Air conditioning from 02 in my 72

[kd360]

I recently purchased a 2002 silverado to do a 5.3 swap, since I already have it I was thinking of using the factory a/c system out of it. Has anyone tried this ? It looks like my firewall will have to be modified in order to make it work.

[Bigdav160]

Is there room under the dash? Since most of the stuff is inside the trucks now, the inside cases are huge in comparison to ours.

[71meangreenc10]

I used everything in the cab and put all new components under the hood. Replaced the evaporator, lines, put in a Sanden compressor.

Smitty

[kd360]

It's a tight fit measurement wise but I think it will fit. It seems like part of the unit will be close to the wiper motor. Smitty, did you use the existing71 a/c unit on the firewall? My truck was not an a/c truck originally. Being that I am doing the 5.3 swap I am going to use the compressor that is on the engine now. I really did not want to spend the money on the vintage air kit or a similar kit if I could make this work.

[motorcritter]

Subscribed- going to do a LSx swap on a '68 GMC LWB. Debating whether to get driveline only or complete wrecked truck. I would love to use all new stuff for A/C.

[Andy4639]

The orignal AC on the Ls motor is down at the bottom of the engine. You will have a heck of a time if you leave it there but there are opitions to put it up top.

[71meangreenc10]

Originally Posted by kd360

It's a tight fit measurement wise but I think it will fit. It seems like part of the unit will be close to the wiper motor. Smitty, did you use the existing71 a/c unit on the firewall? My truck was not an a/c truck originally. Being that I am doing the 5.3 swap I am going to use the compressor that is on the engine now. I really did not want to spend the money on the vintage air kit or a similar kit if I could make this work.

Yes,
The box is the original, but my cab is an ac cab. The guts in the box were changed to fit my compressor.

Smitty

[68c10airstream]

Hi kd360, I currently have my 5.3 swap out for engine work, and laying parts out for ac install. I used the organ donor 2001 mounts (down low out of the way) a trailblazer 5.3 compressor for down low on pass. side because the suction/discharge ports are in-line front to back and i refuse to notch my frame for the organ donor truck silverado compressor (suction/discharge ports are side by side left to right). I made my own motor mount brackets for the 2001 mounts. I refused aftermarket perches because they got in the way of headers/ low mount ac compressor. I will be using a 67-72 cab parts with a newer evap. I'm using clutch fan (don't need cooling fans), will be using cycling clutch orifice tube style. My pcm will see ac clutch request via low press. cycling switch on the accumulator. The beauty of all of this is this; no notched frame, no electric fans,ac system will be working just like the organ donor 2001, simple system mounted low out of the way. My only unresolved issue is ac bracket for the trailblazer will either need mods, or put 2 mounting bosses welded to side of oil pan. That,s it. Look at dirty dingo mount pics trying to do low ac mount and they are in the way. Look at perches up high on side of frame and headers hitting them. I don't like electric fans on the forward side of radiator getting rained on but it works. Additional electric considerations using fans but is dueable. Many car friends (nuts) say my engine bay looks like it came from gm. Perfect!!!. I hate chrome this and that, i just want it to work with oem sourced parts for many reasons. If you want pics there in the works. Good luck, Brian F.

[mmiddle]

Interested in this also.... I saved all the electrical and A/C stuff from the '99 doner.

[drewskiren]

I crammed the 02 unit under the dash of my 72 in my Young Frankenstein build a couple of years ago. It WILL fit, but takes a good bit of work. Its all documented in my build thread.

[MARKDTN]

There is a thread on putting a suburban on a late chassis that has info on this-see above. Bottom line, it can be done but requires extensive firewall mods.

[kd360]

Thanks everyone, I have the a/c unit out of the donor truck, I am going away for business for the week so needless to say nothing will get done. Once I get back I am going to make a decision as far as what to do. It sounds like if I had a factory a/c truck I could have done it a bit easier. One way or the other it's getting air, I am tired of sweating in the summer.
Brian F., I bought the dirty dingo mounts and I am going that route too. It seems much easier and cleaner.

[67 chevelle]

this is what I did for the compresor ,

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...24#post6240624

do a search , lots of options