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A/c Is It Possible Or Has Anyone Done It

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Cowboyjeeper, Jun 2, 2019.

  1. Jun 2, 2019
    Cowboyjeeper

    Cowboyjeeper Member

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    Hi
    Im here with another dumb question haha.
    I tried to search and couldn’t find anything close to what I wanted.

    I have a v8 in my recently acquired 65
    We will be spending a fair amount of time in the Phoenix area at 115 in the summer it would be nice to have air. Wife would like jeep much better.

    I have found a few kits it seems possible but is it worth it? I will have a soft top, but hard top is a big investment for occasional use.

    Has anyone tired it? What are your thoughts?
    Bring on the jokes haha
     
  2. Jun 2, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Was easy in the day. Jeep sold a kit for dealer-installed AC "American Air" for CJs. Worked fine with a soft top. The interior of a CJ-5 is not a large space. The floors can get pretty hot in a CJ - I would go with a carpet kit, especially in Phoenix. Add some jute insulation between the carpet and floor. That would greatly reduce the heat load in the cabin. And it feels good on bare feet.

    With a Chevy under the hood, finding brackets and a compressor should be easy. There will be issues to figure out, but if you have someone that can evacuate and charge it for you (or you can do it yourself) there should be no major obstacles. There will be things to figure out, but I don't think there are any significant obstacles to doing it.

    One of the aftermarket AC kit sellers had a book online about how to assemble and install air conditioning for your hot rod or Jeep or whatever. Can't find it now, but you could look for it or maybe someone here knows of it... or maybe I can find it later.
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2019
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  3. Jun 2, 2019
    Cowboyjeeper

    Cowboyjeeper Member

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    Timgr thanks for the info, I just didn’t want to go spending cash and have it not even work.I have worked on ac systems before, at work we can charge it and service it that won’t be an issue.

    I found this system,
    Jeep Air - Heat and AC System Cj Series Jeep SBC Engine - CJ AC Kits
    But it says for 74 and up? Aside from a longer hood what’s the difference? Can it be overcome the grills and interiors seem very similar at least in general
     
  4. Jun 2, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

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    I'd look at Summit or Jegs for compact universal kits. Putting this on a Chevy engine should make it really easy to get a complete kit, if that's economical. I recall you can buy a partial kit with just the interior housing and evaporator, and put together the rest from your choice of new or junkyard parts.

    That kit is pretty cool, actually (aren't I punny!) I don't know why it would fit a '74 and not fit a '72 or '73. A '73 is almost identical to a '74. Driver's seating position and steering wheel location is different before '72 ... maybe that matters. Aftermarket sellers are often clueless about the differences and year-ranges for Jeeps.

    I was imagining something like this to hang under the center of the dash. March Performance Air Conditioning Kits P6000 The Jeep is not very wide and extending the housing over to the edges of the dash won't matter much, I think. IIRC the American Air unit was similar to this, but came with all the under-hood parts to fit the Jeep engines.

    Looking at the parts book, they sold two kits for the CJ; plain and "custom." The plain kit was a universal-style evaporator and housing like above, and "custom" was fitted to the dash, and appears to extend across maybe 2/3 of the dash width.
     
  5. Jun 2, 2019
    Cowboyjeeper

    Cowboyjeeper Member

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    The kit I found seemed to be wider like the custom kit you mentioned.
    That’s a nice kit as well but no heat/defrost. The one I saw was heat and defrost capable as well which I count as a plus with such space limitations. Thanks for all the input.
     
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  6. Jun 2, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

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    NP! If you go ahead, let us know how it turns out. Could even go in the tech articles.
     
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  7. Jun 2, 2019
    Cowboyjeeper

    Cowboyjeeper Member

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    I will document it if we go that route. Which I think I will.
     
  8. Jun 2, 2019
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

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    The Wranglers in the later 1980's had a dealer underdash A/C. It should be very easily adaptable to an earlier CJ. From there, you would need a compressor to fit the SBC which should easily available, and a condenser, dryer, and assorted hoses. This should be able to be accomplished with minimum fabrication?
    A soft top and firewall/tunnel insulation would help a lot. Too bad white soft tops are no longer available!
    -Donny
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2019
  9. Jun 2, 2019
    Oldriginal86

    Oldriginal86 Member

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    With the sbc in mine it would be nearly impossible to install the condenser in front of the radiator. I would also be concerned with the extra heat load on the cooling system. I would like to see some under hood pictures of how the radiator is installed and the extra room you have.
     
  10. Jun 2, 2019
    Cowboyjeeper

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    Next I I’m with it I’ll take some. Honestly I haven’t looked to see about room up there.
     
  11. Jun 3, 2019
    PieLut

    PieLut Member

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  12. Jun 3, 2019
    Jrobz23

    Jrobz23 Member

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    AC in Northern WI is when you take the July snow and rub it on your exposed skin. :p
     
  13. Jun 10, 2019
    tcfeet

    tcfeet Member

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    I just let the windshield down..
     
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  14. Jun 10, 2019
    Tom_Hartz

    Tom_Hartz Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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  15. Jun 10, 2019
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

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    Huh. $370 for under-dash AC...
     
  16. Jun 10, 2019
    mike starck

    mike starck Member

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    I have a TJ w/air and a mustang convrt w/ac .Doesn't seem unreasonable to me. I recently installed a vintage air gen II unit in my '66 ford f100. tight fit all around but once its in there its great. The heater will work way better then stock unit. It would mostly be a DIY deal with a adequate sized condenser the biggest challenge. Remove stock heater and install combo unit with integrated controls. I had a local street rod guru make up my lines and charge unit. I have seen this guy put a/c in some really tight applications. mike
     

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  17. Jun 10, 2019
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

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    If I put on a top I may well do this. I've blown $400 on worse foolishment.
     
  18. Jun 10, 2019
    mike starck

    mike starck Member

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    That would just be the evaporator for $400. Complete unit closer to $1500.+
     
  19. Jun 10, 2019
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

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    Now see, that website wasnt easy for me to figure out all of what was needed. For $1500 I'm out.
     
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  20. Jun 11, 2019
    Rick Whitson

    Rick Whitson Detroit Area 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Michigan does not have very many Hot days, so when we do it is very uncomfortable, because we are not acclimated for them. Being a retired Biker, I tie my windshield down most of the time, I like the wind in my face, it blows my beard back, and my dog don't have to stick her head out the window.
     
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