Topic: Adding air conditioning to a non AC Mustang

[Jeff73Mach1]

For some time now I have been considering adding AC to my 73 Mach 1

I've been looking at the Classic Air "perfect fit" kit.

Has anyone here done this either with Classic Air's products or anyone else's kit and how well did it work?

While it is a big investment, here in Tennessee, if you don't have AC you are limited as to when you can drive comfortably.  Since I try and stay out of the rain and snow, if I can't drive during the summer months, it is hard to enjoy the car as much as I would like.

here is the kit I am looking at


http://www.classicautoair.com/?q=71_73_Mustang_Cougar_Air_Conditioning_Ford_Mercury_AC.html

[Soaring]

No, I haven't done it myself, but I have talked to a bunch of guys who have, and they are satisfied with it.  You might also look into Vintage air.  I would choose the one using a Sanden compressor if either of those companies have it in their kit. 

[Tim175]

I haven't used them but as Glen said i have talked to people that have and they have all been very happy with them. Glen they do use Sanden compressors in all of their kits and i agree, that is what i will be using on my car as well.

[Soaring]

My old York has bit the dust, so in a month or two I will be upgrading to a Sanden.  I believe my condenser is still OK, but I will need to replace the dryer and the switch.  Then take it into the AC shop and have them put in the freon.  But, before I do anything, I will need to take it to the AC shop and have them drain the old freon.  You can't just let that stuff fly to the wind.  The EPA frowns on that.   

[Jeff73Mach1]

Looks like I'm going with Classic Auto Air as they have a "perfect fit" kit for the 71-73 Mustangs and the other companies did not.

I've got it on order and should have it here in time for the nasty hot weather.

Looks like I'll need to replace a few pulleys, but thankfully I have the 3 groove crank pulley in the basement pulled off my craigslist donor motor and I may have a two groove water pump pulley as well.  Gonna look tonight

Very friendly while taking my order and my money-now we get to see how they follow through.


Soaring-you may want to consider replacing the condenser if you are going to use the 134 A refrigerant as modern condensors do work better than the original ones and the cost is really not all that high.

[Soaring]

I had already changed over to 134A before the compressor went south, and she cooled just fine for a vintage condensor.  I'll have mull over that one. 

[Jeff73Mach1]

If you keep the old condensor, make sure it is flushed well as when a compressor craps out it can leave a lot of junk in the system.  (same for the coil)  If that junk hits the new compressor seals-bye bye compressor!

[Soaring]

Yeah, it will be thoroughly flushed before adding the new Freon.  I'm dumb, but not stupid.   

[Jeff73Mach1]

Didn't think you were either, but posted for the benefit of others with less life experience (AKA everyone else )

[Tim175]

That is where i am buying my new condensor from because luckily my car has factory air but the condensor was missing when i got the car, and i  plan on putting a sanden compressor on, should be some nice cold air when i take the car for a road trip down the coast this summer.

[Soaring]

The older I get (now 66) I find I don't need as much cold air in my 65 during in the summer as I once did.  However, just to keep the old gal original as possible, I will keep it as original as possible with new upgrades.  The Sanden compressor seems to be the best bang for the buck, but not quite original.  If the condenser is still good with a cleaning, I will keep it. 

[Jeff73Mach1]

If it cooled to your satisfaction before running 134 through the original compressor and condensor, then with the sanden compressor it will cool even better.  I agree that if the current condensor is useable, then don't throw money away on a new non original one.

That old compressor is probably worth hanging onto (which I assume you were going to do anyway)

[Soaring]

The old York compressor rattled around for 2 summers, then finally locked up.  It's not worth overhauling or keeping so it is now a boat anchor.      It's the condenser that I hope I can keep.  I'm a cheapskate.   

[Jeff73Mach1]

My parts arrived yesterday.

Initial inspection-packaging is very professional.
parts seem of good quality 

The custom bracket is nicely welded and looks very good. Made of 1/4 and very solid with well designed adjustment for compressor position and belt tension. Mounting holes are 3/8 and need to be 7/16th but both sets of hardware are included.  It is raw metal with no finish so that is really no problem, but it uses spacers to stand off the head and they are a little short.  It would be much nicer if the spacers were welded to the bracket and would make installation easier-thankfully I can tack weld em on before I paint the bracket/

Hoses are all capped and protected with the ends nicely crimped.

All the under dash parts seem to be relatively well made-nothing flimsy or cheap looking.

The replacement vent for the center looks good-not identical to factory, but the Non AC cars actually have a slightly smaller opening.

The directions are mostly clear, though I'm not sure on a minor issue and I'll call before I get there.  They probably should use passenger side/driver side instead of
left/right.

I hung a new light in the garage and prepared an old crankshaft pulley I had and still need to get the water pump pulley.

The instructions completely ignore belt routing. pulley changes, how to use the adjuster designed into their mount and a few other things that are basic to me, but would certainly  make it clearer.

I don't know if the wiring harness supports an electric fan conversion (it should) but I am going to stick with my stock fan for now

overall the kit looks excellent-now I need about 10-12 hours of good working time.-hopefully next week I'll get it done.

