AC in a T/A

[dodge1933]

 I am looking into putting A/C in my T/A. Vintage Air has a Sure Fit system for e-bodies. Unfortunately it is designed to fit a 22" rad. opening and the T/A has a 26" rad. opening. It also looks like the compressor sets too high for the large fresh air cleaner assembly.
Has any one here used this or an other system with a similar situation. I am planning on driving this car on long road trips but I am getting older and want to be comfortable. Any help will be appreciated.


Mike

[1 Wild R/T]

Mike, for your car I'd have a very hard time mounting an A/C compressor right up top, front & center.... I think I would look long & hard at building a custom mount either below the alternator or below the P/S pump... Might have to raise the P/S pump so under the alternator seems more likely....

And inside I'd be tempted to look for an original dealer install under dash A/C...   Or I'd use one of the aftermarket boxes & build a custom vent rather than the cheesy looking under dash vents that come with current kits....

I'd build custom lines to hide as much of the system as I could....

Your car is way to nice to not hide all the A/C as much as you can....

[Rich G.]

I put A/C in my Cuda with a shaker hood. The sanden compressor fit under the air cleaner with brackets from classic air. I don't know if it will hit the carb if you're still running the 3 X 2 set up. I'm guessing you're going to have to make or modify the brackets.

[dodge1933]

Thanks for responding guys. 1 Wild R/T I was thinking if I want to do this I may have to get creative with compressor mounting. I like the under the alt location. I can live with the small vent under the dash. They are thin and not too noticeable. The whole idea is it can all be returned to stock without much trouble. Rich G, I will check out classic air's brackets. I thought I have seen them on shaker cars and that is why I thought it might work on mine. I do like 1 Wild R/Ts idea of hiding it as much as I can. If possible???

Thanks I will give it some more thought and see I am still going to pull the trigger on this part of the project. I do like the Vintage Sure Fit system as you don't have to cut the firewall to add the ac lines. It comes right out of the stock blower motor hole that is not used with the new system.

[blown motor]

Maybe @ToxicWolf will chime in here. He did a great job of hiding the system on his 70 Challenger.

[1 Wild R/T]

If you put the compressor under the alternator your going to need to eliminate the mechanical fuel pump.....   Do you have access to a 318/340 engine out of the car for doing mock up work?   

FWIW I've done a few custom A/C installs & I've built vent plenums that mount below the dash... I think it looks cleaner than the vent balls most kits come with.....

[dodge1933]

It's looking upon further research it seems to be easer to put a/c on a big block with a fresh air system than a small block. I would have tried this a few years ago but my fabrication skills ain't what they used to be. I may just have to suffer. If I just go a little faster with the windows down I guess I'll be ok.

[ToxicWolf]

I cheated and used an electric compressor hidden under the passenger fender. 

[RJChallenger]

Ah The Old 4-60 A/C system . Open 4 windows and do 60 MPH. I still have mine. LOL

[anlauto]

I would get the vintage air system and install it per instructions. If your air cleaner doesn't fit, I would get a reproduction, fiberglass even, base and modify it until it fits. All this hiding the compressor is just complicating matters.... Driving and enjoying the car in the comfort of AC is much more important to you then the cars originality so why bother hiding it ?

[1 Wild R/T]

I would get the vintage air system and install it per instructions. If your air cleaner doesn't fit, I would get a reproduction, fiberglass even, base and modify it until it fits. All this hiding the compressor is just complicating matters.... Driving and enjoying the car in the comfort of AC is much more important to you then the cars originality so why bother hiding it ?

Clearly you've either never seen Mike's T/A or you don't remember it....  The car is stunning... Trying to preserve the OE look of the engine compartment should be worth a little extra effort...

[anlauto]

As nice as the car is....you can't have your cake and eat it too, maybe I'm reading this wrong but it seems like Mikes priorities are shifting....sounds like he cares more about comfort than originality ??? I don't want to speak for him.

So modifying a car to your liking has no rules, once you add AC, you've lost the originality of the car reguardless of where you mount things... might as well go the easy route

[1 Wild R/T]

But if you tuck the compressor under the alternator & keep the lines down low it wouldn't be so obvious....   You prefer easy, I don't mind pulling in a little extra work... neither is wrong...

[anlauto]

Whatever floats yur boat !

[dodge1933]

Hay thanks guys for all the ideas. I am still thinking about the a/c but I have a lot more I am doing to the car this winter. When I started this project 6 years ago I built it with the idea of showing it for a couple of years and then driving it as much as I did the first 20 years I  owned it. That's why overlooked some of the short comings on the car. I now no what I need/want to make the car a cross country Cruz again, And yes I do want more safety, comfort and better ride. By spring I hope to have 4 wheel disc brakes, FiTech 6 pack fuel injection w/Aromotive tank, offset spring hangers with a b body rear and Dakota Digital instruments. Possibly shocks so the a/c may wait till until next year or who knows.


Again I want to thank Alan and everyone for all the help you were when I was building this. And 1 Wild thanks for the kind word about the car. It blew me away when you remember it from way back. I still keep the pic you gave me from back in the day in the car. The car turned out nice now I want to drive it every were to show everyone.


Mike