1966 dart A/C setup in a non A/C car help wanted

-

66Dvert

Working on my custom car parts again!
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
2,626
Reaction score
974
Location
Webster , florida
I have the FSM for my 1966 dodge dart but really would like some pictures of the engine bay setup. (/6 preferable) V8 ok too since I'm going to do the wifes dart also. what I'm looking for is the components used in the engine bay other than the compressor and condenser. there should be a drier,water control valve(know where that one goes) and an expansion valve too but where are they located. The drier was one of the sideways ones wasn't it? can I substitute an upright one in it's place and/or whare can I get a horizontal one? I'm just now getting the inner workings in place only 2 large holes left to got for the evaporator to go into the engine compartment. and major hole cleanup (my circle ended up being a wandering lake effect look:banghead:)

before with old setup removed.
View attachment DSCF4236.jpg

Gutted new box mounting holes drilled and located wiper motor is close! whew tight squeeze there it just clears with about 1/2 inch clearance of the pivot arm. gonna suck if I have to replace it in the future!
View attachment DSCF4252.jpg


getting that darn hole big enough to fit the blower motor SUCKED. made my circle A NOT circle darnit!(or I didn't stretch the template out good enough most likely)
View attachment DSCF4253.jpg


well at least the heater core lines up!
View attachment DSCF4254.jpg


yeah my un pretty non circular hole. that I'll have to work on to clean it up. luckily I have an old gasket and it shows that I have a bit of room to make things better.

and where does that short Green wire plug into? (got the ground figured out.) it doesn't fit anywhere going into my harness. I know I'll have to make some extensions up to go into the J and K slot in the bulkhead connector. so I'm ASSuming that one of those goes to the short dark green on the blower motor and the other goes to the compressor to activate it. I'll have to examine the wiring a bit more but help is appreciated:D
View attachment DSCF4255.jpg


gotta re do the gas pedal since I changed over to the cable operated one and it hits the A/C, either lower the pedal 1 inch or redo the corner of the A/C box to clear the cable end. hmmmm what to do?

but I'm almost ready to order the restoration gasket/seal kit to make sure it's sealed up and pretty too!
 
Hope this helps somewhat - the drier is in fact a horizontal unit with inlet/outlet on the ends, so if you have all the factory lines/hoses, you'll need that style drier. I'm not aware of any new or reproductions of them. Good news though - if you have one, that AC place down in Tampa will rebuild them for I think $90 or 95. I sent 2 to them and they're now sitting on the shelf (capped of course) waiting for me to get to that point. The drier lies about midway on the horizontal part of the inner fender. The water valve is to the rear of the drier. There might be dimples in the sheet metal for the appropriate mounting locations - there is on my 65 'vert. After I get back from helping my youngest son with some plumbing, I'll position all the components in the empty engine compartment of my 65 GT 'vert for pictures

I "think" I might have an extra, crappy looking early A drier - I'll have to dig around and check. IIRC it might have come off a 66 Barracuda and was rusty and pitted.
 
Hope this helps somewhat - the drier is in fact a horizontal unit with inlet/outlet on the ends, so if you have all the factory lines/hoses, you'll need that style drier. I'm not aware of any new or reproductions of them. Good news though - if you have one, that AC place down in Tampa will rebuild them for I think $90 or 95. I sent 2 to them and they're now sitting on the shelf (capped of course) waiting for me to get to that point. The drier lies about midway on the horizontal part of the inner fender. The water valve is to the rear of the drier. There might be dimples in the sheet metal for the appropriate mounting locations - there is on my 65 'vert. After I get back from helping my youngest son with some plumbing, I'll position all the components in the empty engine compartment of my 65 GT 'vert for pictures

I "think" I might have an extra, crappy looking early A drier - I'll have to dig around and check. IIRC it might have come off a 66 Barracuda and was rusty and pitted.

Thanks. cool waiting on pic's
I do have some of the hoses(of course they were cut off to remove) but will have new ones made up at the local hydraulic hose shop.
found the dimples and have the water valve screwed in for mock up purposes.
look for that drier if you would and I'll see about getting it redone. I don't have a good one to use for either car.
pm me with a price will ya thanks again.

