Gen 1 Air Conditioning

[KS K5]

I am on the downhill run on a frame-off restoration of my '72 Blazer and am now at the point of trying to decide what to do with the air conditioning. It has the original factory air and still had R12 in it when I began this journey last year. Is it even still possible to get R12 anywhere (with the appropriate certification, I know)? AFAIK, all of the components are usable, although unsure of the compressor. I do plan to have the condenser and evaporator flushed and checked out (I assume this would be similar to a radiator?). I'd like to keep the factory look as just about everything else will be original (or at least look it).

I've seen a few older posts but nothing recent, hence the new thread. TIA!

 

[Wes Harden]

You might find some r12 in old timers garages. But is illegal to sell in USA. Iirc it is still available in Mexico, but you need to charge the truck in Mexico and drive back.
Convert to 134, use a new condenser.
Flushed original evap is good to go.
Get a new receiver dryer either way.
I have r12 in my 77 ac system gets nice and cold. Trick is in the finding.

 

[KS K5]

Thanks, Wes. After my post, I was actually able to locally source some R12...at over $100/lb! I do have contacts in a Texas border town that are looking into sources in Mexico (my avatar is my mother driving the Blazer into Mexico across the Rio Grande back before my time). But the cost to get it from Mexico to Kansas (either getting it and returning, or driving an a/c-less Blazer to Mexico in the summer), I might as well convert. I'm leaning that direction but wanted to make sure before I spend that $$.

 

[AJs72K5]

AC in a 1st gen means driving faster with the top off. Assuming you can actually drive it. Mine sits in the garage on jack stands all the time.

 

[TuckerK5]

Softopper. The end!

 

[ashman]

AC in a 1st gen means driving faster with the top off. Assuming you can actually drive it. Mine sits in the garage on jack stands all the time.

Softopper. The end!

For the last 20 years I'd have agreed with you guys, but honestly, I'm getting sick of being either too hot or too cold all the time. I'm seriously considering leaving my hard top on and getting good A/C myself.

Maybe I'm just getting old...

 

[AJs72K5]

For the last 20 years I'd have agreed with you guys, but honestly, I'm getting sick of being either too hot or too cold all the time. I'm seriously considering leaving my hard top on and getting good A/C myself.

I'll be honest, I've kicked around selling the K5 for a K10 (and transferring all my parts over) more than once for this reason. The kids told me no.

 

[ashman]

I'll be honest, I've kicked around selling the K5 for a K10 (and transferring all my parts over) more than once for this reason. The kids told me no.

Yup. Every time I'm sitting in Moab sweating my ass off while someone else is sitting pretty in A/C I kick myself for not getting into trucks instead of blazers.

I get the same vote from my kids as well though...

 

[TuckerK5]

I was just messing around. I’d put the hard top and go for great AC too if I was tired of getting hot and cold.
I'm just content with the open air and driving it when I want to.
Even when my sides are rolled up I can roll up the windows and turn on the AC and it improves the comfort level enough for me right now.

 

[6872xtc]

I have used Redtek R12A before, and found out about it from a friend who used it. There are some who believe that it's dangerous because of the flammability is higher than mainstream refrigerants, but they are flammable as well, so I am not concerned. You can look it up and decide for yourself. But I can tell you that it works. I don't have long term experience with it, nor have a put it in an original '72 system yet. I converted my '70 K10 to orifice tube evaporator.

 

[ramack]

I am on the downhill run on a frame-off restoration of my '72 Blazer and am now at the point of trying to decide what to do with the air conditioning. It has the original factory air and still had R12 in it when I began this journey last year. Is it even still possible to get R12 anywhere (with the appropriate certification, I know)? AFAIK, all of the components are usable, although unsure of the compressor. I do plan to have the condenser and evaporator flushed and checked out (I assume this would be similar to a radiator?). I'd like to keep the factory look as just about everything else will be original (or at least look it).

I've seen a few older posts but nothing recent, hence the new thread. TIA!

When we moved from Centennial to Oxford, MS I had a '90 Ford Escort with A/C. I rarely used the A/C here, but the first summer in Mississippi killed me and I started getting the A/C working. I found a guy that had R12 but I wasn't willing to pay what he was asking. I ended up buying an R12 to R134 conversion kit from Auto Zone or Wal-Mart which worked very well. I didn't have to replace any components during the conversion. I did have to replace line connection seals which I attribute to going dry and cracking from non-usage in Colorado. That conversion worked for 6-7 years, sold the car when we moved back to Colorado. If the A/C in your K5 hasn't been used for a while you may need to replace "stuff" just from the lack of use.

Something that I had started thinking about to use on my K5 is a small swamp cooler. These will only work in arid climates. Positive pressure in the cab would keep the dust out too when you're on the trail.

Noticing you're in Kansas, depending on where in Kansas you are, the evap. cooler might not work. I grew up near Lawrence, evap coolers there are just humidifiers. They would work where my wife grew up in Garden City.