So how hard would it be to add AC? I am moving down to Arizona this summer and will be there for two years so I think AC is a good idea. I have a donor car. Has anyone heard of somebody doing this and know how hard it is? Thanks...
you'll need the compressor itself, the coils in front of the radiator, evaporator and the condenser. you'll also need to swap out your entire airbox under the dashboard with an AC unit, since they're totaly different. then you'll need the vacuum lines to make it all work. you'll need the dial things in the center console, and also I think the radiator is different, single row vs double row because of the added heat from the motor. then you'll have to see if the radiator fan is wired in, if not you'll need a relay from an AC car to turn on the fan when the AC is turned on...
sounds like a lot of work to me. just take a shower before you leave with your clothes on and get in the car, by the time u get to your destination you'll be dry.
lol. good luck.
(i just ripped out all my AC equipment... saved me like 100 lbs in loads of crap.)
I did a turboswap from an 86 tc to an 89 mustang and am adding the TC A/C system to mine. From what i can tell by what I have done so far you should be good to go as far as wiring/vac is concerned... every thing I needed was already there (plug for the compressor clutch and the pressure cutoff switch). I already installed my new control panel and you can hear the fan run harder for the Max AC setting and the return flapper in the box opens up so the vacuum lines are good too. If youve got a donor just grab the whole system and start swapping! Id also put in a new heater core while your in there to save yourself the hassle later.
If the system on the donor is good and hasnt leaked out you might want to try and locate a reclaimer and save the refrigerant if its R12 since that is going to work better and its hella expensive to buy if you can even find it anymore. Otherwise you can switch over to the R134, which from past experiences has worked OK but not nearly as good... Im gonna try that MaxiCool in mine and see how that works out.
Like mentioned the only hard part is switching out the box under the dash (havent dont mine yet, waiting for good weather.) If I get it done before you dig into your project Ill let you know if there is anything else that comes up that has to be done... I never heard the thing about different radiators before so Ill have to check on that.