Just after some opinions on After market Air for e-bodies. Who has installed a system or kit and who was the manufacturer. Was it an easy or tough install????

Just doing some homework before I decide.....

Thanks Moparts,
Tony

I have Bouchlin Performace stuff on both of my cars that are running. It's all stock behind the firewall and they supplied everything forword of the firewall. Small 134 compressor,condenssor and all hoses with ends. BTW I have a bubble crimper to make AC lines if you need help making your hoses when the time comes. JR is who answered my questions and both systems work good. I also got all the pulleys from them for my BB and everything fit the fit time.
If your trying to decide if you want AC? Yes you do. I can help you set it up and I have a 134 machine to charge it.

Alot of questions come up......

Originally non-air car heater box only.

Classic Auto Air which I was thinking about makes a kit that fits e-bodies and doesnt use original heater box, so I wouldn't have to redo it...kit goes for $1299 everything included lines/heater core/condensor/etc/etc.

http://www.classicautoair.com/EBody7074.asp

Would this be the way to go?

Yup that looks good. I lot of work would need to be done on the inside that way. I wonder if getting a stock AC dash and controls would be easier? But then I'm not sure about the firewall opening if you tried to use a stock setup inside and you don't have a AC box either. I'm sure it would rock, but would be a challenge to put in.(I'm talking dash) I think they are only one of a couple choices out there with a kit that detailed for a E body.

I talked to one of the guys in Texas and he said it can be done easily in a weekend....they will do it in 1/2 day for 1,350.00....ha, ha!

Was just trying to see if anyone here did one on their own and how it went...hopefully someone will come forward with a story....

I did it in an early b. So I had to use the universal kit. Plus I made it harder and had a poly 318.

It took 2 weekends to do it.
Got everything mocked up in the engine compartment, and took it to a local shop to cut and crimp the lines.
Then had a plate welded to bolt the new box to, with studs that bolted where the orignal heater box bolted to.

I did not use the stock controls. I removed them and put in the electric controls, so I don't know how hard it is to get the stock heater controls working. I do know that it is backwards. Heat on the slider is for cold and cold is for heat, so I opted for the electric controls.

The hardest part for me was getting the compressor lined up, but for an engine they make the kit for, it should be a bolt in.
They supply a pulley that bolts infront of the crank pulley, and everything runs belts to that.

It would be nicer if you could find an a/c donor motor for all the brackets and pulleys so you don't have to use much of their motor mounting stuff and make it cleaner looking, but you do need their plate(at least sb wise) for it to bolt to.

Inside I image the a/c box is the same, just mounting hardware is different.
It is a lot smaller than the 66 and up a/c boxes. It was smaller than the 65 heater only box, and that is about half the size of the 66 and up a/c box.

There are several people that found a/c dashes and mounted stuff to it. I chose just to hang the vents under the dash.

Thats 1350.00 Plus the cost of the kit 1299.00

Another question.....
Do I have a Heater only box or an A/C box???
How can you tell the difference??
The reason I'm asking is when I took it apart there is a large foam piece that isnt in the kit I got from Detroit Muscle.....

another pic...

last one...

Just checked and this is in the A/C foam kit....I guess the guy I got it frrom couple years ago was going to put A/C in too....so now the question is should I keep this and go for putting stock A/C parts in the interior and then getting someone to add the exterior stuff later??? Cost Difference etc.???

it is about an even split in the price you saw.
for the 1200 dollar kit from classic air, about 600 is interior, the rest is engine compartment stuff.
If you put new stuff inside, then anyone can add the outside stuff later.

The catch is the stock stuff doesn't fit your firewall.

It's a AC box with the evaparator missing. Reg heat boxes are cable controled and AC boxes are vacuum.
Your'll have to change some stuff on the firewall if your gonna use it. I'm thinking you'll be better off using the kit since it's designed for a non AC firewall car.

Thanks for the quick advice....This is what was in the car??? Did fix a couple cracks in the casing so good a new now.....
Tony
aholtzapple@cinci.rr.com
513-543-6809

inside....

That is a A/C firewall

that is an AC firewall & you have an AC box. Just bolt it up, problem solved.

Check the vacuum pods before installation. Mine leak at the shaft seal.

Unfortunately no one makes a modern AC conversion kit for cars that already have AC. I'd love to have electronic actuated air blend doors instead of leaky shaft seals.

Next step for you is to determine what you want underhood. engine/carb combo could affect this decision.

Do you want V belts or serpentine?

Do you want factory V compressor or Sanden?

After figuring that out you just need to check if your missing any pieces, find them, and bolt it all together.

Do you plan on using a rallye dash?

Tav