How hard would it be to install air conditioning in a 1980 Ford F150?

[Orsorum]

Pondering a new truck purchase but want to make sure I can install AC once I get it. Any thoughts on what that kind of process would cost or whether it would even be feasible?

 

[Soccerman06]

Does it have AC vents?

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Soccerman06
Does it have AC vents?

Would that be the same as heater vents?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Oh, I'd say no more than $4,000 or $5,000 if you were to pay someone to do it for you.

You would need to replace many of the controls, including in-dash cabling and vacuum actuators as well as dis-assemble the dash to put the evaporater, run lines through the firewall, etc. Far from trivial.

It can run $1,500 to $2,000 just to replace a compressor and some refrigerant lines and that's when everything for the system is already there in the car and without having to take apart the dash.

It will be much, much, much cheaper just to find a truck with A/C.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Orsorum

Originally posted by: Soccerman06
Does it have AC vents?

Would that be the same as heater vents?

Depends on the car. There are some aftermarket A/C systems that use an entirely separate set of vents. In general these do not perform as well as the integrated systems that are used today. Additionally, they are almost useless for defroster use in the winter because they can only blow through a set of vents beneath the dashboard and cannot route A/C through the windshield vents.

Some early (1960s and 1970s) factory A/C systems used their own vents and blowers as well.

ZV

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Orsorum

Originally posted by: Soccerman06
Does it have AC vents?

Would that be the same as heater vents?

Depends on the car. There are some aftermarket A/C systems that use an entirely separate set of vents. In general these do not perform as well as the integrated systems that are used today. Additionally, they are almost useless for defroster use in the winter because they can only blow through a set of vents beneath the dashboard and cannot route A/C through the windshield vents.

Some early (1960s and 1970s) factory A/C systems used their own vents and blowers as well.

ZV

Dammit why can't you be here in Seattle when I go car shopping?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Honestly, it's Seattle and you're looking at a beater truck. A/C shouldn't be a deal-breaker, just roll the windows down.

ZV

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Honestly, it's Seattle and you're looking at a beater truck. A/C shouldn't be a deal-breaker, just roll the windows down.

ZV

I'm just a wimp in the summer. 😛

Will call around next week and get a feel for quotes... I love the look of the early 80s Fords.

TIME WARPPPPPPP!

 

[Soccerman06]

Cheapest thing you could do would be to get one of those little handheld battery fan thingies and wire it through a cigarette lighter and an adapter to whatever voltage it needs and superglue it to the dash... That would be my cheap ass solution, hell you could get the ones that squirt water if you wanted to go balls out.

 

[Prong]

See if Vintage Air or Hot Rod Air (both are on the web) can hook you up. I've got a Vintage Air unit in one of my trucks and the low setting is more than adequate. Vintage Air systems run about $1100 complete.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Prong
See if Vintage Air or Hot Rod Air (both are on the web) can hook you up. I've got a Vintage Air unit in one of my trucks and the low setting is more than adequate. Vintage Air systems run about $1100 complete.

Is that with install or just the parts? Orsorum's not the sort who will be installing this himself.

ZV

 

[marvdmartian]

Here ya go......redneck technology, FTW!! :laugh:

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: Soccerman06
Cheapest thing you could do would be to get one of those little handheld battery fan thingies and wire it through a cigarette lighter and an adapter to whatever voltage it needs and superglue it to the dash... That would be my cheap ass solution, hell you could get the ones that squirt water if you wanted to go balls out.

:laugh:

 

[The Stigenator]

vintage air makes kits, look them up.

 

[DVad3r]

Hard.

 

[Pacfanweb]

It's pretty easy if you can still get a kit.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Find a salvage yard and retrofit used parts, should be able to install it for <$1000

 

[lurk3r]

Cut a hole in the roof, put one of those RV ceiling mount conditioners on, maybe a generator in the back ... perfect redneck solution.

 

[radioouman]

Find a 1980 F150 parts truck with AC and retrofit.