Has anyone installed an under dash AC and been happy? I live in the deep south and I wanna enjoy my car in the summer. I'm hot natured. My car has factory air. Not many parts are available. It's not a HAMB era car so I'm stopping at this point.
I haven't been nearly as comfy with underdash, as I have with modern factory OEM A/C. The underdash unit blows cold air on you, then it warms up a bit, then gets cold again. 40 degree breeze on me isn't comfy, even when it's hot out.
You really need to go and insulate all the doors, window seals and floor and firewall. Headliner Also maybe so far as adding some sort of exhausting vents to pull air out. if you want to drive it in the comfort of a new car. There is many layers of things going on that make it not swass in the car on a humid day.
I'd repair the factory AC if it was me. Most of the old AC systems with R12 will work great, better that some new systems.
Yeah, the old r12 factory systems in good shape are the best. I've installed several under dash units, not vintage airs, just truck types and made up systems using various parts, 134a refrigerants. Def. better than nothing, but they all have their little problems. R12 ain't cheap these days and can be hard to find.
Classic Auto Air and Old Air Products both have restoration and parts services, sometimes with upgrades. Without knowing where you are or what you’re working on, it’s hard to give advice. Maybe move it to the off topic forum and add some information. But that would probably be a step up from adding a knee knocker, both in aesthetics and comfort.
You posted,your car has factory air ?< What was not said,how many parts are broke or missing ? Wayback,in the late 1960s,I worked for Coolair Inc of Miami Fla.they made kits for adding/under dash AC to car that had no air. They had info sheet/booklet,if you were handy,ya could install your self< I know guys were better at doing that type stuff then. And shops didn't cut your lag off to do it for ya. Only now an then,some one screwed so bad,they tryed to return the screwed up kit If your car leaks anyway,air or rain,all of that has tobe fixed or cool air just goes out side.
When you live in Canada where winter lasts a long time, underdash a/c works great. 100 degrees F is merely a concept here.
Hello, When we purchased this 327 powered 40 Ford Sedan Delivery as a married couple, my wife was sold on the set up and styling. But, she did not like the handling/braking, so that took several more months of fiddling around to get things right. Then after she drove it by herself, she was sold. Turn on the motor, get set up to go somewhere and flick on the A/C. It was an early under dash unit that took up quite a bit of the interior space under the dash. But, it blew very cold air and if one were in the back area, you could feel the cold air circulating around the empty cave. It was a York vertical compressor. At the time, York was the compressors that most all USA models used as the power for the system. It blew well and sent the cold air into the sedan delivery. It was hard to get first choice of cars for daily driving. If my wife was out of the door, she headed directly to the sedan delivery and the cold A/C. It was our first car with A/C. Jnaki Over thousands of miles with the 327 and York A/C working, and the car driving/stopping on a dime, it was a wonderful hot rod to drive. Yes, it was the only hot rod in our extended family and we did not care. They were doing their things and we went our own separate ways. They lived in hectic lives, we lived in calm coastal low key lifestyle and still do, all of these years later. But, the York compressor started to conk out at the most awful times. After a freon charge, it worked well and now weeks later, began to act up again. By this time I had eyed a tubular compressor that most USA and foreign cars were using for their main compressor duties. A rotary one pumped out more stuff and made the new cars cooler than the old. Plus, the longevity of the rotary compressors was so much better. We were in the process of a drastic changeover to a rotary unit. Then, we met a young couple and they offered to buy our 1940 Ford 327 powered sedan delivery as it sat and had the cash to move the sale faster. So, I told them of the rotary compressor versus the York vertical unit. The young guy smiled and said he was going to change it anyway to the better functioning rotary unit he had in his garage… sedan delivery sold, with no problems. Plus, a new family member was on the way for us and there was no way to incorporate a third safety seat with good access in the sedan delivery. On to a new car with a rotary A/C compressor and cool drives…YRMV
The old aftermarket underdash units, like the Mk IV, can work good. Agree that insulating the car floor, sides, roof and firewall make a big difference. I've done 2 of the old 60's units, both running R-134a. The key is to have a good condenser as R-134a needs more heat removed in the condenser for best operation. In the south and high humidity you will get a lot of condensation, so make sure you have a good drain on the underdash unit. The dehumidifying aspect will make it more comfortable in the car, besides the cooler air temps. But if your car has factory air, that is the best solution and just get it fixed and working properly.
True about the condenser since R134A operates at higher refrigerant discharge pressures. You’ll want an adequately sized condenser to minimize excessive discharge pressures (assumes you have sufficient airflow through the condenser) which affects system performance = higher vent temps. Another helpful hint to maximize performance is to insulate the compressor suction piping leaving the evaporator. Any heat absorbed by the refrigerant along this section of piping increases its temp = increase in suction pressure = higher discharge pressure.
I had a under dash unit in one of my 40 Ford sedans and it worked like a champ, back when I was a kid if you wanted air you used a under dash unit. HRP
Clear back in 1966 I bought a new Impala SS. I had ordered the car but could not afford the power options. By early June I came to the ralization I needed some form of AC. I took it to my Chevy dealer and he put a Mark 4 hang under unit with one of the lawnmower York compressors. It worked fine for me but back then there weren't many options.
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