Adding AC

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Sep 19, 2007 | 07:07 PM

Whitlow

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Adding AC

I was wondering how much trouble it is to add AC to my 77? And do they have anything like the old under the dash units or what?
Thanks

Sep 19, 2007 | 07:37 PM

rusty7983

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From: hohenwald, tn

there are some retrofits kits. it maybe the best way to go. vintage air is one company.

Sep 19, 2007 | 10:58 PM

fisher_of_man

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From: West Texas

I'd recommend you do a search on A/C in this forum. There have been several good discussion about it within the last couple of weeks. the pros and cons of the under dash system vesus the factory setup. Arizona Air has a kit, classic auto air mfg co and vintage air both have systems. Those two are more expensive, but allow you to keep the "original" look. You might look at ackits.com too. under dash starts about $850 for the kit, the others are considerably higher.

Sep 19, 2007 | 11:06 PM

79-400-POWER

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From: In a hole

sorry to hijack the thread, but if i had a 78 ac truck could i swap the parts to my 78 no ac bronco?

Sep 19, 2007 | 11:14 PM

P3aflyer

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What about going to the junkyard and getting the parts out of a truck with AC??

I have also found complete blower boxes and ducting out of trucks on Ebay..
complete with the gaskets and patterns need to cut the hole in the firewall..

Sep 19, 2007 | 11:16 PM

czaroc

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Joined: Feb 2007

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 79-400-POWER

sorry to hijack the thread, but if i had a 78 ac truck could i swap the parts to my 78 no ac bronco?

You have to cut a huge hole in the firewall and fab up a piggy-back wire harness. Other than that it wouldn't be too hard.

Sep 19, 2007 | 11:32 PM

fisher_of_man

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From: West Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by P3aflyer

What about going to the junkyard and getting the parts out of a truck with AC??

since he was asking about adding A/C, I was assuming the truck never had it.

does the truck have the original A/C components under the hood...if so, then yes, you could try to find the parts at local salvage/junk yards. again, i'd recommend searching the thread because the one several weeks ago covered the pros and cons of this...even with the R12 vs. 134 and the effects on these old compressors.

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Sep 20, 2007 | 09:45 PM

427SOHC

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Joined: Aug 2004

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From: Terre Haute, Indiana

You can add the factory AC to a non ac truck, I have did a couple, it is not the easiest task in the world. Complete dash removal is needed and the ones I did didnt have an engine when I used the template to mark up and cut the firewall.

The non ac trucks just had a hole large enough to allow the blower motor to stick through and the AC models have an enormous hole and take up a majority of the pass side engine compartment when the plenum is installed.

You will need to locate an AC model truck and purchase the truck or ALL of the parts, and then either make a template of the hole from the AC donor truck or do like I did and cut that portion of the firewall out and use it for the template.
I just sold my template along with most all of the parts to do what you are wanting to do on ebay last week.

Good luck with your project!