A/C Poll

[rr6pak]

I've posted this topic recently about A/C for my car. My car came with A/C but through the years, all of the components are gone.
Here is the poll/question for the Nest.....
Would you try to find an original compressor, etc, etc or go with a system from Bouchillon Performance? Bouchillon Performance ONLY deals with Mopars. Some of you might have heard of them but they have more stuff other than A/C components.
So, would you try to go for originality or as long as the car has A/C?

[71GTX]

To me, it depends on the look that you are going for...original, or modern....and of course, the price....

[Eric]

Depends on what you're going for with the rest of the car. If it's a factory correct resto, find original parts. If it's a cruiser go aftermarket.

[ct71rr]

I'm facing the same problem. All my a/c parts are gone. I'm going to go with a Bouchillon upgrade and Sanden compressor. My engine is not #'s matching to car so originality is not one of my concerns.

[Serious Satellite]

Somebody somewhere along the line stripped all the A/C components out of my Satellite Sebring--1974 !-- and I have to have air conditioning. I have M.S. and I'm debilitated during the summer months without it. Anything over 73 degrees and I have trouble walking.

So, forsaking originality, I have to go with the modern upgrade.

[mopar71]

You also have to consider if they make replacement refrigerant. Back in the day they used R-12,now they use R-134a. Its not a direct replacement.

[72Rdrnner]

I've posted this topic recently about A/C for my car. My car came with A/C but through the years, all of the components are gone.
Here is the poll/question for the Nest.....
Would you try to find an original compressor, etc, etc or go with a system from Bouchillon Performance? Bouchillon Performance ONLY deals with Mopars. Some of you might have heard of them but they have more stuff other than A/C components.
So, would you try to go for originality or as long as the car has A/C?

Here's what I did.

My car had all the original stuff. I was not restoring it to show as a authentic restoration, just to have a great car for cruising the Sonic.

So...

I packed away all the original stuff, including the air conditioning components.

Then I went to Classic Auto Air and got a Sanden compressor and attachment kit. I also had them make up the necessary hoses. Put a new condenser on and converted to R134. I went the R134 route as that lets me do all the service as unless you are a licensed a/c shop you just cannot get R12, at least not around here.

I did find out that they can also refurbish a stock system and make new hoses using the stock fittings. They also can (as they did for me) replace the desiccant in the dryer. They cut it open, put in a new bag, and weld it shut.

So it comes down to whether or not you want to do an authentic restoration and how much money you want to spend on parts and service.

FWIW I have found a lot of early Mopar compressors in junk yards. Don't know if they are date coded like wiper motors but there sure are a lot of them around. Also a lot of the other parts. Hardest thing to find is a year correct condenser.

Good luck on whichever way you go.

This is what it looks like with the Sanden compressor. The firewall fittings are the stock ones, the ones on the compressor and the one that hooks to the condenser inlet are different. The dryer and associated lines are stock too.

[mopar71]

Looks nice, did you have to buy dual belt pulleys or are they stock?

[72Rdrnner]

Looks nice, did you have to buy dual belt pulleys or are they stock?

The dual pulleys on the Sanden unit came with it. The mount that comes with the kit is really just a short 1/2 inch square piece of steel that has a hole for a bolt that goes into the block and a hole in the other end that bolts to the compressor. It aligns the unit with the stock crank and alternator pulleys. Belt tension is via the alternator just like a stock setup.



I replaced the stock condenser with a new one as one of the lines on the old unit was cracked. Was a lot easier to replace the unit that try and repair it. The solid line that used to run behind the battery was replaced with a hose and a 45 degree fitting that goes through the square hole in the radiator frame in front of the battery.

This picture shows how the new condenser is hooked up. That is the stock line across the top that attaches to the drier on the right fender well.



This one shows how nicely the stock suction line to the evaporator clears the Mopar Performance ignition unit. (actually made by MSD) Also shows how nicely the expansion valve fits under it. The valve is the stock one so it would have the capillary tubes to connect with the stock suction line to the evaporator. I made the ingniton unit mount out of a couple of pieces of aluminum stock. Just wasn't enough room on the firewall for the rubber mounts on the unit to fit.



This is the suction and pressure fittings, with their respective service ports, on the bacak of the compressor. Classic Auto Air makes all of these as a part of the kit. They are great to work with and made the fittings based on what I neede. i.e. a 180 degree pressure with the port on the top, and the 45 degree suction.

If you want to use a stock V twin compressor they can make lines that fit up to the stock connectors too.



I'm pleased with the way it installed, the way it looks and how it blows chunks of ice out when it's running. Nice to have down here in Louisiana when it's 100 degrees and 100 percent humidity!

[mopar71]

You did a very nice job,thanks for the pics

[72Rdrnner]

You did a very nice job,thanks for the pics

Thanks.

The people at Classic Auto Air helped a lot as they answered every question and responded to my requests for various modifications of the kit they sent me at no charge. Apparently it was the first 1972 440 conversion they had done and the kit they made was based on a different B body.

FWIW...here's a quirky little "gotcha" I discovered. I just jury rigged that little tab the throttle return spring attaches to, planning on making a nice permanent one out of aluminum. Problem is the bolt that holds it in place goes into the compressor. Soon as I started loosening it to put the new bracket on I hear this hiss of refrigerant! Gahhh....

Don't really want to go back and dump the charge, and then have to do a complete service just to change that dorky spring bracket!

I should have put the new one on before I did the initial service!

I didn't realize the bolt went into the compressor pressure cavity when I first put the bracket on as it wasn't charged at the time.

In the words of that pillar of intellect, and my hero, Homer Simpson....DOH!

[71GTX]

Sorry to hear of that, but I got a kick out of the HOMERisms....LMAO!

[mopar71]

Hope you didn't lose to much refrigerant. Good thing you didnt pull it out all the way.