I just followed the wiring diagram in the factory service manual and will have to fab up 2 dark blue wires with the correct ends and 2 dark green ones . other than that it'll be ready to go (that is after I finish the engine)


if I can't find a good drier for the wife's car I'll just Adjust the inner fender on the passengers side to use a Jeeps upright shorty style canister. I shouldn't have to do much massaging on that panel right behind the Alternator bump so I can get the upright one mounted on the frame rail. The inner splash shield doesn't bolt that far back so I should be ok. I might have to break down and do mine. but I hate messing up the paint. I do have a 92 jeep one that's brand new and the mounting bracket from an old projets that had some leftover parts. hmmmmm now ya got me thinking.
 
got the holes drilled for the evaporator. and the whole shebang is mounted inside of the car.. whew lots of measuring and checking just for air. but it'll be worth it in the long run.

mounted solid with no air gaps YAY!!! even if it is an ugly hole. (thank goodness for a friend that can make round hole trim rings for me.:glasses7:)
View attachment DSCF4257.jpg


now to take it All back apart and blast,clean,paint and re gasket it for final assembly after pressure testing the evaporator and heater core for leaks.
View attachment DSCF4256.jpg
whew then for the controller I've got one with 2 of the nipples broken off and they are not in the plug. gonna have to make some for the controls.
 
I have a 4 belt pulley if your going to neeed 1 and a complete 65 barracuda dash air box motor control with heater core if not going for original look a lot might interchange
but I'm sure theres a doner car out there somewhere can any 1 step up just an offer its the best I can do . wow gl with prodject any 1 with correct pics please pm him for e mails or sending correct pictures or parts if you have them thumbs up on the effort way over my head my airbox is outa 65 barracuda looks close if something breaks
 
I am about to undertake this in a 1966 valiant. I have all the under dash parts except the gas peddle. I was going to use more modern parts for under the hood.

The question I have: Did you need to move the electrical bulk head connector?

I was because I was told that this would need to be done to add room for the under dash box.

This was discussed here: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=248082
 
I am about to undertake this in a 1966 valiant. I have all the under dash parts except the gas peddle. I was going to use more modern parts for under the hood.

The question I have: Did you need to move the electrical bulk head connector?

I was because I was told that this would need to be done to add room for the under dash box.

This was discussed here: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=248082

I'm using a newer Sanden compressor and parallel flow condenser for the underhood stuff too.
move the bulkhead connector? nope or at least I didn't have to, even though it does overlap the box by 1/2 an inch or so. If you are using a 66 inside A/C box you should be safe. The 67-up ones are slightly bigger and might cause a problem with the connector. I still want/need a 66 v8 cable pedal for the 66 to convert over (original throttle rod location is directly behind the evaporator part of the housing and hits the gas pedal). I have a later model pedal but will have to modify it to work with the 66 A/C box I am using. I'll see if I can get a good picture of that area and post it here.
 
The under dash I will be using is a 66 unit in a 66 valiant convertible. I wonder how many came with A/C? I too plan on using a parallel condenser and a saden compressor. In a strange way, I kinda want to use the 66's goofy horizontal dryer. The older I get the less I want to drive my old cars if the don't have air conditioning. That's why I'm doing the conversion. I also have a 65 coronet convertible that I 'll be adding a factory a/c system too.
 
On factory air cars the bulkhead connector was horizontal rather than vertical so as to clear the AC box. The early A V8 gas pedal was used when the slant was equipped with factory air. I can take a pic of the firewall showing the horizontal cut-out for the bulkhead connector if needed.

sent from my iPhone
 
I still want/need a 66 v8 cable pedal for the 66 to convert over (original throttle rod location is directly behind the evaporator part of the housing and hits the gas pedal)

I have a pedal and plate (no cable though). The rubber at the heel of the pedal is torn but would still be functional. If interested PM me for pics.

sent from my iPhone
 
look for that drier if you would and I'll see about getting it redone. I don't have a good one to use for either car.
pm me with a price will ya thanks again.

Are you still looking for a factory horizontal drier?
 
Are you still looking for a factory horizontal drier?

Yeah I am but any purchases will have to wiat on me getting back into the florida area,, I'm stuck up in Michigan trying to fix my old house up so it'll sell for a reasonable amount (hopefully) I'll be here till mid august at the earliest. might have to stay till the "septembrrrrrrr" weather hits but don't want to do that. I like heat and this ain't it! dang wife just called (rubbing salt into the wounds since I caught a darn cold up here!)and said it was in the lower 90's $#%#%$ I got stuck with lower 60'S $@#%$%#^$%^$ so I hung up on her and went to CVS to get some more nyquill to chug down to help me get rid of this nasty cold!
 
Yeah I am but any purchases will have to wiat on me getting back into the florida area,

OK. I came across a decent looking one while inventorying my 65 Dart stuff. I'll hold on to it for you. It will have to be rebuilt by Classic Air down there in Tampa since it's been open to the atmosphere.
 
OK. I came across a decent looking one while inventorying my 65 Dart stuff. I'll hold on to it for you. It will have to be rebuilt by Classic Air down there in Tampa since it's been open to the atmosphere.


Cool let me know how much plus shipping in pm if you would . I'm about an hours drive from Tampa so I can drive down and talk to them. oh and if you know of another one floating around I'd appreciate it since I have to do the wife's car A/C'd too!
 
-
Back
Top