AC removal, but keeping heat

[78Suburban]

I'm thinking keeping my stock AC unit is gonna add a good bit up hassle to my upcoming motor swap project... I kinda don't really want an AC, but I do want heat and defrosting capabilities. Is it possible to remove the compressor and a few other parts, but keep my factory heat, without swapping in parts from a non AC truck?
thanks,
James

 

[pauly383]

You can run the heat without the compressor there . Isn't your a/c working though ? You don't need to remove it to replace a motor , just move it a little out of the way , and bolt it to the next motor . Don't you guys have humid summers there ?

 

[Robert D]

I'd keep it, you'll prolly regret removing it if it is currently working (sure the winter chill is nice, but summer will suck!). I just found the compressor on my truck still works (bought the truck a month ago and was told the A/C was shot). Now it needs hoses/dryer/coolant and I should have A/C again. Cannot wait to drive in the summer with the windows up for a change!!! Too many years of the black leather with no A/C in my Porsche, oh it hurts.

 

[dyeager535]

Don't know how much it would be necessary in Georgia, but defrost works much better with AC. If it works, I'd try my best to keep it until it doesn't. When it fails, that's the time to pull it IMO.

 

[jays68yak]

Im in the same boat. Dont need ac in a trail only truck, but heat would be nice. I just want to remove the big black box thats under the hood but keep the function of the heater.

 

[TrcksR4ME]

Now don't make fun of my handywork...

But I fabbed a piece to do the job that the big A/C box did so I would still have functional heat but not the huge box in the engine compartment.

I basically cut the big part off, keeping the end where the blower mounts. Took a while to fit and shape the metal so the two pieces fit together well. I used some foam camper sealer to seal it up, and then coated it pretty good with some rubberized undercoating.

However, I was at pull-a-part and noticed that the 1 st gen S-trucks have a heater box that looks like it would do the same job as what I made but is one piece plastic/fiberglass-whatever they are made out of.
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'77 K5, Warn M8000, 402TBI/350/205, 44 (spool'd and chromo'd)/14bff (lincoln locked), 4"/36" Irok's

 

[DieselDan]

Hey, that looks kinda familiar: