Restoring factory ac

[Caballero1981]

I am planning on restoring the factory ac to my car. It was an originally a v6 car but a previous owner swapped it for a 327 sbc so I don’t have any of the hoses, brackets, or a compressor. Would this kit be a good starting point for it? https://www.originalair.com/81-88-chevy-g-body-v8-rotary-compressor-upgrade-kit-134a-stage-1
What are some other things I might need to get the ac up and running?
Also the car doesn’t have a computer it that matters

 

[Turbo Zach]

It would be ok starting point. You are still missing the condenser and hard lines. I would check Rockauto and junk yards for as much as I could. Make sure you flush your evaporator core and condenser real good. That compressor would be better than anything offered originally for our cars I think.

 

[5spdCab]

I am planning on restoring the factory ac to my car. It was an originally a v6 car but a previous owner swapped it for a 327 sbc so I don’t have any of the hoses, brackets, or a compressor. Would this kit be a good starting point for it? https://www.originalair.com/81-88-chevy-g-body-v8-rotary-compressor-upgrade-kit-134a-stage-1
What are some other things I might need to get the ac up and running?
Also the car doesn’t have a computer it that matters

Wish I had known about this kit a year ago. I am still not finished with my upgrade, but this would have simplified the whole upgrade, and I would probably have been finished by now and enjoying it.

 

[BlueCalais79]

I used one of Original Air's kits for my 1979 Cutlass (Olds motor), excellent results, couldn't be happier with it. One tip though, spend the extra $75 like I did to get the compressor painted black so it won't look like you have 2 Alternators under the hood. I also got a high quality Condenser from The Parts Place.

 

[oldsofb]

Be thankful the Liquid hard line is still there. No one is making that line that I found.

Hutch

 

[5spdCab]

Just ordered that liquid hard line from Original Air. Price seemed reasonable, $115, but I think shipping is too high ($70). Nobody else that I can find has this part, so I am stuck paying their price.
I was going to go ahead and also order the parallel condenser for an additional $322, but shipping on that, plus the liquid line together, was an additional $300something. For 300+ dollars, they had better be shipping it inside of a steel box with overnight delivery (due to supply chain, expect up to 2 weeks delivery times). Needless to say, I will stick with the stock back-and-forth condenser, even if less effective than parallel flow.

 

[mikester]

Just ordered that liquid hard line from Original Air. Price seemed reasonable, $115, but I think shipping is too high ($70). Nobody else that I can find has this part, so I am stuck paying their price.
I was going to go ahead and also order the parallel condenser for an additional $322, but shipping on that, plus the liquid line together, was an additional $300something. For 300+ dollars, they had better be shipping it inside of a steel box with overnight delivery (due to supply chain, expect up to 2 weeks delivery times). Needless to say, I will stick with the stock back-and-forth condenser, even if less effective than parallel flow.

HOLY CRAP !!!!!! I have two extra liquid lines up in the attic of my garage. Pulled them out of two Cutlasses in the local junk yard but I used one from a Regal instead because it didnt have the little loop at the end. Theyre not showroom condition but I hit them with the polishing wheel and they dont look that bad.
Downside is youre on the other side of the country and the shipping would probably be almost as high

 

[5spdCab]

HOLY CRAP !!!!!! I have two extra liquid lines up in the attic of my garage. Pulled them out of two Cutlasses in the local junk yard but I used one from a Regal instead because it didnt have the little loop at the end. Theyre not showroom condition but I hit them with the polishing wheel and they dont look that bad.
Downside is youre on the other side of the country and the shipping would probably be almost as high

A couple of weeks ago, I took a rudimentary measurement from the air box to the condenser. It is about 6ft, give or take a couple inches, so I had ordered straight sticks of "bend your own" hard line, plus a fill valve. The fill valve is not the size that I thought it would be, so I had not yet begun installing before finding this thread. For a parts purchase price of a little over $460, they wanted an additional $330something for shipping charges. At the time, I was afraid to see what an entire installation kit price ($1075) would be after including shipping.

 

[mikester]

If you look close you can see how the line from a Regal fits. The one from a Cutlass was too long with the loop at the end.

 

[5spdCab]

If you look close you can see how the line from a Regal fits. The one from a Cutlass was too long with the loop at the end.


View attachment 180800

The Chevy liquid hard line goes across the top of the radiator and connects on the driver side.