Stock AC vs aftermarket AC

[davepl]

As someone who is literally bandaging himself up at the moment from running the factory AC vent tubes, let me tell you: stock AC is a bear. In fact, having done the wood bed and engine and everything else on the truck the AC is one of the most challenging systems. And that's starting with an AC truck with almost all the parts present and accounted for. I also have an aftermarket (stock appearing, and not that Custom Autosound junk) radio that's far shallower than the original, and it still sucks.

If I were building a truck with the intent of showing it as a stock truck, as I am, then I'd go with stock AC, like I did. But if I could live with the non-stock appearance of an aftermarket unit, I bet it'd be way easier to deal with.

If you had an AC truck that was complete and just moved parts over, that might not be so bad. But accumulating every little piece (and let me tell you, there are a lot of them once you get into solenoids and flaps and springs and clips and lines and o-rings and so on) could be tough. Plus as everyone knows an AC cab is actually different, and not just for the vent ball holes - the firewall is different I think (maybe even shown in this thread).

All that aside, it's pretty impressive what those guys accomplished back then with vacuum and one power wire. I still think mechanical factory cruise is more of a wonder, but I'm always impressed by what they got done with no computers or electronics back then.