87 A/C into 71 done

[Katrina/10]

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All air conditioning lines and wiring connected, heater hoses routed. I will take the inner fender back out and paint it.

Gary

[ETsC10]

Nice work

[Palf70Step]

[hugger6933]

Very resourceful!! Great idea.

[Andy4639]

That reminds me of another truck.

[Katrina/10]

Thanks, I tried to use as much of the 87 stuff as I could, the hoses and lines seem to fit the earlier model truck pretty well.

[dyrt]

Very nice work. What kind of details can you give? What parts from the 87 were you actually able to use? What parts did you have to use from your own truck and what kind of mods are required? I am replacing my non a/c cab with an a/c cab due to rot and this could be the cheapest route if i could use most of the parts from a later model. Any info would be much appreciated!

[Katrina/10]

The evaporator, accumulator, compressor hoses, and compressor and brackets are all 87. The rest of the parts on the firewall inside and out are 71. I used a universal 14x25 condenser which I fabricated brackets for. They air conditioniing will work as a cycling clutch orifice tube just like 87. I was hoping someone else could use this information as I think it is a good way to update the air conditioning system if you don't need to keep it all original, but still keep everything functional. If you have any more specific questions I'll be glad to help.
Gary

[ERASER5]

So you still used the '71 air box, controls and heater?

[Katrina/10]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

So you still used the '71 air box, controls and heater?

Yes, I did. I found the 87 evaporator fits inside the 71 box, so everything else works like original.

[68 TT]

Great info. Thanks for sharing. Mine is only partially there so I was considering a square body as a donor. Good to know it works out well.

I am also looking at using the under dash HVAC system out of a mid 90's-up GM front wheel drive car with R134a instead. I have read about a few guys doing it in posts just haven't found any builds or info on how to do it or what is needed yet.

[Andy4639]

The bottom line in mine has the orfice filter tube inside it. I used all the 71 controls and boxes. I also swapped it over to 134 A freon and it blows 38 degree's all the time with the cowl vent mod.
I also installed a manual shut off to the hot water hoses so there is no hot water in the heater box inside the truck cab. That's good for about 5 degree's depending on the outside temp.
If you do this mod don't try using the old A-6 compressor for cycling it was built for this and want last very long. I went through 2 of them before I figured it out.
I also hooked the extra electric fan up to the AC switch so when it's turned on it turns the fan on. The fan is on a relay also.
I cut the factory bracket off and put a screw in the bracket to hold the acumalator with.

[motorcritter]

This is the route I want to go for my '70 C10- it is non/AC, but I've got a '69 AC donor for the boxes, controls, ducting and wiring. I figure I would use square-body critical components (condenser, evap coil, piping/hoses, accumulator) too. What compressor is a good one for the conversion. I've got pretty much a clean slate for what I do, and a good bit of AC experience from my days working in FL.

Nice work, both Katrina/10 and Andy4639! I searched the board earlier, and spotted Andy's set-up, it at least showed me it was possible, and my own measurements seemed to bear the possibility out. Now, to the wrenches!
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[Katrina/10]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

Great info. Thanks for sharing. Mine is only partially there so I was considering a square body as a donor. Good to know it works out well.

I am also looking at using the under dash HVAC system out of a mid 90's-up GM front wheel drive car with R134a instead. I have read about a few guys doing it in posts just haven't found any builds or info on how to do it or what is needed yet.

That's an interesting idea. I haven't eyeballed any of those car units to see how well they fit in a truck.

[Katrina/10]

[QUOTE=motorcritter;5861076]This is the route I want to go for my '70 C10- it is non/AC, but I've got a '69 AC donor for the boxes, controls, ducting and wiring. I figure I would use square-body critical components (condenser, evap coil, piping/hoses, accumulator) too. What compressor is a good one for the conversion. I've got pretty much a clean slate for what I do, and a good bit of AC experience from my days working in FL.

I used a universal condenser, not the square body style, because I figured it would be easier to install. The 87 truck stuff is what I used on the motor, which is an R4 compressor. The 84 and earlier trucks use a different compressor clocking and hard tubes, which don't seem to interchange as well.

[Andy4639]

You could use the compressor of the donor truck. Are at least a new one just like it. I didn't because I thought the old one would work. Then after the 2nd one I bought the upgrade kit from Vintage air with 134 A components along with hoses and compressor with mounts.
I to had a non AC cab and converted it myself.






Katrina/10,
I would like to know how you wired the compressor up just to compare notes for the cycling effect. How long does your's run before cycling. I had to play with the fitting on the acumalator to get mine to cycle. About every 8 minutes are so is what I left it at.

[Katrina/10]

[I would like to know how you wired the compressor up just to compare notes for the cycling effect. How long does your's run before cycling. I had to play with the fitting on the acumalator to get mine to cycle. About every 8 minutes are so is what I left it at.[/COLOR][/B][/QUOTE]

All I did for that was cut the original compressor clutch wire and splice in the low side pressure switch on the accumulator. The other side of the switch I added new wire to go to compressor, now located on the driver's side.

Cycling varies widely depending on fan speed and outside temperature. If it's really hot, not much cycling.

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

[I would like to know how you wired the compressor up just to compare notes for the cycling effect. How long does your's run before cycling. I had to play with the fitting on the acumalator to get mine to cycle. About every 8 minutes are so is what I left it at.[/COLOR][/B]

All I did for that was cut the original compressor clutch wire and splice in the low side pressure switch on the accumulator. The other side of the switch I added new wire to go to compressor, now located on the driver's side.

Cycling varies widely depending on fan speed and outside temperature. If it's really hot, not much cycling.[/QUOTE]

Thanks,
I did it right then! Lol...

[LOW DOUGH]

Good info. I'm wanting to do this in mine
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[motorcritter]

Katrina/10, I was going to use a new style condensor- like a Ford (laminar flow) to get more efficiency on that side. I am looking at using a high-capacity compressor, like a Sanden, Sankyo or Denso. The old R4 is handy, but there's better ones out there. A serpentine belts setup from an S10, and it ought to be like a meat locker in the cab!
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[Katrina/10]

I used an aftermarket 14x25" condenser which has the improved flow you mentioned. I believe I bought it from Nostalgic Air Parts for about 80 bucks. I bought several other things from them to finish the project, got good customer service.

[LOW DOUGH]

Katrina/10. It's starting to get warm out. How's it working for you?
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[ole dollor]

i think you did a great job....i like it a lot....coooool.