[Jeff73Mach1]

Well I got a good start on things this evening and put in about 3 hours of work.

Everything is disassembled and I took the gauge cluster bezel, center console and center gauges and dash pad out while I was at it.  My ammeter has never worked, so I guess now would be a good time to trouble shoot it.

Radio wiring was hacked up and the radio was out of a 79 truck (well it did look right but never sounded worth a crap)  There was an extra antenna wire run and grounded to the chassis-maybe for a cb radio or something in the past?

Dash speaker was improper and mounted poorly and surely was one of the minor rattles I was hearing.  It is gone now and unlikely to return

I've got a spare radio bezel and think I am going to upgrade the radio with a din mount unit with CD and I pod functions.  I hate to see the bezels cut up, but apparently there are plenty for the 71-73's and since they just screw in and aren't an integral part of the dash I don't feel as bad for considering that option.

It appears there were speakers in the front doors at some point and the panels were replaced, so I am inclined to also go that route.

While things are apart, I'm going to get back on the one piece export brace and custom monte carlo bar that my car will require and I am also going to have to change pulleys-I may decide that electric fans are worth a try while it is all a part.

Funny how you go to do one thing and four more pop up.

On the plus side, there was no sign of water intrusion or any damage to the metal and the dash structure all seems to be nice and solid.

I'm sorry for desecrating my car Soaring (not really) LOL

[Jeff73Mach1]

Well I spent the weekend working to install the air conditioning and I'm pretty far along.

All that is left is to hook up 3 wires, change out my pulleys when they arrive, reinstall the instrument cluster, one shock tower brace, dashpad, console and seal the firewall openings.  Should be able to finish in a couple of hours.

To comment on the kit at this point, I would have to say all of the parts sxeem to be of excellent quality.

The instructions were very good for the installation of the evaporator unit, but were lacking when it came to the hose routing and the installation of the receiver dryer.  Parts were different than those pictured and the bends in the lines are such that the lines do come awfully close to interfering with one another.  Some minor hardware was not present, requiring a trip to the store and the need to fabricate a clamp or wait for one to be shipped.

Wiring is really pretty straight forward, but the instructions are not.

If you want to install one of these kits, you should be adept at problem solving until the instructions are revised.

I made a few changes, such as rebuilding my existing glove box because the supplied one did not fit well and was pretty cheesy. (that is saying a lot since the factory one is mostly cardboard.)

I also was able to adapt a factory AC vent rather than use the supplied one for the center vent.  The supplied vent was not well fitted.

To facilitate installation and routing of hoses, I found it helpful to remove the dashpad, the center dash console, and the instrument panel.  While this really doesn't take much more work, it improves access greatly.

A few issues I would like to see improved include the duct adapters have no ribbing or flange to facilitate locking the hoses into position.  The instructions really could use improvement on the engine side of the installation.  There are NO instructions for belts or routing, though it is easy enough to figure out.  Te spacers for the compressor to engine mount could stand to be a 1/4 thicker to clear the valve covers, and the hardware packs could stand to include a few spares and be better organized.  Finally, the system is a recirculate only system, with no provision for fresh air.  While I can live with that, I would like to have known on the front end.

Overall, I'd rate the quality of the "Perfect Fit" kit as still be excellent, but there is a little room for improvement

If you choose to install one of these expect a minimum of 12 hours work if you aren't distracted and 20 if you are like me and feel the need to remove things like the defroster duct and wash them and scrub out years of dust before reinstalling.

Once my pulleys arrive and are installed and I get the last few parts back together, I'll get some pictures posted.

[Soaring]

On that Monte Carlo bar, be sure to get the curved one.  If you get the straight one, you will have to take it off to get to your distributor, and it will probably hit your air cleaner unless you have one of those aftermarket small chrome ones.  Why are you putting on the shock tower to cowl brace?  I thought you were going with a one piece export brace. 

[Jeff73Mach1]

you forget-the 71-73's don't have an available aftermarket Monte carlo bar and the TCP set up is all that is out there.

I took off the brace for more room to work-just put it back on to keep everything in place til I can custom build my parts.  Want all the AC work done before I start that project.

Electrical is done.  Hoses are all routed and hooked up.  Waiting on my pulleys and then it is off to be evacuated and charged up!

Still have a little trim out, but going to leave it that way until the AC is working and fully tested so that I can get to all the wiring and tie it up neatly.

[Soaring]

Yeah, I keep forgetting you 71-73 guys are "different."    It shouldn't be too difficult to manufacture an export brace if you have all the right tools.  Just measure it out and go to cuttin' and weldin'.  I also saw a guy's home manufactured Monte Carlo bar that he built.  It was kinda' "square" but it did the job.  If you get ahold of a pipe bender, you could use some pipe to make one almost like the aftermarket ones.  Just  prime it and paint it black. 

[Tim175]

Actually Jeff there are monte carlo bars available for the 71-73, just not export braces. Yes and Glen is correct one is very easy to make, just need two washers, some tuber with probably a 15-20 degree bend to clear the air cleaner and dist, and a welder. I might get/make one for my car as well.