I just bought a 1977 K5 Chevy Blazer and really happy with it. It does not have factory air conditioning and its getting pretty hot and humid over here. I started researching some products and listed a few below that are interesting to me. I am looking to keep alterations to a minimum, and my experience with AC is low, so thinking that the under dash A/C only kits might be best for me. Anyone have any experience hooking up one of these systems to a second generation Blazer?


http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalo...em-p-4343.html


http://www.vintageair.com/catalog11/pg50wc.pdf


http://www.classicautoair.com


http://www.nostalgicairparts.com/air...system-405.php

 

We put a vintage air in dads old malibu and even being a universal kit it was pretty easy.

He was running a late model v8 and the sept belt system off that. He ordered a kit without a compressor and we had to have the hose ends matched up and crimped on. Controls mounted in glove box (to save the factory look of dash).

 

Neo, thanks for the info. why did you order a kit without the compressor? did a shop crimp the hose for you? did you happen to route new air ducts or did you somehow use the original heat air ducts?

 

The engine dad used was a 90 model (truck if I recall) and everything worked when he pulled it. Just used the factory compressor cause 1. He had it 2. It bolted to the factory brackets. I guess the answer would be we are cheap (didn't see the need to replace a working part we had) and lazyness (didn't have to worry about custom brackets). He wanted a serpentine belt and using factory parts was easy and made sure we could get parts easily.

The hoses dad got crimped at a local hydraulic shop. He's a diesel mechanic so I'm sure it was the shop that he uses at work to make hoses.

The duct work he piped into the factory. He wanted to save the factory look and didn't want a bunch of stuff bolted under the dash. Was a retro rod, for the most part looked like a 60s muscle car with rims. The cd player and ac he hid in the glove box. Better speakers in factory holes. The engine was updated with headers and a serp belt system. He had planned on adding fuel injection but was offered more than he thought it was worth, regretted it since the day it left. Then again he (and I) regretted selling the 69 malibu I was born in to buy the 65, lol.

When I had my 77 gmc truck the idiot before me ripped all the ac out when they swapped in the 400. I fixed all of it with factory parts. Why not go the factory route since there are still plenty of that body style in junkyards. I'm sure junkyard soft duct would be trash but all the molded parts should be easy to find. Not 100% but I think most all of it up to the 80s will fit and work.

 

hey neo, great history on your family vehicles. you're right I can't believe somebody was dumb enough to rip out functioning air conditioning.

going junkyards might be a good option. there are 3 things that jump out at me that might be problematic.

1 I don't know if I still have to upgrade it to accept a current refrigerant.

2 I think the heater core might need to be replaced because some systems might go through the heater core.

3 I still have to upgrade controls in the dash to drive the ac.

to me I don't mind sraying from the factory look a little bit. so I'm leaning towards the under dash kits. this should take lots of the guess work out.

I'm leaning towards old air products because their price competitively and they seem to have a good reputatuon. nostalgi is tempting but I see lots of bad reviews.

anyone have any feedback on these companies and products?