The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk aftermarket air conditioning - new installs or replacements - add your link!

Ok, so I have a few links here:

http://woogeroo.home.mindspring.com/autolinks/ac.html

but I'm pretty sure there are a few more companies out there that do this sort of thing also.

So... if you have any links about air conditioning, add 'em here and we'll get them into the links page here at the bolt.

-W

Thats some good information, Thanks Woog

come on folks... I coulda swore I read some psots somewhere that mention a few other outfits/makers...
but as many forums as I read, who knows...

hah.

-W

woog, what i'm pretty sure you will find is there are but a few actual manufacturers of aftermarket a/c, especially older vehicle a/c.
lot's sell the stuff, and even repackage with their comapny name. some buy, and modify to suit whatever need they seem fit to deal with.
i've installed auto, truck, r.v., custom vehicles, boat, and emergency vehicle systems since about 1975, and still operate a small business part time doing that.

koolkar is for koolkar auto air. i don't own a "car" per sey, and haven't for years.

i began to notice years ago, the same part numbers on parts from different suppliers, and so-called "manufacturers". some so-called "factory", o.e.m. a/c units were not supplied by the automakers, but rather were installed by the thousands in job shops all across the country. i can't remember how many of those things i have installed back in the 70's.
i don't know if a.r.a. is still around, but they made several different models of a/c units, including a pretty sweet in dash unit for 60's-70's trucks of all different sizes. red dot made units for larger vehicles, including some construction equipment, and yeah, i've installed rooftop units on those, as well as on mack trucks for a dealer.
best for folks to shop around, and sometimes a person can put together a system for a bunch less than a "kit". many, but not all of the kits i've seen feature a universal condensor, and a sort of universal evaporator packaged in differing interior mounting setups. i have ordered different inside units and then orderd the universal evaporator. the difference is worth it most of the time, but there are some exceptions.

shop around. one thing you probably won't find is the company that actually makes the product. they won't jepordize their business relationship with a company that buys hundreds of units for a hobby type guy who wants just one. remember if you want to hide the lines/wires, the kits often won't accomodate this. that's when it is even more important to buy individual parts. i did a very expensive custom car for an owner who insisted as much as possible not be exposed. the lines and wires ran in a line with the block, then along the frame, and into the inside of the car up the door support and under the dash and into the evaporator, which was mounted behind the dash. he got his wish, and although alot of what went into the job was factory components, they were from different sources.

sorry this is such a long post, and thanks woog for putting up the thread.

it has been awhile since i have offered advise on this website, but i am again.

understand that even if you buy a kit, there is a good chance you will run into difficulty if you have never installed/serviced an automotive a/c system, and, without proper care, you can be seriously injured (blind, frostbit for example, blown up using bootleg r-12 replacements containing propane/butane--and there are some out there). the job REQUIRES some special tools, and knowledge. knowledge i will gladly share, if i know.

Dang KoolKar...

...where were you when I was getting an A/C unit for my 59?

..I have had nothing but cold air from my unit. I also know that a non insulated metal cab is harder to cool off than one of todays models, so I am happy with my A/C and if it ever gives me any trouble...I kept the original heater

Cliff(rides in A/C comfort)59

kool - thanks for the input.

-W

cliff. i wuz here. since may of 01.

glad yer happy!

okie folks... any more 'cool' links?

har har har.

-W

a guy shows up at the hillbilly garage with a 54 gmc farm truck, 2 ton, plenty sharp, with a 302 in it. and a box of junk he bought at swap meets, flea markets, whatever. he has a NEW crank pulley, and the alternator (yep, 12 v. neg. ground) has a 2 belt pulley on it, along with a NEW water pump 2 belt pulley. those pulleys i have never seen before. the guy tells me they were bought at a swap meet a few months ago, and the seller promised the pulleys would fit the 302. went on like factory. i had to fab up (modify) a bracket that fit a sanden compressor, that had good lines on it, and (thank God) standard fittings. new drier, and an old r-12 underdash unit from who knows what, but plenty big evaporator. i suspect the underdash unit was made for a bigger car. lot's of crawling around, but got everything to fit, and the entire install was pretty slick when done. i did consider using r- 134, but after talking it over with the owner we decided on r-406a. air temp out of the vents was 39 degrees. that's cold enough to stiffen the nipples to the point you could cut glass with 'em. for a totally uninsulated cab, and on a near 90 degree day, the cab was like being in a walk in cooler. condensation on the side glass.

this old truck still works., and has been modernized over the years. the 302 has been reworked, and is a pretty strong horse. when the compressor kicks in, the engine doen't even seem to feel it. oh yeah, i don't have a clue what the used evaporator came off of, but i think it's for a 134 system judging by the tube size.
total cost the owner has in the system, not including my labor, supplies, etc.? 80 bucks.

time on the install? about 6 hours total, staying right with it with only a couple of pepsi breaks.

the point? with some knowledge and looking around, you can do about anything you set your mind to. anything.

sure wish i knew who made those pulleys!

A WORD OF WARNING WHEN SCROUNGING OR SHOPPING SWAP MEETS. ASK WHAT THE FITTINGS/ UNIT CAME OFF OF. SOME JAP STUFF HAVE METRIC FITTINGS AND THOSE FITTINGS ARE SOMTIMES DIFFICULT TO FIND. USUALLY HAVE TO BE ORDERED, SO PREPARE TO SPEND AN EXTRA DAY OR TWO WAITING FOR PARTS!

i do recommend the sanden compressor to anything american. compact size and more reliable (hate to say it, but i think true.). later model g.m. rotarys have a little problem with o- ring failure on the main housing, and cryslers have a maniflod setup on the top of the compressor and (stupid idea) steel lines. ford rotary seems to hold up pretty well long term, but with a pretty good size pulley, clutch setup. old g.m. rotary? forget it.

Woogeroo, check this one out and see if it is worthly of being added to the list. Hot Rod Air

Koolcar, have you ever seen the under mount condenser with built in fan? I've been thinking of one these to put under the bed of my truck. It sits pretty high, close to factory height, and has plenty of clearance on one side. It would be away from the exhaust. Joe