AC Swap

[shoudabinacowboy]

I've got an '86 pickup with AC and a '78 pickup without AC. I want to put the AC into the '78. Is there a way to mount the condenser in front of the radiator on a truck that never had AC?

I would like to keep the front clip from the '78. Do I need to find an early front clip that had AC? Thanks for the help.

 

[shoudabinacowboy]

TTT. Anyone done this? Thanks.

 

[shoudabinacowboy]

TTT!

 

[80' 427]

I haven't done it so I am just shooting from the hip. Nearly everything made by chevy was semi universal. What I mean by this is, maybe it was a auto transmission but the dimples for the clutch pedal bolt holes are there but need to be drilled. So I am guessing that if you use a 77-80 condenser and a/c parts it should all fit fine. I am going to do this on my 79 tonner when it goes to a crew so I will be able to tell you better then. Now to highjack anyone ever tried to a/c a c60?

 

[Big Ray]

I'm sure it's been done. Just be ready to improvise to make it work...go for it

 

[vortec]

good responses on here. sure you can do it and yes it may take improvising. that may be for the best anyway. the stock mounting is just not adequate for offroad, imo. i have the condenser out right now (just patched it up) and i remounted the radiator and trans cooler differently from stock so they are more protected and more secure now. the condenser will get similar remounting.

installing the evaporator shouldn't be too hard either. iirc the non-ac trucks pretty much had the spot available.

 

[xCaliK5x]

Even if there is no mount for it from the factory, there is plenty of room. the truck came with A/C an option. I highly doubt GM would make two seperate core supports for A/C-Non A/C trucks.

What you DO need to find out, is hit the parts catalog and see if all the parts are the same between 78-86 and thus interchangeable. I just did a condenser in my 87 and it was cake, undid the rad. mounting brackets, pulled off the grill, pushed back the radiator and pulled it right out. (don't forget the weird ziptie things for the trans cooler if you got one). The evaporator will not be so fun I don't think. I haven't done one in our trucks, but have in Porsche's, VW's, Audi's, BMW's and they are not fun.

 

[shoudabinacowboy]

Yea I guess I will have to tear into them and see what's up. Thanks for the input guys.

 

[Mike D]

An easier route may be to scour a junk yard for a pre 1987 Chey pick-up or suburban. many of the vehicles had aftermarket AC. The evaporator is mounted above the heater box and behind the glove box. they usually mount the controls ( 2 round switches ) between the ashtray and glove box. They are independant of your regular heating system and very easy to wire up ( usually 3 wires ).
If you are serious about adding AC you need a compressor designed to handle R134A. R12 is long gone. Don't forget the crank pully for the AC compressor. Good luck.