Restore factory ac or go aftermarket

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I would use the existing factory dash box. You can likely get a replacement motor since I got a spare for my 64 & 65 on rockauto for just $17. Otherwise, retrofit another motor or open yours and replace the brushes or bearings.

I would put a new Sanden compressor under the hood. You can get brackets for all engines. If a slant, many Aspen/Volare came w/ a Sanden (I have brackets via PickNPull). Use a newer parallel-flow condenser (more efficient, $50 ebay). Don't fret hoses. You can buy hose stock and O-ring fittings on ebay. I bought a ferrule crimper, but Oeticker stepless clamps are cheap and look professional, and just need a "nail puller" to crimp. Other options are Breeze screw clamps (smooth) or even the old ugly "locating finger" screw clamps they used on my 65 Newport (dealer or after-m) and they never leaked.
 
Piecing it together is definitely and option. I don't know what compressor I should be trying to find though. Also, what receiver/drier has anyone used. I would guess almost anything from a similar sized vehicle that was running R134A would work.
 
As far as the original evaporator goes on a/c systems oil from compressor circulates with the refrigerant so inside should be better than the outside. They make fairly cheap flush kits. If you have original hoses or even without you can always rig something for a pressure test which is something I would do first. I would replace under hood that old compressor is a tank and shaft seals are better made these days. Unsure of metering device in that year but everything has to match for it to work properly.
 
If any of you guys that posted up about pieced together under hood setups can give me some direction on where to get parts and what part numbers that would be great. I looked at boucillion's a/c bracket, but it seems to use a 'short' sanden compressor that isn't as readily available as others, I would like to keep it with wear components I can get from anywhere if need be.

Dug into the car a little bit this weekend. Looks like the evaporator and everything under the dash looks good. The linkages are all there, flaps moved by hand, etc. I did find a 3 position switch under the dash, looks like a off-low-high fan switch, but the factory switch with the weird wheel is still in the dash, so i don't know. The blower motor is half unbolted and another one in the trunk so I guess it needs attention, but the speaker wire and packaging tape accessory wiring and burnt up fuse panel took up most of my time this weekend, but now I have a new fuse panel and good wires to power the a/c!
 
My 72 had all the components intact. I Used Red-Tek recharge kit, some hbnr O-rings from HF. New condenser (I cracked it) and dryer. And I have 40 degree air. FIY for those doing this...a Dakota parallel condenser is almost the same size and either change the connectors or hoses.
 
Hmm, if the Dakota condenser is close, I wonder if the other components in the system would work then too. I guess swapping over to a magnum motor or front drive would make it real easy, but that's more work.
 
lunacy said:
... I looked at boucillion's a/c bracket, but it seems to use a 'short' sanden compressor that isn't as readily available as others ...
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At any car show, you will see almost all resto-mod cars use Sanden compressors. Many Chevy guys use several shiny chrome turn-buckle pivot mounts. You might adapt to any engine similarly. But, the Bouchillon (and others) brackets are easier. Sanden's do come in different lengths, I recall an SD7H12, H13, H14, & H15. I think the H15 is most common, and the H13 is what rodders call the "shorty". These are the later 7-bolt type. The earlier ones were 5-bolt, w/ PN like "508". Don't get hung up if labeled for R-12 or R-134A since you can drain whatever oil is in it. I use PAO 68 oil since it works with all refrigerants and mixes with all oils. You can also change the rear heads to get whatever fittings you want (~$20 ebay). Most rodders use #6 & #8 O-ring fittings. If worried about a spare compressor, buy 2. I have bought new Sandens for $50 on ebay, in the Fall & Winter, but you missed that this year.

Re controls, might be easiest to use the factory under-hood expansion valve, though you could fit a modern block type. Also, add a low/high pressure switch. You simply wire it in the compressor clutch circuit. You can also install a little PRV on some Sanden heads for emergency vent (>290 psig?), but perhaps illegal for R-134A. BTW, note that the later will soon be discontinued. I use Duracool, but that excites many people.
 
