Ok, maybe this is a little...
Ok, maybe this is a little too cold, but a working A/C is worth its weight in gold on those humid summer days.
It's summer, and you've just climbed into the driver seat of your Mopar. You back out of the driveway and start what you think will be a nice, enjoyable drive. But now you're sitting at your third very long stoplight, and the enjoyable drive is not so enjoyable in the 100-degree heat and 90-precent humidity. But it could be enjoyable if your ride had air conditioning. We hear you guys in the back row whispering, "Yeah, but my car never had A/C, so I guess I'm outta luck." Guess what, you're in luck.
What if your car never came with A/C? There aren't any factory A/C components left in the salvage yards, and if there were, would it be rebuildable? After a couple years and several thousand miles in the Valiant without air conditioning, we decided it was time, but we thought the same thing, and then found Classic Auto Air in Tampa, Florida.
Completed, the underhood parts...
Completed, the underhood parts are a clean installation that looks right at home.
Classic Auto Air has designed what they call their Perfect Fit Series system--a one-piece, in-dash, heat/cool/defrost total climate-control system that replaces the old heater box. What's more, the factory heater controls work the system. There's no need to find factory A/C controls, or modify your dash to use an aftermarket controller. Each kit is designed specifically for each year, make, and model of car. Another feature is the separate heat and A/C coils. Some competitors' kits use one coil for both the A/C and heat, but when part of the cooling coil is used as a heater, the heater tubes could possibly freeze and burst. having the A/C and heat coils as two separate units eliminates that problem.
Under the hood, a Sanden compressor is used instead of the old V-twin RV-2 design. This is not only more efficient, but looks a lot cleaner under the hood. Reproduction condensers are installed in factory provided locations and make installation a breeze.
Earlier we mentioned finding a rebuildable system from the salvage yard. There are systems out there, but when you factor in the inefficient 30-year-old design, the cost of finding, rebuilding, and installing such a system may cost more than it's worth. The kit from Classic Auto Air has all-new components with easy-to-follow directions. To us, the choice is obvious.
Completed, the underdash unit...
Completed, the underdash unit is a clean installation that looks right at home.
So, we've told you all the good features about the kit, but how does it fit? That's what we're going to show you.
Working Its Best
In order for an A/C system to work efficiently for a long time, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
The condenser must have a sufficient airflow through it for the heat exchange process to take place. If your car does not have a fan shroud to force the air to come through the radiator, or your fan cannot pull enough air through the radiator and condenser, your cooling inside the car will not be as good as possible.
If you're not using your A/C for an extended period of time, it is a good idea to run the A/C for a short period of time to keep the seals and other compressor components lubed by the compressor oil.
Starting under the dash, you...
Starting under the dash, you need to remove the original heater box. To get the heater box out, remove the bolts around the blower motor under the hood, and then unhook the hanger rod that attaches at the bottom of the vent opening and hooks at the top of the box. When you get it lowered down, unhook the cables and wiring.
Although your factory heater...
Although your factory heater controls are used, you will need to incorporate the Classic Auto Air-supplied blower-motor switch. Simply remove the original switch, and, using the supplied bracket, install the new switch to the unit.
The kit is complete with new...
The kit is complete with new adjustable control cables for the heat/air/defrost functions. Following the instructions...
...you need to attach the...
...you need to attach the new control cables to the controller. This will require cutting the two factory control cable pins and attaching the supplied bracket.
Before you install the unit...
Before you install the unit under the dash, you will need to cut away a small portion of the firewall insulation. you also need to cover the factory fresh-air opening under the dash using the supplied cover.
We removed the fresh air box...
We removed the fresh air box on the driver side, which necessitated getting a second plate.
To install the underdash unit,...
To install the underdash unit, begin by sliding it up under the dash, place the hose connection through the factory blower motor opening, and fasten it to the firewall with the two supplied 3/8-inch bolts.
After it's bolted into place,...
After it's bolted into place, go inside the car and attach the unit to the cowl. This requires drilling an 1/8-inch hole in the interior wall of the cowl and hanging the unit with the supplied bracket. NOTE: It's easier to connect the control cables to the box before hanging it in place.
Classic Auto Air also supplies...
Classic Auto Air also supplies this cover plate for under the hood. Attach it with the four screws.
Under the dash, the wiring...
Under the dash, the wiring is simple.
Just plug in the connecto...
Just plug in the connectors.
The ducting requires a supplied...
The ducting requires a supplied adaptor to size the hose to connect the unit.
The standard A/C outlets mount...
The standard A/C outlets mount under the dash and do not look intrusive to the interior.
Classic Auto Air supplies...
Classic Auto Air supplies a new smaller glovebox liner to clear the in-dash assembly. In our case, the factory-style liner could still be installed.
Under the hood, first mount...
Under the hood, first mount the compressor bracket. The bracket attaches to the upper water-pump bolts and intake. With the use of the supplied spacers, the stock alternator location is retained. The compressor bracket to the intake bracket is bolted together by the belt tensioner. (right of image)
The Sanden compressor is mounted...
The Sanden compressor is mounted to the bracket by its mounting tabs, and one bolt and bracket bolts to the cylinder head. There are actually four mounting points, but the final mounting point on top of the compressor could not be used because we used an aftermarket intake. We called Classic Auto Air, and they assured us that everything would be fine with the three mounting points we used. If you are using a stock intake, the fourth bracket/mounting point can be used.
Classic Auto Air even supplies...
Classic Auto Air even supplies the needed accessory belt to run the compressor. Did we mention you would need a pulley on the crankshaft to run the compressor? Well, that's supplied in the kit, as well.
Before you install the condenser,...
Before you install the condenser, you need to attach the mounting tabs. The tabs are attached by using the supplied screws.
Next, loosen the radiator...
Next, loosen the radiator (or remove) and slide the condenser into place. The condenser is attached to the core support using 1/4-inch bolts.
Next, run the heater hoses...
Next, run the heater hoses and A/C line from the compressor to the firewall. The return line from the heater core gets a control valve installed. The return line is typically the line coming from the water pump to the firewall.
You need to run the condenser...
You need to run the condenser lines through the core support. No drilling is required, as factory installed holes are used.
The supplied filter/dryer...
The supplied filter/dryer is attached to the hard condenser line, and then mounted to the inner fender. The filter/dryer is a Mopar part, which makes eventual replacement easy if needed.
Connect the other compressor/condenser...
Connect the other compressor/condenser hose into the system.
Now connect the last hose...
Now connect the last hose to the dryer/ firewall connection. remember, each connection requires a supplied O-ring...
...and each O-ring must be...
...and each O-ring must be oiled with the supplied oil before making any connection.
To protect the system from...
To protect the system from over-pressurizing, a safety switch is installed in the system. The switch is wired in sequence from the compressor to the switch inside.
You will need to drill a hole...
You will need to drill a hole in the firewall for the unit's drain hose. Be sure to check on the engine side of the firewall before drilling.