New Member from AZ

[PrimerGray]

Hi Everyone!  My name is Tom, and I live in Scottsdale AZ.  I've owned my '71 Challenger since 2000, when I bought it for my first car.  In the mid 2000s, I swapped the original 318 and 904 for a 340 and 727, and years ago put an 8 & 3/4 rear end in the car.  I daily drove it through high school and college, but then it sat for at least a decade.

A few years ago I started committing more time to it.  Since then, I've got it running, passing emissions, and chased down issues that plagued the car back when I daily drove it: overheating, poor idle, vacuum leaks, etc.  The car runs better than ever thanks to the volume of information that is now available on the internet!

In the last two years, I've installed a new water pump, electric fan, and fan shroud, Year One 17" rims and tires, heater core, and refurbished the entire heater box.  I came across a jug of R12, so I changed the O rings and drier on the AC system, and tested that it held vacuum, and charged it.  The 50 + year old system blew 32 degree air immediately.  It was amazing, and was the first time since I've owned the car that the AC system worked.  I drove around for about 2 months and just when I got comfortable with the system thinking it was good long term... then the compressor blew a seal and I lost my charge  So now I'm having an internal debate between taking a stab at a gasket kit for the RV2 Compressor, or converting to a sanden style one.

Otherwise, I have some Dakota Digital gauges on the way that I hope to swap in the next few weeks.  I'll probably be reaching out for advice soon!

Nice to meet ya'll,

Tom

[Cuda Cody]

Sweet, great story!  Welcome to the forum!   

[Brads70]

Nice ride! Welcome from Canada!

[SRT392]

Welcome from the Pacific Northwest.  Enjoy your ride

[PrimerGray]

Thanks, all!

[JS29]

    

[MoparLeo]

  aboard. Good story.

[Spikedog08]

Welcome from  Michigan! Glad you signed up!   

[jimynick]

Welcome to the site from Ontario,       If the oem a/c seal lasted 50 years and you got another 50 or 40-30 out of the replacement, do you need to replace the compressor?? Congrats on having the ambition to methodically upgrade your car and the ability to do so. 

[Dakota]

Hey Tom.  Welcome to the forum from Ft Worth, TX.   I have no idea how I would've ever got my '70 Challenger running without the great help from the folks on this forum and a little assistance from other places on the internet.   You have come to the right place for sure.

I have an RV-2 a/c compressor on my 340.   At one time, I had plans to use it for more than an idler pulley but moving from NY to TX earlier this year led me to purchase a Sanden unit and some other parts from Bouchillon Performance.  I haven't installed it yet but hope to over the next month or two.

[PrimerGray]

Welcome to the site from Ontario,      If the oem a/c seal lasted 50 years and you got another 50 or 40-30 out of the replacement, do you need to replace the compressor?? Congrats on having the ambition to methodically upgrade your car and the ability to do so. 

Really good point, actually!

[PrimerGray]

Hey Tom.  Welcome to the forum from Ft Worth, TX.   I have no idea how I would've ever got my '70 Challenger running without the great help from the folks on this forum and a little assistance from other places on the internet.   You have come to the right place for sure.

I have an RV-2 a/c compressor on my 340.   At one time, I had plans to use it for more than an idler pulley but moving from NY to TX earlier this year led me to purchase a Sanden unit and some other parts from Bouchillon Performance.  I haven't installed it yet but hope to over the next month or two.

Well please post about it when you do, curious minds want to know how it goes. You're going to need cold air in TX!