I have a 1997 F250 that is in great shape (body and engine) but it doesn't have AC. The controls on the dash just has fan speed ****, cool to warm ****, and Vent/Floor/OFF/Mix/ DEF ****.
Is it realistic to add an AC system to this truck?

 

Lots of work and even more money

 

Here's a couple of pics. The truck has less than 125,000 miles and the body, interior, and engine are in great shape. It's not a daily driver but when I do drive it I'm pulling horses for multiple hours. If it's possible to add AC instead of buying a newer truck I'm willing since this truck is paid for!

 

What parts are safe to purchase thru salvage and which parts would be best purchased new?

 

Moved to the OBS forum.

Welcome to FTE by the way...

 

Unless you can't live without it I would just save the money,

 

Ive never done a conversion on one of these but i have a non ac truck I thought about doing. Im guessing you need to remove the dash and change the ductwork to one with an evapoator, plus the control switches and whatever wiringand vaccum lines are different. Then you have the underhood part of the ductwork. Not sure if that will come out with the engine in there or not. Then you have the compressor and he condensor and associated brackets, bolts, lines, etc. Im not sure about the ecm. I wouldnt try it without having a donor truck.

 

It's really not that hard if you go the aftermarket route. There are complete systems for sale. Lot's of Hot Rodders add it. My '72 F100 has air but it was added on to the big ole 360 and the truck under the dash. It doesn't come cheap though. But once you find a good ole truck...I think it's worth doing what you want with it.

 

It's fairly easy to add ac, no need to rip out the dash, you will need all the ac parts
Condenser
Evaporator
Lines
Drier
Compressor cycling switch (junkyard)
Orfice tube
Compressor
New belt (maybe)

That will run you around $5-600 from rockauto. You will need to get the ac controls from a junkyard and you need the ac ENGINE compartment ducting from there too along with a little bit of wiring.(anything 92-97 will work doesn't matter engine or cab configuration)

If you look by your blower fan under the hood you'll see a unused plug which is for the ac. At the junkyard you will need the wiring that is plugged into this plug, you may also need the wiring that goes to the compressor if your truck doesn't have the plug there already where the compressor should be.

Total cost would be around $800 with new parts and getting refrigerant in, this will give you a stock system and not some butchered together aftermarket system.

The hardest part of this swap is getting the nut off the lower corner of the ducting which the fender covers but 4 bolts and pushing the fender out should give you the clearance you need.

I've done this on a 87 and even put the 92 up controls in, it's not hard just a weekend to put in if your mechanically inclined.