A/C or not A/C

[cheezsnake]

Is there a way to tell if a 71 Mustang came with A/C, when none of the underhood components are there? If the heater controls have an A/C setting, is that a sign ... Or did Ford use standard controls, whether or not they had air?

 

[Pastel Blue]

The heater/defrost controls were different if it was a factory A/C car. They would have incorporated the A/C operation in the actuator set up as well and would be marked for A/C. The top of the centre dash section would have additional air vents that only came on factory A/C cars. Start with this...

 

[RacerX]

Also the firewall holes are different for the heat/ac box and lines. Heat only the hose lines came thru the firewall high up just below the panel pinch weld. Heat/ac cars the lines come thru the bump out in the firewall and the hole is much larger with a large seal gasket. Very obvious firewall difference.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Here are a couple pictures of firewall difference stated before and the NON air cars have the Helmet shaped piece welded to firewall under the R. fender to clear the blower motor not on air cars.

Air cars only have the opening through the cowl on the R.H. side where the just vented non air cars have a hole on both sides for the fresh air openings that have a knob mounted on each side under the dash to open them.

David

 

[cheezsnake]

Thanks, All. Here's what I found ... my heater controls have selections for a/c, my firewall has the helmet opening, and my cowl does not have a vent hole in the driver side. I guess I can conclude that my 71 came with factory air, and somewhere along the line all the underhood components were removed.

 

[69 Rustang]

Is there a spare pulley on the crank that isn't used? If no, maybe the engine was swapped. At that poin start looking at date codes and decoding the VIN for the correct engine.

 

[cheezsnake]

Good call, Dave. Yes, the crank pulley has an outer race that isn't used. So does the alternator pulley, for that matter. Someone must have pulled the a/c from the car. I guess now I get to decide if I want to track down a system to put back in.