It's cold in here!

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

After driving the damn thing for 18 years I finally put A/C in it.
What a !@$%$!! ordeal! One of the most annoying and expensive
add-ons I've ever done to a car.

Basically I abandoned all the vintage stuff and bought all new
h134a-ready new parts. A/C is annoying enough, you don't need to
battle old inefficient crap.

I had a hell of a time finding a place that would charge the damn
thing up, I ended up doing it half myself. You'd think here in Los
Angeles...

Last year I had a Sanden 508, new 24" condenser from VintageAir,
new accum/dryer, binary switch, new hoses, etc attached to a 64
factory underdash evaporator. Big pain to install the evap unit,
it totally blocks the entire underdash making the smallest task
difficult, and once I got it in I found the expansion valve was
stuck! Out it came.

The Sanden sits on a cast aluminum 1981-up mount I hacked up to
fit the 1970 232 block. Basically, I cut the bottom lug off,
milled the gusset down and drilled a hole to match the block. Easy
enough. Alt is still on the stock (drivers) side. I used the 81-up
idler arm system (bolts to two front head bolts, I already had
studs there) but flipped the arm UP not DOWN, for clearance, got a
?-shaped top hose that allows the belt to run just under the hose.
Looks funny, works perfect.


I paid $300 for the damn 64 factory thing, bought a new
thermostatic control for it, still needs the expansion valve (not
a big deal), if you want it let me know.

Anyways I simply bought an underdash unit from (forgot the place)
for about $200, it's very old-fashioned looking, perfect for the
63 Classic. Installed easily. I'd done all the wiring (fan and
safety switch interlock, etc) already so that was easy.

I found a small shop willing to charge it, but they were monkeys.
Drew a vacuum OK. He didn't wait for leaks, fine since he didn't
have a vacuum guage anyways.

They hooked up the gauges and tank and I started the car.  The
head monkey scratched his butt and armpits trying to figure out
that it wasn't filling because the valve on the gauge set was
closed.  I point this out. Starts to fill. SQUEAAALLLLLL! The
compressor halts, the belt slipping.

Monkey says "compressor bad". At this point I ask "how much do I
owe you?" Nothing. I also thought the compressor seized, but
wasn't very happy here, so I drove home.

It occurred to me to try it again at home. Compressor turns OK by
hand -- not seized! Squeals when run -- belt is loose. Duh.

What happened was, when the dingbat finally remembered to open the
valve, the system pressure went up enough to close the safety
valve and the compressor actually started compressing when the
clutch came on. Hence the squeal.

So I went to autozone (because they are the closest and by I am
now very impatient) and bought a total crap "top off" kit, which
is enough since the system has (mostly) been purged.  Valve
broken, was a customer return! Brought it back to crapzone. Got a
good one.

Charged the system up -- COLD! Wee! System wants 1.8 lbs (about 29
oz) and I have 18 oz cans, so I added a whole can, then the second
until I got the suction side pressure at 16 lbs. VintageAir wants
6 - 12 lbs, so I've overfilled it a bit, but for this trip (I
leave in the AM) it'll have to do. I don't want to vent to the
atmosphere, that's rude, so I'll find a sensible A/C shop
(assuming there is such a thing) and have it looked at later.

What a pleasure driving around with the windows rolled up in LA
traffic. I've got a two-row radiator, a good flex fan but no
shroud, so I have to watch the temp in slow traffic, but on the
highway it seems to be fine. I'll get a shroud and eventually a
3-row radiator, next time I need one. Cooling system is otherwise
perfect.

Time to go make sure I have a full set of spare belts and hoses
before hitting the desert tomorrow.