Cooling Your Vintage Vette - Part 3

OK, we're back, and we're pretty well into the project. The ducting is installed, as is the condenser and drier, and we just finished mounting the compressor and belt. Now it's time to finish the plumbing and electrical connections, charge the system, and-hopefully-enjoy some nice, cool air in the cabin of this '67 big-block bad boy. Let's get right to it.

Back inside the passenger... 

   

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Back inside the passenger compartment, it's time to finalize the electrical connections. This lavender wire is the key-on power lead that connects to a 5-amp fused source-in this case, the radio fuse.

Here's how the controls operate:
The system is off, with both knobs pushed in and the fan speed switch (left knob) rotated to the full counter-clockwise position.

For A/C, both knobs are pushed in, and the fan speed switch is rotated clockwise to low, medium, or high positions.

For heat, the left knob is pulled out, and the fan speed switch is rotated clockwise for low, medium, or high positions.

For defrost, the left knob is pulled out, and the fan speed switch is rotated for low, medium, or high speeds. The heat/defrost knob (right side) is pulled out as well.

The thermostat control (under the dash on the passenger side) controls the overall output temperature of the system.

Well, that wraps it up. If you have a midyear and you want the comforts of air conditioning that looks like a factory installation, check out the kits from Vintage Air.

All of the white leads (three...        read full caption All of the white leads (three in total) on the Vintage Air harnesses are grounds. We discover that one of the windshield wiper mounting lugs to be a good ground point.	A second ground is also attached...        read full caption A second ground is also attached to the wiper lug. The third ground, coming from the blower-motor control switch, must be attached to the dashboard crossmember since the length of the wire is too short to use the wiper lug.	The lead from the A/C microswitch...        read full caption The lead from the A/C microswitch connects to the binary-type compressor safety switch. This connection is important, since it prevents the compressor from engaging or disengages it in the event of extreme low pressure (refrigerant loss) or excessively high head pressure (380 pounds), to prevent compressor damage or hose rupture. The A/C system relies on refrigerant to carry lubrication through the system.
Here's a shot of the compressor...        read full caption Here's a shot of the compressor with all hoses attached and electrical connections made under the hood. The system is evacuated and charged using the red- and black-capped valves on the engine side of the compressor.	We'll use the existing OEM...        read full caption We'll use the existing OEM fan control switch. The first step is to remove the knob's set screw using a 5/64-inch Allen wrench.	Use a spanner wrench to remove...        read full caption Use a spanner wrench to remove the control retaining nut. If you don't have a spanner this size, a pair of needle-nose pliers will suffice.