Has anyone put together their own AC system?

[neverfinished52]

I have a SB 350 in my 52 and wanted to know whats stopping me from piecing together my own AC system instead of buying a Vintage Air or similar system? There are plenty of brackets available to add a compressor. I can pick up the rest of the parts from a variety of places. Has anyone done this to their 3100? Thanks in advance
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[chevyguyase]

Wow a like minded guy. I use to install after market AC, back when JC Penney had auto centers. I used an Isuzu Rodeo fan and condenser unit. It seems they made it for my '54 3100 in mind, it fits so well. I have the fan wired so I can use the fan by itself or it comes on automatically with the AC. I ordered an under dash unit, hose kit with dryer and a compressor from Nostalgic Air. Great people to work with. Your lucky I'm running a 250 6 cyl, I had to make my own brackets. I bought the better compressor. Make sure you have a local guy that can compress AC line fittings, they use a different compression than hydraulic lines. Good luck.

[OrrieG]

Yes, I traded stock heater for a Vintage Air under dash unit. I got new hoses, hose fittings, thru tin connectors and compressor online. I got the condenser from Vintage air. Made my own compressor brackets and hose terminations. I ran the hoses like Old Air. Did a vacuum test and it held for 24 hours, have not charged yet. I also did my own inside vents. Build thread (link below) shows the work, interior starts post 730, condenser compressor starts post 993. Never ran the number to see if I saved any money over buying a whole system.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

I got an inside unit from Vintage-Air. I used a factory A-6 comp. & brackets. I looked through the salvage yard with a tape & found a cond. of the right demensions. I used a universal rec/drier & made up the hoses with aftermarket fittings. It worked real good for several years & I sold the truck which I have regretted since.

[Coupeguy2001]

Doing just that right now on my 57.
I bought a serpentine belt system off of a 91 firebird for $35 at a swap meet. it has power steering pump, water pump, compressor, and idler pulley. Each side of the engine has it's own bracket out of aluminum.
Then I exchanged the compressor at autozone for $65, then bought the condenser on ebay for $40, then Summit Racing has the aluminum lines you bend for $30, then I got the hoses, fittings and dryer from another guy on Ebay for $68.
I made my own dryer bracket at work for free, had it powder coated, and now I am trying to decide what evaporator I am going to use
There are some good evap units for around $75, and the one I want is a slimline for $345.
Or I could put the evap between the seats and make a center console, and have everything in there.

The bummer is I have an aluminum radiator that is about 25 years old, and I didn't trust it with the added load. The new one is costing me around $350 for a custom made one out of aluminum.

[jjzepplin]

I just replaced everything in my wife's Toyota Echo. Pulled a vacuum and it checked out so I charged it. Digital thermometer says it can get down to -40 degrees. Yes Negative. Not really sure but that mother is COLD! I plan to clean and flush the old evaporator and condenser and rob some lines from the junk yard and install all of this with my Sanden in my old heater box. Not sure it will fit but I already have one so I will try it.
Her compressor seized up and appears to be a scroll type Denso. Neat unit. I think I can get a head for the Sanden to bolt the hoses right to it. If not it would just be the two connections that I need to figure out. The condenser has the dryer inside it and the system runs a trinary switch as well with an expansion block at the evaporator. I will log all the progress in my "NO DAGGUM MONEY" build. If you can call it that (BUILD) it's really more of a spare parts Frankenstein.