to find. 

I also run 90 octane non ethanol fuel with the Lucas gas additive in it.

You could probably buy a rusty parts car cheaper than you can buy system for. New dryer and rebuild the compressor, etc.

If not trying to keep original just hang aftermarket on.

 
I went with Classic Auto Air - Perfect Fit system.  Everything you need, except an idler pulley for the A/C belt.  A bit pricier than what you're thinking of, though (probably in the $2200 range) but it replaces absolutely everything.
Found one for 71-73 mustangs complete less belt but with idler pulley $1400.  Did you find idler through them?

 
I got the complete idler assembly (with brackets) for $30 from a forum member... just needed cleaned up and repainted.  Then I found the adapter kit for the stock idler-to-Sanden compressor from the 'Original Air' site (which is part of Classic Auto Air), although I believe they do have the idler assembly parts thru Original Air as well ($130!!).

Actually, I misspoke - after checking the CAA site and my build list/parts list spreadsheet, $1499 sounds about right (vice $2200).

One thing I like about the Perfect Fit system is that the HVAC core is actually a bit smaller than the factory heater [only] core.

Don't lose the little red tab/key thing for the control module, though.  I still haven't gotten my slider switches calibrated properly.

 
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