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I need info regarding retrofitting (converting) factory AC on a 80 luv. I need a new compressor and other items. Info on the belt drive for the AC is also needed. The owner before me just had the compressor mounted with two bolts. It fell off and puntured the oil filter.! If someone has the belt tension system they woulkd like to sell, get in touch with me. Thanks Rick

If you are talking about retofiting from r12 to r134a it is simple. When you by te new parts they shuold be 134 compatible almost everything is now but ask your parts dealer to be sure. You said that you need a compressor but you will also need a new dryer/acumalator (it is really just a big filter and is a must) and an expansion valve or orfice tube I'm not sure wich these systems used (also a must). Now all you have to do is clean out the condenser and evaporator they sell specail flush but blowing them out with compressed air then spraying some brakeclean in and blowing them out a second time usually dose it. All you need now is to get the proper amount of r134a and oil ussual 8 oz new o-rings and fittings. GOOD TO GO!

my truck doesnt have a.c., how hard is it to install-if i can find one i n a yard to rip it out of- what years had them?- thanx

Brent- 78 mikado cherry red restored in '00/daily driver- she aint retired yet[/quote]

i can tell you for sure that the 1980's had A/C becuase mine had it
i disconnected it tho cuase it was drain ing too much power on the 1.8
i saved all the componets tho in hopes of "retro fitting" it on my 3.8 when i get it in

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I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

draining power?! what power is there to drain? - just kidding, how hard would it be to rip one out of one in a yard- if i find it and throw it on mine- thanx fer all ur help

Brent- 78 mikado cherry red restored in '00/daily driver- she aint retired yet

i think that its pretty simple the only thing i realy rember about the setup is that the bracket for the compressor was freakin huge. it wrapped down around the motor mount.
and it was fixed and had a tensinor mounted down on the block that had a bolt you tighten up for more tension
hope this helps

_________________
I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

I have a 1976 Mikado that has factory air on it and I know a guy that has a 1972 with factory air on it so I guess they were available from the very beginning of their existence.......

It's a pretty simple retrofit except for all the crap under the dash you have to hook up....most of it sits on the package shelf above the passengers footwell....

so if you put in A/C you lose your shelf....and you've taken out your shelf....you bneed to get another one......

also....A/C was a dealer installed option and therefore it is an underdash unit that strongly resembles the "vintage air" add-on A/C you see in street rods......so in other words....it's not pretty to look at......

hope that helps you out...

rich jerozal

i'm not sure about all of them but mine seems to have factory a/c. there is not a large box under the dash but everything is tucked up behind the dash and temp control facia. maybe i am wrong but i know it had a/c on it when it was brand new. i remember it always being nice inside the luv as a kid.

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Hammer to fit, paint to match.
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
There's always room for duct tape and bailing wire.

WATCH YOUR PIEHOLE!!!!!!

HMMMM.....

what year is yours....mine is a 76 and like i said it has a huge black unit under the front edge of the dash with it's own a/c controls on it......on the dash heater controls it has an a/c setting but all it does is energize the 2 rotary controls on the under dash unit....which has it's own independent blower motor attached to it and the a/c vents are in it as well......the a/c doesn't flow through the in/dash vents......only regular vent air comes through those......

rich........

Ya, the ones I've seen take the place of the little shelf under the dash on the right side.

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If at first you don't succeed, try it like your wife told you to do it.

ok i am a 'tard. my shop is all the way across town and i dont have the time to drive there when i have a question about a part. you all were right about the a/c unit. it is a big black box(looked factory as a kid! ) under the dash. thanks for settin me straight.

_________________
Hammer to fit, paint to match.
If it aint broke, don't fix it.
There's always room for duct tape and bailing wire.

WATCH YOUR PIEHOLE!!!!!!

Well I looked at my a/c unit on my 80 luv. It looks factory. It isn't very large and the whole climate system is built together. the duct work is in the dash( multiple outlets). I dont have any rotary knobs either and the control cables work the heat and a/c too. the biggest problem I have with mine is the belt tensioner is missing on the front of the engine.

rick,
i still have my tesioner and i aint gonna use it as far as i know
i had to modify the bolt on the back as the factory threads stripped but it seemed to work fine.
here are the pics let me know if it will work for yas

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_________________
I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

i have an 80 and mine doesn't have a/c.i was at the junkyard a couple of weeks ago and found a luv that had a/c.setup looked pretty much new and clean.well i waited to long to get it and they trashed it.i'm still pi**ed at myself for waiting to long.

You will probably want to make sure to get all the vacuum lines and stuff from inside the truck too. There is a diaphram on the carb that you will need that gives it a little gas when the a/c puts load on the engine. You will need the vacuum lines to hook up to this diaphram.