Factory a/c

[RumPunch]

I have a complete 88 BII let me know what other pics are needed or parts. Also swapped mine from AC to non so may have a few things lying around

 

[RFD2]

Sounds great, I've found some possible donors, going to look at them asap. I'm specifically looking for the rear support bracket. If you have that I'll be interested. Thx, RFD2

 

[RumPunch]

Should have it all from mine either in a box or on the other truck I will look this evening

 

[RFD2]

Awesome, thx again

 

[RFD2]

Found everything at the wrecking yard today thx again.

 

[RFD2]

Found a complete 1986 a/c system at wrecking yard today. System was complete and still hooked up. Grabbed everything including extra brackets just in case. It looks to be a dealer install but took condenser, compressor, all hoses, accumulator/drier for the switch. etc., etc. The evaporator box was way different from mine is why I'm thinking it's dealer. Am I correct in this? Everything was so affordable that I figured what isn't R134 compatible or an automatic r&r I can at least use it for a mockup. What do you think?

 

[Elutheros]

Or you could join me in this crazy conversion to Vintage Air: The first image is the old system modified to fit the 5.0.

 

[RFD2]

That is a super clean installation

 

[19Walt93]

Mainly, for PROFIT!

In the mid '70s through the early '90s, when I was doing automotive aftermarket, car dealers would order a lot of stripped units, then have companies like I worked for "preload" the strippers with stereos, pin stripes, paint and fabric protection, and they would make a LOT more markup on the add-ons versus the profit they'd see from the same factory accessories.

Then there would be further "upsale" opportunities when the vehicle sold. Tape units or upgraded sound systems, CB radios, power antennas, cruise control, fog lights, sunroofs, air conditioning, and later cell phones.

It was kind of a racket. Buyers pretty much had to take the preloads, and low quality goods and half-ass installation caused complaints. The car manufacturers started cracking down on the practice, and the technology changed anyway so that the practice went away. I guess that I was in it in its true "glory days", and it was a fun way to make a living.

The dealership parts counter also sold accessories (as in the dealer installed AC), as the Parts Dept. was also a profit generator. But the aftermarket was cheaper, in the parts and especially in the non-dealership labor cost.

As Paul Harvey used to say, "Now you know the rest of the story".

Since I installed dozens of dealer cruise control and a/c kits on Fairmont's, Granada's, LTD's before they were Crown Vic's, and F series, I'd like to say Horse Puckies. We sold darn few cars with a/c then so almost none were ordered for stock, if a customer didn't want to wait for a special order we did what we could to accommodate them. The customers were told up front that it would cost more to install than it would cost as an option. Ford- far from discouraging the practice- pushed us to sell more. There was nothing "fun" about installing an a/c kit. Id spend about a day under the dash and the evaporator case hung behind the heater box in Fairmont's and Granada's, LTD's were easy because they already had a spot for the evaporator core. The dash panels on Fairmont's and Granada's were under tension when I bolted them back in and anyone who had to replace a heater core later would hate my guts. Cutting holes in a metal late 70's F truck with a jig saw wasn't much fun, either.
Ford also offered a "radio flex" program in the 80's that we signed into. The vehicles would come prewired with speakers and a hole in the dash. The customer would pick out the head unit they wanted from a display and we'd install it. It was far better than swapping out a factory unit.

 

[19Walt93]

I installed Vintage air in my 93 Ranger- because it had no HVAC system- and the heat and air conditioning work OK, the defroster sucks because it uses entirely recirculated air. I keep an old face cloth tucked in beside the seat for cold rainy days. If yours had the old York compressor that looks like a one lunger engine, I'd encourage you yo use the later, Sanden style compressor. If you plan to reuse the factory evaporator core I would pull it out, inspect it, pressure test it, and thoroughly flush it. Whoever pulled the hose off and didn't cap the port on the core should be neutered with abutter knife.

 

[19Walt93]

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I installed Vintage air in my 93 Ranger- because it had no HVAC system- and the heat and air conditioning work OK, the defroster sucks because it uses entirely recirculated air. I keep an old face cloth tucked in beside the seat for cold rainy days. If yours had the old York compressor that looks like a one lunger engine, I'd encourage you yo use the later, Sanden style compressor. If you plan to reuse the factory evaporator core I would pull it out, inspect it, pressure test it, and thoroughly flush it. Whoever pulled the hose off and didn't cap the port on the core should be neutered with abutter knife.

I don't think have never seen a York on a rbv.

Agreed on the sandens being much better.

 

[19Walt93]

I don't think have never seen a York on a rbv.

Agreed on the sandens being much better.

The picture in post 11 shows a York, I don't remember actually seeing one on a truck but we stocked few a/c cars and about no a/c trucks back then.