I'm going to finally get going on a/c for my '56 Fairlane Club Sedan with stock 292 c.i. Y-block and power steering.  I've decided to go with an under-dash evaporator and now I'm scouting around for all the parts I'll need for the project, e.g., compressor and mounting bracket (s); crank pulley with extra groove; and etc.  I know this has been done many times before and I would appreciate any recommendations for companies that might have full or partial "kits" for this project.  Many thanks for any suggestions!  Ron

Try these guys. I'll be going this route for my '55 Merc soon. http://www.classicautoair.com/Other_Ford_Air_Conditioning_Ford_AC.html

Ron   I sent you a PM on some info you might find useful   Carl

I used a Classic Auto perfect fit in my bird. I also bought some stuff from these guys to make my system more to my liking, and they were good to deal with.

http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalog/index.php

There's a little info missing on the install for the Classic Perfect fit system. If anyone is using it, I might be able to save you doing it twice, but I don't want to hijack this thread.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Mike, I'd be interested in tapping your experience on this.

Miker,
If you want to start a new thread on your modifications to Classic Auto Air, I'd love to see it.  I've been using mine for a couple of years now and like it, but it seems a little underpowered in central California heat.

Don

I had similar questions when I was doing an air condition installation on my 57 Fairlane. I looked at several units offered by both Classic Auto Air and by Vintage Air. Neither company had a custom package for the 57 Ford (they had packages for T-Birds and for 55-56 Fords, but not the 57 model). I was looking for a complete system (heat and air) and I settled on the Vintage Air under-dash unit that they have designated as their "Slimline" model. The unit I chose had heat, air and defrost and it fits under the dash better than most of the other under-dash models. I removed the factory heater/defroster unit and placed a cover plate over the opening in the firewall. This cover plate serves as a great place to mount bulkhead fittings for both the air conditioning and heater lines from the engine compartment to the dash. By removing the factory heater/defroster housing, the space for the Slimline unit was increased and allowed the unit to be mounting further under the dash and be less intrusive into the passenger area.

I fabricated my own compressor mounting bracket because I wanted the compressor to be mounted above the alternator (I replaced the original generator with an alternator at the same time) so it was easier to run the hoses and have access to the compressor charge fittings. My car also had power steering, so I ran the drive belt for the compressor around the power steering pump and used the same front groove of the crank pulley to provide power to both the power steering and a/c compressor. It seems to work out pretty well and I like having the compressor up top rather than down under the alternator as some of the brackets provided by Classic or Vintage seem to do. I would send pictures of the installation, but have not mastered posting pictures to this site.

Good luck with your installation. I'm sure there are many installations from both Classic and Vintage that would give you good A/C performance, but this Slimline unit performs very well in hot weather and I like the way it looks under the dash. It is all black in color and doesn't "jump out" at you when you get in the car. It also has good clearance for a center passenger if you would ever need it.

Regards,
Dave

Many thanks to all of you for this treasure trove of information.  It will make the project much easier going forward!  Ron...

Dbird,

I've been down in Reno, watching the planes go 500mph. I'll post my notes on Classic Air in the next couple days, when I'm home with my notes.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

                           JEALOUS!!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart)