Air Conditioning In A 2nd Gen?

So I'm looking on eBay and I see an air conditioning compressor for sale that says it will fit 1962-1981. I didn't even know the 1st or 2nd gen vans could come with air?

I have never seen an early chevy that had ac as an option.
if the compressor fits up to an 81 It`s probably an a6 type.
the long old original one.

Yes =panel is correct - yet dont get a used one - unless its from a late model with R134 freon in system. Best bet is to look @ aftermarket A/cC companies & what they offer- at least in brackets for newer smaller compressors. Read into their teck info stuff!! Will help you graetly. I will be using stuff like this on my 2nd gen and an underdash pickup truck unit-from the 7o's. Also adding a rear air & heat from newer van. Once you get the brackets & compressor you want it really easy to do. I will be using a foreign car condenser also-just remember you want the system for r134 freon .

Hey, guys, Twinpilot in particular. You seem to be the A/C specialist Can you shed light on whether or not the earlies can be upfitted with a standard type of A/C with vents, etc up front? Obviously, they would have to have the room and the ability to add vents. Our summers here in Charleston are brutal at times and A/C. would be a great thing.

If they can't go in up front, can someone explain for a non-mechanically inclined person (me) what I would have to get as far as something I could purchase off the shelf, so to speak. I understand the need for R134 from this and the recent freon post, but do I have to go and find different parts from different places to make a system. Assuming budget isn't the issue (which isn't the case), what is the best option? I wouldn't be opposed to the up top type of setup if it didn't require cutting the roof.

And, I will be looking for the earlier of the early models across the board from A-E, so if it's viable up front, is it in viable in all of them? Thanks.

Ok - here goes= Vintane air= www.vintageair.com---- they are the best in the A/C buisness- many others aroung - yet do a google search- Id call them about their products. They have many different add ons for under dash . in dash vents and units -even rear air units - theyve done it all- check their website for much info and various units / installs in there teck stuff.Like ur top unit - yet where will it duct out the hot air?/ roof cutout for it? Might look into the wrecking yards that handle the motor homes for there above roof models also. I am eventually installing an addon underdash unit from a early 70 GM truck, then a rear-heat & air unit from a later conversion van- inside the rear area. long lines and adding a used condenser up front - all redone to take the r-134 freon stuff. That way . i will have A/C & heat when i need it. any questions -just ask =Happy Vannin

This is what I plan on doing once I rebuild Staypuff from the fire she had this weekend: http://www.instructables.com/id/Portable-12V-Air-Conditioner---Cheap-and-easy!/

for all us guys wanting A/C in our vans= remember- we have a lot of area to cool - and just for my nickles worth- id consider doing a front and Rear unit. That will kep us all cool & will cool down the area quicker also. just ,ore lines & another condenser. Rear Heat is nice also. remember = you will need a compressor & drier for the R134 freon gas (new stuff) =also napa sells a liquid cleaning agent and small pressure can to clean the entire system with., if using / repairing any system. The older top of van units are all r-12 freon units and are now very expensive to repair/ charge . Happy Vannin

well my two cents on a/c in a early anything would be a rear air system first off they cool from the rear foward.i use to work a lot on split air systems on airport buses. you can shop a lot of units till you find a good size.r-134 would de your best choice keep in mine the junk yard is full of full size custom vans with rear a/c all the duck work and a lot of were combos a/c and heat i have one i am going to install in my 1970. it will mount under the bed.a lot of them mount on the inside roof in frount of the rear doors.when useing something used keep in mine to flush out all lines with a/c flusher and change all orfaces.also r-12 is nothing to convert to r-134 you get the fitting kit flush it pag oil it and charge it there is lot of ways to skin this cat.it not that hard.

Oh and don't forget a pair of new gas Masks, for those luscious fumes that enter the cabin in our old vans!

I have a roof top unit on my 68 Handivan and am trying to figure out if I can convert it to R134 relatively easily or if I will need to get rid of it and go with a newer style unit? Any info is very appreciated, thank you...

Bear is =EXACTLY _CORRECT!! Remember heat rises-so ite hottest @ the top of the vans- & that big roof gets hot too- cool air always falls toward floors. so cool that upper area & it will work. The biggest thing also is to get a reciever / drier that compatable & compressor with R134 gas=. Get into some of the air conditioner (aftermarket) manfacturers websites & educate -whats there & available . I do like esp.= Vintage air's site - big one with so much teck in it will take you a long time to digest that one. Vintage is the 1st ever to take on the task of building a/c units for the rods & cars. Thetve been thru everything imaginable- .

r-12 to r134 was a joke on people who did know anything about a/c they made you think it was some huge undertakeing to convert it.truth of it is and was changeing the r-12 fittings to r-134 all you did was screw new ones over the old ones.then drain old system change out O-rings orfac flush out old system.pag oil it and recharge i beleve it takes more r-134 freon than the r-12 there was charts on that. when i do my set up on my 1970 4x4 swap i will post as i go school will be in session.

[i]So True - early on I actually took the old r12 testers & just added the r134 to the charge adapter so - looked like rhe r12 was still in there-hehe yet we couldnt ger r12 cheaply anymore. I did put a tag on the new system stuff. There is a company nerar me that is formed by a chemical engineer- he has made a different gas that is compatable with the old r12 systems & works very well. I believe he is limited in sales outside usa. yet if you know him as I do one can get his stuff for cheapo. Like 1.50 a 12ox can by the case!! I do run it in 3 of my older a/c systems. Happy Vannin

1994 and back were r-12

Good info, I think I 'll be keeping the big old roof top condenser with all the works then and focus on getting it retrofitted for the R134 stuff... just got to find someone local that is proficient in freon removal and disposal...

I see, would it be safe to disassemble and take off then? I was under the impression R12 was real bad stuff and illegal to evacuate into the air ( even a little) but I am not exactly sure about just how much
may be in the system still... the van is out of commision for the time being but according to the previous owner he claimed it worked... I am rehabing the interior and some other odds and ends and basically did not want to have to back track down the line to take this system out if it stops working. How about the big compressor? If I took that off it looks like I would need a smaller size belt once I eliminated that pulley right?

Great information, again thank you...

It has the screw on fittings so it is an R12, Thank you for the insight... Oh here is a description of my system, the big box with the fan in on the roof ( you can see it in the gallery under Steve'Oz blue Ox) and then there is this huge thing that blows the air out right in front of the dog house between the driver and passenger seats under the dash, and yes the hoses were situated coming down through the roof above the drivers seat and down the side wall behind the drivers seat and then into the dog house... The compressor is big and the hoses have some wear and tear on them ... I am tempted to leave it but there is some corrosion under the fan thing on the roof and I am rehabbing the ceiling and stuff to so it is a hard decision, tear it out and keep going with the remodeling or leave it, use it till it expires then go back and tear it all out, or retrofit the parts ( maybe get the compressor rebuilt if possible with new seal or? ) and use the old set up... What would an experienced van man do?

It is against federal law to deliberately let any freon out into the atmosphere be it R-12 or R-134 it is supposed to be vacuumed out & recycled but not always the case. I think that if your system has the new fittings on it you have R-134 in it. R-12 is supposed to not be sold in the USA now but I think that it can still be purchased in Mexico & other countries. I think that when they started making R-134 & started saying that the R-12 damaged the ozone was just a bunch of B.S. made up to outlaw & replace it with the much higher R-134
I also think that the R-12 cooled a lot better!!!

I have considered putting a roof mount air conditioner in my van but also don't think that the roof mount systems look appealing on our vans. My neighbor had a camper with a brand new roof top system along with a new 12 volt power converter that would power it & much more electronics that I could of bought cheap. I just decided that if I do put air conditioning in my van I am going with vintage air.