HELLO EVERYONE.

JUNE 2004. At the Carlisle Ford show, I found an evaporator unit that goes behind the dash board, and vents out the factory AC vents. I removed the ugly and large underdash unit and replaced it with this new evap unit. Works quite well. I found out that my R-12 tank was running dry, so after vacuuming the system for an hour to remove the R-12 and any air and moisture left in the system, I refilled with R-134 (took 2 small cans) and now if blows ice cold with no appreciable increase in pressures. Notice the big AC unit is gone, and I now have a working VHF/UHF radio center dash, with proper Motorola Microphone, and Motorola speaker under the center dash.  TOP PIC: BEFORE, BOTTOM PIC: AFTER

As I had been planning for quite some time, I finally got around to adding an under-dash AC unit in the old car.

It was no easy task.

Last year, I contemplated doing a Vintage Air install, and that's a $2000 job.  So, doing some searching, I found the componenets off a 73 Ford pickup, a dealer air setup.  It came with the condensor and compressor.

Last year, I found a decent under dash evaporator. The whole cost of these components was $150.00

Over the winter I cleaned everything up, pressure tested the units, made sure the compressor wasn't seized and the clutch was working.

This spring, after failing to find a suitable compressor bracket, I fashioned my own using varios sized turn buckels. I saw that in a rodder magazine.  Its running on the same belt as the power steering pump with a 61 inch belt.

Then came the condensor install - easy - lots of room.

The evap. was a different story.  I rewired the control panel and thermostat, to control the compressor, and fitted it under the ashtray area.  All that was missing was the dryer unit, which my local parts store had NOS for $20.

Now came the plumbing. Local AC shops or rad shops were very expensive, so back to the local hardware store with all the components. I found flared type connectors, bought a flaring tool and used soft copper plumbers pipe (with some 90 degree elbows and an adapter) to plumb the lines. After some creative bending, soldering, and getting used to the flaring tool, I got everything plumbed up real nice, cut a small hole in the firewall, removed the cardboard glovebox, and ran the lines to the evap.

Now for the test. I put some refrigerant and oil into the lines, and listened for leaks. Found a couple. Tightened the connectors. Then listened again. Silence.  So I started the engine, opened the manifold gauges up, turned on the fan and compressor switch hoping the clutch wasn't seized, and the brackets would not fall apart, so far so good, and then I opened the tank of refrigerant, waiting for some hint of cold air to come out of the evaporator.

Well, it took about 2 minutes and then the air started to blow cold like the arctic. At idle, low side pressure was at 28 PSI, high side around 170. Seemed ok to me. I stopped charging to let it stabilize. The system still had a pinhole leak which I found by spraying Fantastic cleaner over the connections and looking for bubbles.  Now that the leak is fixed, the system works great, blows cold like hell, so, now the car not only looks cool, BUT IS COOL!