Vintage Air Under Dash A/C System Install - Air Power

Behind the control panel, we see the capillary tube that goes directly into the evaporator case. This tube gives information to the system thermostat, which in turn controls temperature. Required relays are shown already attached and ready to go

Beginning under the hood, this photo shows our compressor mounted down low in a position normally occupied by the smog pump (see arrow). Remember, this engine is a new 302 with late-model bracketry and accessory drive. Because the '64-model car won't require smog equipment and the stock 5.0 Mustang compressor worked out so well in this location, it was decided this was the way to go. We used a factory manifold at the rear of the compressor, and spliced our Vintage Air lines into the factory lines leading out of the compressor when the time came. We had an air-conditioning shop complete the crimps for all of our lines at once. One advantage of the serpentine drive is that there is no need to have the compressor moveable because belt tension is adjusted elsewhere for the whole front dress.

Once the grillework was removed from our '64 Cyclone, the correct position for the condenser was determined and the required attachment brackets made. Here, the condenser goes into place.

The condenser is in place, and now the hood latch and support are reinstalled.

Here's our dryer with the binary switch already in place. We're temporarily installing our hose-end fittings so we'll know just how this part will fit underhood. Once our location was selected, we recapped the dryer.

This spot on the passenger-side inner fender was about the only spot where the dryer would fit and connect. We've removed our ducting to the air meter and throttle body, and you can see the 5.0 Mustang air-cleaner box still in place.

One line from the dryer had to go to the lower port on the condenser. We decided the best way to do this was to create a new hole beneath the airbox, in the original battery location. Ed Marsh of Windsor-Fox uses a special tool to cut the opening.

The large hole at the top of our photo is the one just created. This car is probably Ed's favorite, and everything has to be just so.

The line can be seen on its way from the dryer to the lower condenser port. The new hole has an insert normally used to route electrical conduit. This insert fits the hole perfectly and is retained by a screw-on collar. It has rounded edges to protect the pressurized lines, and gives a nice and finished look.

After the line is measured precisely for length, it is cut with a little slack included.

We see the line from the upper condenser port traveling downward, leading directly to the compressor. Remember, our compressor on this project lives toward the bottom of the engine. Again, notice the protective collar is used. Both lines leading to and from the condenser are the small-diameter lines, which are on the high-pressure side of the system.

This new Ford factory line originates at the manifold on the rear of the compressor. This line will be spliced together with the upper condenser line when the time comes to complete our hose ends. Much of the work underhood involves determining the correct line length and routing the lines safely around hazards, such as exhaust heat or moving belts. Orientation of angled fittings must be determined and recorded. Once a fitting has been crimped, the hose cannot be twisted. Once all of these determinations have been made, it's up to your air-conditioning shop to finalize the connections. A separate tool is required for both R12 and R134 systems, and if you don't have the correct tool, you'll need to visit someone who does.