Stock AC or Vintage Air?

[Mheiron]

So I just bought a 69 Charger AC car. It’s in “Driver” condition so I look forward to driving it vs having another trailer queen.

The car is Very original with maybe one repaint decades ago.

The car had factory AC. The PO sent me the parts in the trunk including compressor, condensor, lines etc.I assume the evaporator in the air box probably went bad. The heater is also disconnected which to me means the heater core is probably also bad.

My questions to the experts, Would it best to try to get the original system working again or just upgrade the entire system to Vintage air?

AC is important in Houston and will add 6-9 months to the driving season.

Thanksin advance for your ideas!

 

[blue69runner]

Bought classic air and installed myself. Thing is not too happy with the cooling of my runner. Had problems with the heater exchange valve got a new one under warrantee. But it all piped through the fire wall. Like the original one. Just had to drill holes for my ac lines. and one for the power linens to go from cabin to engine bay. Trying to figure why the car dose not cool so well in mid-summer. The output is under the dash due to it was not an A/C car. Think I will move those vents to the dash may have better luck with cooling the car.

 

[wagonman]

Before condemning anything put it back to Factory and evaluate the A/C system. Don't worry about the heater core yet. Get a R134 conversion kit and pull a vacuum on the system. If ok then charge it up. You might be surprised and it may work. I would still keep it Original with maybe a Sanden compressor up grade. Change to the correct oil (PAG) and 134 o-rings. Just going to cost some time and a bit of $$. I used to live in Houston/ Alief and worked in Rosenberg need air for sure. Not a big Fan of the aftermarket stuff when you need to drill the firewall, looks like to clean of a car for that. I had a 70 and you could hang meat in it and that was in Vegas.

 

[LowBikeMike]

Keep the factory AC system, upgrade the compressor to a Sanden. If none of it is currently hooked up I'd pull the heater/AC box under dash and rebuild it with new heater core from GlenRay.

 

[diesel_lv]

I did a hybrid on my '67 Coronet. Everything inside the car is original. Under the hood, Sanden compressor, modern parallel condenser designed for 134, new lines that follow old, new dryer. Blows 38° out the vents. I had classic air send me everything for under hood.

 

[Kern Dog]

Keep the factory AC system, upgrade the compressor to a Sanden. If none of it is currently hooked up I'd pull the heater/AC box under dash and rebuild it with new heater core from GlenRay.

One advantage the stock system has is the option to have recirculating A/C and fresh air A/C. I have Classic Auto Air and while it does function fine, the system disables the fresh air function to make it a simpler installation.
I have never had an overheating problem with my car even in 110 degree weather.

 

[diesel_lv]

One advantage the stock system has is the option to have recirculating A/C and fresh air A/C. I have Classic Auto Air and while it does function fine, the system disables the fresh air function to make it a simpler installation.
I have never had an overheating problem with my car even in 110 degree weather.

With my stock inside n classic air under hood, I'm also able to keep the fresh air/recirculation. I'm in 120-125° summers n never get about 196° in heavy stop n go traffic. Leave mine on constant recirc in the hottest times.

 

[JimKueneman]

Keep the factory. It can blow as cold as an aftermarket. It is getting hard to find parts for these systems these days so I’d get the parts you need when you find them. There is no need to do anything special for R134. All the hype back in the day about 134 needing new hoses, etc never materialized. Flush it good, pull the pan off the RV2 and flush it good the refill with PAG or Ester oil, put the green hose orings on it, evacuate and charge with 134a.

 

[Bighouse]

Sounds like there is an option to get just the aftermarket underhood side of things and use the factory stuff behind the firewall???

 

[68BabyBlue]

The '69 GTX I owned in the 90s was a one owner car with factory air. I never had to recharge it during the eight years I owned it, and it blew as cold as any modern day vehicle I've owned. As KD stated earlier, the factory system has the advantage of the choice between either fresh air or recirculating.

 

[gtx6970]

Factory air car means restore the factory air parts.

I just sold my 67 coronet and it would get low 40s outlet temps pretty easily. All stock oem factory parts.

 

[diesel_lv]

Factory air car means restore the factory air parts.

I just sold my 67 coronet and it would get low 40s outlet temps pretty easily. All stock oem factory parts.

Before I parked my '67 in 1997, it would blow high 30's in Vegas w the all factory R12. I wanted a more efficient compressor, less hp loss, so I did the conversion to the r134 w Sanden compressor. The parallel flow condenser designed for 134 is a big difference too.

 

[Mheiron]

Is this Engine number sufficient to tell if the motor is original to the car?
Thanks for all the AC feedback. I’ll try and get the original system working. That compressor is crazy heavy. I lifted it out of the trunk and OMG!

 

[Trench]

Is this Engine number sufficient to tell if the motor is original to the car?
Thanks for all the AC feedback. I’ll try and get the original system working. That compressor is crazy heavy. I lifted it out of the trunk and OMG!

There is another tab with the last 6 numbers of the VIN number stamped on it. It is just above the oil pan.

 

[Darter6]

That compressor is crazy heavy.

Yes, Check with Classic Auto Air as they make kits for under the hood using the new style Sanden compressor,brackets,hoses that bolt right up to factory A/C Mopars.
Not sure if Vintage Air has the same.

 

[Demonic]

Use the original box and controls, the FSM has good details on everything. As Greg and others have said, the factory box is superior to most aftermarkets, as "Max AC is recirc, and "AC" gives you fresh air. Plus, you get the compressor running for 10 min - ish when selecting DEFrost. Update the V2 with a Sanden and newer hoses, as mentioned above. Gaskets are getting hard to find, especially shaft seals.

 

[Trench]

Will the original receiver/dryer work with the Sanden compressor?

 

[davek]

Mopar Compressor Upgrades | Original Air Group

Mopar Compressor Upgrades. Our Sanden-style compressor conversion kits will not only help you save on horsepower, give you better fuel economy and performance.

www.originalair.com

 

[diesel_lv]

Will the original receiver/dryer work with the Sanden compressor?

People "do" it. That said, I prefer to upgrade the dryer, lines n condenser when changing to Sanden compressor. They are "designed" to work together.

 

[Mheiron]

engine numbers match! Good news.