I have been planning to install manual A/C in my 66 '98 convertible so my wife will be a little more comfortable when we make those long summer trips to the National shows. I was told by an old Olds man that it is a horrible job because you have to do major surgery on the firewall. He says you need to make a template from the donor car to assist in cutting new holes and some existing holes have to be welded closed. He says the best way to do the job is to remove the engine. Can anyone verify or refute this info? I'm not sure I want to do this to a low milage original car.

 

In all honesty I'd find an aftermarket hang-on unit. It will fit under dash and look period, since they were commonly installed in the 60s. Most used York compressors which are nearly indestructible.

Sears, Penneys, and others did a booming business installing them back then, and you don't have to cut the firewall up. Just two holes for refrigerant lines to pass thru. Meaning it can be easily removed and the holes plugged.

My experience with these is that they will freeze you out of the car even on 95+ days, because they are always in recirc mode- cooling and dehumidifying the air that is already inside the car.

 

Use an aftermarket kit. Check it out!

http://www.vintageair.com/

 

Your information is correct if you want to install a stock A/C system. Of course, the term "major surgery" is relative. To me it's simply cutting holes in sheetmetal. The only cost effective way to do this is to find a donor car and get ALL the parts - including ductwork, controls, etc. You also need the accessory brackets off the engine, the pulleys, and the water pump. You will need to perform major disassembly as well, since the passenger side fender needs to come off, as does the dash, in all likelyhood.

As others have noted, aftermarket A/C is another option. The Vintage Air systems and their ilk are designed to fit completely up under the dash with nothing on the firewall side, so you would still need to close off the hole in the firewall. Also, those systems use the newer Sanden compressors. Brackets for mounting this compressor to an Olds motor will likely need to be custom made.

The older add-on A/C units were the other option "back in the day". These use a large self-contained box that mounted below the dash and as noted two holes were required in the firewall for the freon hoses. They usually used the massive York-style compressor, and again custom brackets will be required for an Olds. You can often find these under dash units at swap meets. It is very possible to combine the below dash unit with a GM compressor, which would allow you to use stock Olds accessory brackets. Doing so would require you to change all your accessory brackets, pulleys, and water pump, but that's not that hard. Note that you'd need to do this for any of the three options.

 

Find a old swamp cooler for her window

 

They do still make the units that go under the dash like the old Sears jobs that were recommended if you want to go that route.

My buddy was looking at these units from Nostalgic Air for his car, he doesn't want to do any major surgery to the car and because it's simple with just two lines it can be removed with no ill effects.


http://www.nostalgicairparts.com/air...sh-kit-314.php

They say it is for a poncho but it would probably work in anything that it will physically fit in. I'm sure that they can come up with something if you talk to the tech guys there. They do have a larger evaporator unit that looks almost the same if you search around the site.
I have an Astro Van with the factory rear AC and they basically are the same type units with two compressor lines and a blower, long lines on the Astro. I wonder if anybody ever retrofitted on of those to a car?

The Nostalgic Air units aren't bad looking, sort of have that 60's aura about them.

Allan

 

Cool find. The underdash unit is certainly universal, but the compressor brackets and pulleys in that kit only fit Pontiac motors. I guess it depends on how cheap you are. Personally I'd buy a used below-dash unit and hook it up with a GM factory compressor and condenser.

 

$700 for a full A/C system isn't bad at all. Considering how expensive it can be to convert to R134 with an existing system. And, that looks period correct and would not be out of place in a car like yours.

 

Thanks for all the input from all you guys. I have all the brackets, pulleys, etc required to make the change. I also have purchased a factory unit from a 66 Delta but really don't have that much invested. I think you have convinced me to take the aftermarket route. Now to decide - combined firewall unit or hang under dash???? I was planning on using a Sanden type compressor all along and know I will have to modify the original bracket. I was kind of counting on using the original dash control unit but, now, who knows. I loved the suggestion to use a Swamp cooler. I will pass that on to my wife - she'll get a good laugh. I knew I found the right site!!!

 

UPDATE WITH PICTURES

I have been working on the Olds 98 conv pretty steady for the last 6 or 7 weeks and I thought you might be interested in what I have accomplished.

I installed NOS cornering lights and NOS cruise control. Then I tackled the A/C project. I bought a universal unit from Classic Air. I did a lot of modifying, fabricating and some improvising but I think the finished product is pretty satisfactory. I have not yet made the bracket to hold the control unit which will go along the bottom of the dash under the center A/C outlet. The original heater control was retained to operate the vacuum vents.

 

The inside unit is seen through the missing glove box.

 

I need more pics of the whole car to fully develop an opinion in this matter.
I'm partial to 66 98 converts because it was my first car.

 

How is this?? The car has 45000 miles and that is the original convertible top.

 

AWSOME CAR!

 

My convertible has factory a/c, the previous owner thought it would be fun to spend major $$$ to put in a reconditioned am/fm radio, only to screw up the ac/heater controls and ductwork. (I'd much rather have the ability to stay cool & hide a stereo system somewhere in the car)..

I'm assuming those pushbuttons are vacuum operated, I haven't had a chance to even begin to figure out a solution, any ideas or suggestions??

Thanks,
Jason

 

Nice car, I love the color.

 

With such a nice original car like yours, I would hesitate to start hacking it up and loosing so much of its originality. The (mostly) self contained units that mount under the dash would be the better way to go IMHO...
Try classicautoair.com to see if they can make up a custom system for ya'...

 

I think it's almost finished Rob.
It looks really good BOC, nice and clean and it appears that it can all be put back to original.
Hot night, top down, AC blasting at full and the cruise on is the utmost in luxuriant freeway cruising.
You can see good going around corners at night now too, don't want to accidentally squish a Smart Car.

 

You are correct! The push buttons operate a small bar in the back that positions a small, circular vacuum switch mounted on the side. There are five vacuum lines attached - source, left and right vent, air mixer and defrost control. There is also an electrical switch that controls the compressor.

The ductwork is critical. Without the large center distribution piece directly below the radio, you cannot connect any of the A/C outlets. I bought an original A/C system but did not get that center piece.

 

The project is now complete. The work done has not chopped up the car and is completely reversible. That is one reason I used the original dash outlets. I made the plate that covers the original heater hole in the firewall and attached it with sheetmetal screws. The unit mount under the dash is bolted through that cover plate. I retained the original heater control unit in the dash and will still use it to open the vents. The A/C control is attached along the bottom of the dash. I considered installing a hang on unit but decided I didn't want it taking up the whole center of the car.

 

Hey thanks for the info!! I do still have the center piece, it was in a box of spare parts in the trunk. I am lucky in that the previous owner had stockpiled lots of stuff; electric vent window motors, top motors, a/c compressors, carbs, door mirrors, almost a whole other car in there!

 

I recently finished parting out a 65 98 LS to use the frame, fenders and other parts on my 65 98 conv. I took the entire AC unit out ond put all of it in my basement. It is all in great shape. I'm in North Jersey. I also still have the body (Firewall intact) to the LS. My email is jeremyalee55@msn.com
I'm not looking for much, maybe guys could chime in a fair price for all the stuff. I would have put up for sale but thought the shipping would be a pain.

 

Got my ductwork reinstalled and also found that the radio was pressing down on the a/c controls keeping the buttons from working. A little downward pressure to the contol unit has now freed up my now working system!!!
Thanks again for your assitance ~