The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 51 GMC aftermarket air conditioner

Does anybody know what is involved in installing one of those air conditioner kits that pretty much every parts supplier sells for about $900 to $1000? I am using the original straight 6 228 and it is a 6v system. I think I would get the hidden speaker grille air conditioning system because I don't like the look of the underdash unit, but if I get the speaker grille option, wouldn't that interfere with the bulky radio in the same location? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

I've been looking into the same setup for my 51 chevy. I talked to Old Air Products about their system, and they said it's made for the home mechanic to install, so it shouldn't be too hard.
I'm not sure that it will adapt to 6 volt, I have a 12 volt system so I didn't ask about that.
The speaker grill option I think is made for trucks without a factory radio, there isn't room for both.

I think you will have problems finding or makeing brackets to fit a compressor to that engine.

So basically, there is no easy way to put an air conditioner in the "original" setup? I guess I will probably just put the original heater in and save the $1000 then. Is it real hard to find heater cores or is there any place that restores them?

I have an old 235 setup but it's for the old York compressor, if it was for the Sanden I would have used it by now. I'll look at it but if I remember correctly it fastens to two front headbolts on the left side that have a 7/16 or 1/2" stud sticking up from the hex head. You used a deep socket to tighten the headbolt and then the compressor mount base fit down over these studs and was held by a nut and lock washer. There is a diagonal brace from the outside of the base back down to the generator bracket or somewhere near there. I think it would not be a difficult job to make a bracket that mounted similarly but supported a modern compressor. Remembering about it I think it also has an idler arm and pulley on the base bracket for belt adjustment. Someone might have this setup, called a Mark 1V, but you would have a better chance of finding about it on a chevy car site that covers 62 and older. This one came off a 61 that had an add on air unit which was quite popular back then. If interested I'll try to dig it up and take a pic.

Any of these setups would be 12v though, wouldn't they? I have no intention of converting to 12 volt.

I have Classic Auto Air in my 59... but it was a toss up with Old Air, as to which one I would use.

I chose Classic because there was a store near me that could service and install it for me.
I found that both were good products and less expensive than Vintage Air.

P.S. my A/C works great. "I really love it"

Cliff59

I too have classic auto air in my 52. I have no complaints about the quality of their product. The only complaint I have has to do with their customer service because when they sent me the a/c kit they neglected to send me any a/c vents. I called 3 times over a period of a month and each time they smarted off at me and said they would send them right out. Well, that was over six months ago and I have yet to receive any vents. Next time I am going to go with Vintage Air.

You will need 12 volts for the compressor clutch, and also the blower motor. There is a chance you can get some sort of electrical thingy to convert from 6 to 12, I think they make them to run newer radios, but not sure if they are powerful enough for AC.

I have not installed or bought the system for my 48, but the research I have done leads me toward the Classic Auto Air Street Rod Cooler II unit. I think, after a phone conversation with them, that it is better unit than the one they sell as a "perfect fit" kit for my truck.
I think I can do a neater job of installing the street rod unit than the other one in the kit.