Re: Aftermarket AC

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 fljab@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Does anyone have some insight/previous experiance doing something similar, esp with an AMC six?

I just went through all this and I'm about ot finish it off!

* 63 classic wagon
* 1970 232

The short answer: there will be no ready-made kit, but you can do
it all yourself.

I strongly suggest not pushing rope, swimming up stream, peeing
into the wind, etc -- go with all modern H134a, O-ring type
connectors, Sanden compressor, good horizontal condenser, etc. You
CANNOT mix O-ring type and flare-type connector components. [Brief
reasons: different hose sizes new vs. old.]

THe one exception I'd make is if you have a once-working factory
setup, but the old York-type compressor is shot or missing -- in
that case stick with R12 and get a flare-fitting Sanden
compressor. Except for restorations, the York type compressors
SUCK.

Also, this R12 vs. H134 thing is a crock of sh*t. Talk to the
experts, like VINTAGE AIR. There's no need to stockpile the old
crap. Even if it's $30/pint for R12, a system in good working
order won't need it but every 10 years -- who cares. (New O-ring
sealed systems will last that long without leaking. Flare systems
seem to leak more.)

Call Vintage Air (www.vintageair.com) and get their catalog.  It's
got great technical information in it. Of course they recommend
their own products, but the tech info is 100% correct.



I learned a lot the HARD WAY -- I actually adapted the old Rambler
factory 1963 dash evap unit to the H134a system with a homemade
adapter for the #10-O-ring suction to #8 flare suction (I'm
embarrassed to say) but then the @#%%^!! evap unit had a bad valve
(!) and it was a nightmare to get the thing in and out of the
dash, and it wasn't gonna be very efficient on H134 (wrong orfice,
etc) so I just bought -- for $210 -- a modern underdash unit (but
it looks like a 1960's underdash unit, so I'm happy :-)


I wangled a bracket from a way-post-1972 258 to mount a Sanden
converter on the passenger side of the engine. Took some finagling
to get the idler system to work but it came out neat -- I shoudl
take photos of it. My car has power nothing, so all I had was an
alternator and water pump. I took the A/C and Alt bracket for a
1982? 258, milled it and redrilled to fit the 1970 block. You
could do that with a hacksaw and file. THe idler was a bit more
work to figure out, but easy to reproduce -- I had to mill the
bottom of the aluminum stiffener a lot (I have an LP converter
bolted onto two of those studded head bolts used for
lifting/battery ground) but the idler wants to run the belt right
through the water neck -- so I flipped it upside down! and put the
belt over, not under...  and found a top hose with a slight
question-mark shape ? and it looks super clean.

Vintage Air stuff isn't the cheapest, but they are very
knowledgable and helpful, and gladly answered all my tech
questions before I spent a dime. I ended up getting the evap unit
this month (the rest of the junk went in last summer) from another
outfit but I think they just resell V.A. anyways.

I have an "RV" flexfan, haven't made a shroud yet. Never could
find one to fit, so I'll make one, easy enough.