Ok, So I finally have my truck running strong. I am in AZ and it is starting to heat up. I have since turned my attention to the air conditioning. I have a 1969 F100 Explorer Special that came with AC. It came stock with a 360/C6 combo. I pulled the shot 360 out and swapped in a 74 F100's 390. Both engines have an AC compressor that came with them. I was curious how one would go about possibly rebuilding the compressor(s) and get an AC going in the truck. It has the dealer installed under dash unit, compressor and condenser. Unfortunately the under dash unit is brittle and half of it has since broken off. I have heard you can rebuild the original style compressors and supposedly the R12 systems cool way better than the new R134A systems. I had also heard you cannot legally get R12 here in the states but I am a stones throw away from mexico *cough cough. Does anyone have any experience on getting all inclusive kit from LMC or somewhere that has all new components or rebuilding existing?

 

Convert to 134A so you can service it. Not hard, swap out oil, new hoses, parallel flow condenser, done.

 

R-134(a) is 20% less efficient than R-12. pound for pound. Our old systems have far too small of a condenser to adequately cool an R-134(a) charge.
I use the enviro-safer-134(a) substitute on my three trucks. It is about 20% more efficient than R-12.
My wife's dealer installed factory under dash AC will freeze you out very quickly.
Mine will as well but it hasn't been hot enough for me to use yet. I'm still running the windows down cooling...
Watch your pressures with this stuff as it takes a lot less refrigerant than the R-12 system calls for.
I use one can of the Pro-Seal and top the system with the substitute.

 

As said go with the 134a so you can do the service on the system with the right tools.
I dont think you will be able to find any parts as this was a dealer / aftermarket installed AC.

I take it you have a York piston compressor?
If so I would not even think of rebuilding it just get new or rebuilt one but better yet get the newer type.
I think Ebay has kits that have the newer compressor & adapter to mount it to the York brackets on the motor.

Hoses you will have to find a shop to make you new ones.
Also on Ebay you should be able to find "make your own" hose kits.
If you cut the rubber hose to size and mark the fittings & hose how they go together a shop can press the fittings on the hoses or you can but a press to do this, think was $100.

Now on the condenser you are kind of on your own as I dont know what the dealer used but .....
I think I would look into a condenser for your year truck that had factory AC as a start.
I know for the 80-86 trucks we can only get the 90's condenser and we need to do a little modding to make it fit but it works.
And it is the newer type so works pretty good with 134a.

The Evap unit.
What shape is it in other than what you said? Dose the fan work? How bout the temp control?
I know that last one is hard being it dose not work but you may have a feeling about it?
Maybe it would be best to get a new after market under dash unit than try and fix / use this one?
If you flush it out and find junk coming out dont use it.
If the fins on the outside are "rusting off" get a new one.

With all the above said it may be better to get a full after market kit (under dash?) than to try and piece together what you have?
BTW I replace half the firewall on my truck, 81 f100, as I wanted AC in my truck and the AC & non-AC firewalls are different.
I was able to use all the factory AC parts after the firewall swap.
I did replace the condenser, hoses, compressor from York to newer type, and a few other things but flushed the evap and charged with 134a.
Dave ----

 

If using the condenser and evaporator designed for R12 than you will get cooler air with R12. We can thank Dupont for making us switch. I too would go with a new aftermarket compressor, condenser, hoses, PAG oil, and a flush. The Sanden brand radial one has been on the market for a long time. 2X on getting a kit including brackets. I know there are places that put new rubber into original fittings here in Phoenix metro. I can't remember who at the moment.
Price a complete unit kit from Vintage Air. It might be cheaper in the long run to start "new" from scratch.