After-market A/C for 83 Chevy 4x4...

johnhaymes@gmail.com wrote:


Probably cost you more than the truck is worth.

Hi!


Vintage Air, perhaps?
http://www.vintageair.com/

I've seen a lot of their systems installed in older cars...no idea if they
offer one suitable for your truck or not.

You might also try to find a truck that had air conditioning added. I have
seen a lot of late-70s Chevrolet trucks with aftermarket A/C added, although
I never got close enough to see who made the equipment.

Another thought would be to find a parts truck that had factory A/C and take
all the components from it for use on your truck. This isn't likely to be
easy, and will probably require that you have a factory service manual so
you can find and ID all the needed parts. Such a system will probably also
require significant repairs to work again.

All points considered, it may be a better idea to find the same kind of
truck with factory or aftermarket A/C already in place. Even if it needs
repair, that would surely be easier and much less expensive than adding a
whole system.

William

On Thu, 30 Aug 2007 15:29:50 -0000, johnhaymes@gmail.com wrote:


I'm sure there is.  However it is likely to cost over a $1000 for just
the parts and around that much in labor to have it installed.

How much do you care how it looks?  If you don't care much about looks
you could Kludge together an under dash unit from junkyard parts and a
few new pieces for not too much money if you did the work yourself.  I
had two mid-70s Chevy trucks back when that had professional
aftermarket units installed in them and neither of them cooled very
well.  IMHO, if you want AC you should get a vehicle with factory AC.

Ashton Crusher wrote:


And the R-12?

wrote:


Buy Freeze-12 on Ebay or for $20 take the EPA test and then go buy
r-12 anywhere fine freons are sold.

Ashton Crusher wrote:

You make it sound so easy. Do you have any
idea how long it has been since they stopped
manufacturing R-12?

wrote:


Maybe a decade?  Regardless, do you have any idea of how much is still
available for sale and that the price has been dropping.  Go do a
search on eBay for "R-12".  There are dozens of ads with it for sale
as well as the Freeze-12.  

item 320152749056  is a case of 12 cans of R12 and price right now is
just over $100 for the case.
 
 

Ashton Crusher wrote:


End of manufacture 1995.

I know you think that $100 for 12 cans is a good
deal. I don't. The point of the discussion was
"doing it on the cheap."

I recall thinking $3 a can was high when 30 lbs
was around $30. I still have a 30 pounder with
about 28 pounds of virgin R-12 in it. If I sold
it I could also get rid of my R-12 freezers (the
only reason I'm keeping the stuff) and replace
them with a single higher efficiency unit.

I think I will.

And oh yes, BTW, I took the course. I passed the
test, I have the refrigeration license.

wrote:


Not sure what your problem is but you seem determined to look for
something to criticize in this thread and are grasping at straws now.
*You* said I made it sound so easy to use r12 and droned on about how
it had not been manufactured in years implying the guy would have a
very hard time even getting the stuff.  I pointed out to you that it's
available in quantity and reasonably priced on ebay.  So now you are
trying a different line about how you don't think it's reasonably
priced.  No one is asking you to buy it and besides...

Just how many cans do you think it will take to charge his system?  If
it's like most systems it will take around 2 cans which will wind up
costing him perhaps $20 - $30 tops.  Clearly that will still fall in
the "doing it on the cheap" range.  If he used the absolutely cheapest
available refrigerant what do you think he's going to save, maybe
$15????  



That's terrific.  Now if only you knew what you were talking
about.....

Ashton Crusher wrote:


Not reasonably priced.


It isn't. And this all feeds back into my original contention
days ago that he's apt to spend more on adding a/c to this
83 Chevy than the truck is worth.

No one is asking you to buy it and besides...

Oh dear, did anyone ask you to? Since you seem to think
R-12 is so reasonably prices, are you willing to donate
what he needs to this project?


So is he going to vacuum the system, or purge it?
Where's that vacuum pump coming from? What's he paying
for R-12 refrigeration oil? What's he going to use for
washing out the old rancid oil that's likely to be in
any used system that's been sitting around open to
the atmosphere for a couple of decades? That's the
first stage. Old used systems all fail in just a few
ways, so it is likely any 1983 compressor will have
to be torn down and rebuilt. Eventually they all leak
at the shaft seal. Hoses develop leaks as well. The
condenser coil picks up salt (in most of the US) and
develops holes.

You make it sound so easy.


Usually someone who doesn't understand the problem(s), solutions
are always easy, as it is in this case.


So you're the "expert" here? Good to know. The question
that remains is, of course, how many systems have
you actually built? It sounds as though you're like
most folks who have maybe dumped a can into an already
built and already dry system now and then. I've built
them from components for decades, so hell yes, I do
know what I'm talking about, for automotive and
commercial systems.

Nice of you to make it sound so easy. Come back to
discuss this after you actually have some real
experiences.

Acquiring old parts that fit his truck is not
a particularly good idea for the reasons I pointed
out. Retrofit units generally (as other have mentioned)
don't cool very well.

My recommendation is that he trade up to a truck that
has a functioning a/c (if that's actually important to
him) or forget about it. For the above average good
mechanic an engine overhaul is less trouble than
installing an a/c system on a truck where there
isn't one, no matter how easy *you* make it sound.

wrote:


blah blah blah.   You are still trying to make a case that if he pays
an extra $20 for freon it's the end of the world.  As to what I've
done AC wise, first project was to put a used AC system in a 60
falcon.  Second was to put a used system in a 1953 Chevy pickup. Third
was to replace part of an aftermarket system in a 76 blazer with a
different aftermarket AND add a rear evap and blower to it AND change
out the York compressor to a GM A-6 picked up from the junkyard. Most
recent was to get the system in my 64 T-bird up and running with a
USED York and Freeze 12 and a junkyard condenser from a mid 90's
escort.

Ashton Crusher wrote:

wrote:


Thanks.  Always a pleasure chatting.

 

When and where did the OP mention price, cost, etc?
 

What does -your- perceived worth of this truck have to do with
the OPs original question?
Fuck, replacing an evaporator in anything over 4 years old in
most cases exceeds the "worth" of the vehicle, yet, people do it
every day.
 

 

One would hope so.
BTW, to how many microns do you evacuate to and how do you
measure for deep vacuum?


Any of a number of manufacturers, unless of course, you've bought
everything up and there are no more to be had.


Is mineral oil unavailable, excessively expensive?


Where was it decided that used parts were the only option?


OEM new from NAPA $233.00


OP didn't ask about "easy."
 

 

Then why not answer the OPs question Mr. Ex-spurt?
 

Properly done, a retrofit would cool as well or better.
Your lack of success is more than understandable.
 

Not what the OP asked.


At the Chevy dealership, it was considered a gravy job.
At the Ford dealership, it was considered a gravy job.

Well, at least you live up to your name...