My 1980 Chevy Monte Carlo A/C condenser upgrade install. I have read for weeks and had no real details on this upgrade from an F-Body vehicle. So I figured for those thinking about it, here you go. Since I upgraded to a sanden A/C compressor and a serpentine belt system, all the A/C hoses and connections were on the passenger side. So I needed a condenser with connections on the passenger side, and the F-body condenser fit the bill. I purchased a condenser from a 1991 Chevy Camaro. Now the measurements of the 91 Camaro condenser in height and length do not seem to be that much of a big deal compared to the old tube and fin design originally used. The real issue I notice was the thickness and design of the parallel flow construction. The old tube and fin condenser was about 1.25 inches thick. I found this new parallel flow design off the 91 Camaro to measure about .75 inches thick. I purchased this one from my local supply dealer (1-800-RADIATOR). Napa autoparts had measurement's for the 91 Camaro being 1 inch think.........could .25 of an inch really that much of a difference? Well I would have had to special order the Napa condenser for double the cost and my local radiator dealer had this in stock for me to measure before committing. Besides that, with the engine I am running and the radiator that is required, I needed the least amount of air restriction getting to the radiator, so .75 inch thick parallel flow condenser seemed like a good choice. Anyway, here are some pictures of the install and modifications.
I had to cut a small section on the core support for the lines to angle out and next to the radiator. The radiator I have installed has larger side tanks so extra clearance was required.
The 91 Camaro condenser design was an extra benefit leaving a space up high between the radiator and inlet hose of the condenser to run my trans cooler lines. There is a little tang with 2 holes off the core support for mounting a bracket to hold the trans cooler lines in place and prevent them from rubbing the radiator and condenser line. The picture below shows some mods I did to the condenser mounts. I split a 3/8 inch hose about 1 inch long and wrapped it around both bottom mounts. This snugged up the condenser and raised it up and away from the bracket guides in the core support where it could make contact with the condenser side tanks. You might also notice that the discharge line pictured below has a bend in it, this is where I finessed the line to go along the curve of the core support.
I also added some pieces of rubber hose material between the metal brackets and the rubber mounts (shown at the red arrow) to keep the condenser tanks from making contact with the metal mount brackets.
Other then that, there was some minor bending of the condenser lines bracket and the lines themselves to better angle and position. You probably can't see it, but the lower passenger side foot of the condenser had been bent away from the condenser a bit. This helped push the entire condenser towards the driver side to give the outlet pipe more clearance from the core support.
I had to cut a small section on the core support for the lines to angle out and next to the radiator. The radiator I have installed has larger side tanks so extra clearance was required.
The 91 Camaro condenser design was an extra benefit leaving a space up high between the radiator and inlet hose of the condenser to run my trans cooler lines. There is a little tang with 2 holes off the core support for mounting a bracket to hold the trans cooler lines in place and prevent them from rubbing the radiator and condenser line. The picture below shows some mods I did to the condenser mounts. I split a 3/8 inch hose about 1 inch long and wrapped it around both bottom mounts. This snugged up the condenser and raised it up and away from the bracket guides in the core support where it could make contact with the condenser side tanks. You might also notice that the discharge line pictured below has a bend in it, this is where I finessed the line to go along the curve of the core support.
I also added some pieces of rubber hose material between the metal brackets and the rubber mounts (shown at the red arrow) to keep the condenser tanks from making contact with the metal mount brackets.
Other then that, there was some minor bending of the condenser lines bracket and the lines themselves to better angle and position. You probably can't see it, but the lower passenger side foot of the condenser had been bent away from the condenser a bit. This helped push the entire condenser towards the driver side to give the outlet pipe more clearance from the core support.