I went back through this thread and I know you're working on a 72 Dart but it would be helpful to know what engine. Is the original A/C system crankshaft pulley still in place?

Do pay some attention to which refrigerant a compressor is labeled for use with. In the case of the Sandens, the seal materials were different between the older R-12 units and newer R-134A units. You might risk early seal failures with R-134A in an older R-12 compressor.

If you are not familiar with automotive A/C systems you may want to do some studying up and research. That will give you a better idea of what you need to do.

You will need a new receiver/drier unit, old used ones are virtually useless. You will also need a thermal expansion valve, either a universal type or the original type if you find some original hoses to make use of the sensor probe wells for the expansion valve.
 
Its a 318 v8 with weiand aluminum intake, not sure if that's going to screw with my compressor mounting as it looks like the heater hose sticks up right where the compressor would go. I need to take some pics anyway and will post them up this evening.

Not sure if the crank pulley is there. I have been spending more time under the dash than under the hood on this one, but I will take a look.

Pete in NH said:
I went back through this thread and I know you're working on a 72 Dart but it would be helpful to know what engine. Is the original A/C system crankshaft pulley still in place?
Click to expand...
 
Hello, see my post on July 4, 2013 where I installed the Classic Air engine side kit on my 74 Dart Sport. I thought my original evaporator was leak free but wound up later replacing it due to leaks.
 
Took a few pictures under the hood yesterday, not sure if I'm missing any pulleys or not.

72-dart-engine1.jpg


72-dart-pulleys1.jpg


72-dart-pulleys2.jpg


Then just one because its a pretty car.
72-dart-driver.jpg
 
Hi,

Nice looking car. It looks like you still have the original A/C crank pulley on there. On a 72 318, the compressor and alternator shared the same two drive belts with the alternator acting as the idler/ tension adjustment. The trick with any aftermarket A/C system or non-original compressor you might choose will be to get compressor brackets that will allow the compressor to line up with the original pulley belt slots.
 
I would go original, but that's me...

And I have a stash of R-12 to keep it ALL ORIGINAL, including the freon....
 
I have dug into it a little bit more. Its looking like the dash controls aren't operating. The fan switch isn't turning on the fan and the push buttons don't affect the dampers or anything. Not sure if they will without the a/c compressor hooked up, but I figured they would still work. I am thinking of just running a complete aftermarket system with electronic controls and just get rid of the vacuum lines and redo all the electrical since I have found some re ran and burn circuits under the dash that need to be fixed.

Right now, I'm going to just roll the windows down and see how much of the summer heat I can take. I have decided either swapping in an overdrive or taller rear gears is a higher priority for this daily driver.
 
Correct. The controls don't know if the AC compressor is there. They just send out 12 V to actuate the compressor clutch, but don't know if there is any current draw.

You can get replacement push-button switches (~$90 ebay). I would keep all the vacuum controls. You should have a hot-water valve in the underhood heater tubing. You can buy replacements, or even work in a cheaper newer design. Factory was a push-pull setup (2 vac hoses), though you might use a spring-return style (1 vac hose).

I wired a relay for the "blower high" position in all my 1960's A's. Otherwise, the push-button and L-M-H switches tend to melt eventually.

Re tranny, there was a later model (999?) that replaced the 904, with taller final gears plus lock-up torque converter (check AllPar site). For your 318, I think you can bolt up an overdrive tranny for a V-8 Magnum engine. People who did so had to rework the floor tunnel. Might be better to swap engine and tranny to get the MPFI.
 
I figured out why non of the vacuum actuators were working. None of the vacuum lines were hooked up. It looks like I have two lines coming out of the firewall. Where do they go? One to the heater valve and the other to the carb? I've never had an old car where I tried to get the vents working.

72-dart-vac.jpg
 
Looks like I am missing the accumulator, guess I need to find one of those, but just about any one should do.
 
I bought a new one from NAPA that was compatible with R-134A for my 69 Dart. Looked original.
 
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