Check out this 1972 Ranchero find here:

A Pickup Car Find for $3,000 Bucks! | Ford Trucks

Any advice on how to fix the a/c would be much appreciated!

 

The a/c system is the same on all Ford intermediates from '72-'79, including Thunderbird & Cougar. You should be able to locate a suitable donor car in a wrecking yard or online. I might suggest you do not use the factory compressor, but instead retro fit a modern unit such as a Sanden. And, by all means, do a proper R-134a conversion also. I hope this helps, good luck!

 

Indeed, it does! Regarding the compressor, I actually expect to use a modern axial piston type. Here's the engine going in this white beast:



It's brand-new, one of 6 I bought back in 1996 or '7, Mustang eng. production over-run, everything seen on it, including plugs, wires, harness, injectors, fuel rail, intake manifolds, throttle body, water pump, flywheel, clutch assembly, bell housing, (stainless exh. headers were cannibalized!), all for $2195! A pain will be finding original front-end bracketry, as I plan to go serpentine. I'll take a few pics tomorrow of the unusual way the connections are made at the evaporator core box, underhood. The nearest bone-yard is unfortunately 35 miles away.....

Hope I'm not getting to wordy and boring! impish