Factory AC conversion thoughts?

Rembrant wrote

Hey Gary,

I seem to recall reading that the passenger side kick panel is different on the trucks with factory AC. Do you know if this is right or wrong?

I am catching up here.
It is not only the right kick panel but the left side also.

Cory, you should have the non-AC panels in your truck as it was non-AC.
The panels have a "sliding door" to let air flow in at the kick panel area and up thru the cab.

Non-AC trucks do not have this type of "sliding door panel", it is solid. If you were to remove the solid plastic panels you will find a metal plate held on with 4 screw to seal the body of any air to enter the cab.

Other that that there is no difference in kick panels and you can run the sliding door panels with the metal plate removed to get air flow thru even with AC
Ask me how I know
I may even have pictures on my site but not really showing the metal plates as I was not taking picture of them.
Dave ----

FuzzFace2 wrote

Good to hear you kind of talked to him.
He has been MIA over you know where and we are worried as we have not heard from him.
Dave ----

I called Bill/NumberDummy this afternoon and we had a good chat.  Turns out he's put away his MPC's and has stepped down from providing part numbers.  After 18 years he just got tired of having to deal with people telling him he didn't know what he was talking about when he tried to explain that the number on a part is not a part number.  

Instead of spending many hours a day helping others he's helping himself.  He spends an hour each day at the gym, and then reads and re-connects with old friends.

So I invited him to come here and hang out.  Regale us with the many stories he knows.  Hope he does.

Good for Bill, you could always tell people got on his nerves when they didn't read his entire post. He's the reason why I picked up the MPC on disc.

Bill mentored me on how to use the MPC, how to understand part #'s, etc.  He spent many hours schooling me, many times.  Plus, he gave me microfiche and other documentation, and he and/or Chris gave me two microfiche viewers.  I'm forever in his debt.

Rembrant wrote

Thanks Gary, I didn't realize that you had already created a page on the topic.

Ok, I'll try to get a set of these panels as well.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-86-FORD-TRUCK-KICK-PANELS-W-VENTS-TRIM-819/113858796501?hash=item1a82835bd5:g:tf0AAOSwojBdTbiU

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vent-Kick-Panels-Set-1980-85-81-82-1986-Ford-Truck-F150-F250-F350-Bronco/153792183401?hash=item23ceba7c69:g:Tw8AAOSwP59eGT6G

Rembrant wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

Excellent!  I love it when a plan comes together.  

Gary,

I’ve been looking around at AC parts and components and something I’m not finding easily is the heat/AC control panel without the dual fuel tank switch. I know they existed as AC was an option in Flaresides obviously but every time I find a controller or pictures of one it always has the dual tank switch.

Hmmm... I have seen ones, even NOS, but not now.

This one is different than mine as mine has "mix" for heat and defrost.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Temperature-Control-Excluding-Dual-Tanks-Fits-82-FORD-F100-PICKUP-480523/184025123907?hash=item2ad8c08c43:g:1MgAAOSwRg9dwtX2

This one is for dealer installed units:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Temperature-Control-With-AC-Dealer-Installed-Fits-83-FORD-F100-PICKUP-14778970/352802053978?fits=Year%3A1983%7CModel%3AF-100%7CMake%3AFord&hash=item5224a41f5a:g:dfQAAOSwH1BdiwUm

Gary Lewis wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

Good to hear you kind of talked to him.
He has been MIA over you know where and we are worried as we have not heard from him.
Dave ----

I called Bill/NumberDummy this afternoon and we had a good chat.  Turns out he's put away his MPC's and has stepped down from providing part numbers.  After 18 years he just got tired of having to deal with people telling him he didn't know what he was talking about when he tried to explain that the number on a part is not a part number.  

Instead of spending many hours a day helping others he's helping himself.  He spends an hour each day at the gym, and then reads and re-connects with old friends.

So I invited him to come here and hang out.  Regale us with the many stories he knows.  Hope he does.

I can under stand I was worried, when someone just stops showing up to help we kind of think the worst.
Good to hear is "helping himself" that is what retirement is to be right
Thanks for passing on the information and he will be missed
Dave ----

1986F150Six wrote

Rembrant wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

Excellent!  I love it when a plan comes together.  

Gary,

I’ve been looking around at AC parts and components and something I’m not finding easily is the heat/AC control panel without the dual fuel tank switch. I know they existed as AC was an option in Flaresides obviously but every time I find a controller or pictures of one it always has the dual tank switch.

Hmmm... I have seen ones, even NOS, but not now.

This one is different than mine as mine has "mix" for heat and defrost.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Temperature-Control-Excluding-Dual-Tanks-Fits-82-FORD-F100-PICKUP-480523/184025123907?hash=item2ad8c08c43:g:1MgAAOSwRg9dwtX2

This one is for dealer installed units:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Temperature-Control-With-AC-Dealer-Installed-Fits-83-FORD-F100-PICKUP-14778970/352802053978?fits=Year%3A1983%7CModel%3AF-100%7CMake%3AFord&hash=item5224a41f5a:g:dfQAAOSwH1BdiwUm

They both look the same to me and for non-AC trucks.
So how is that bottom one for dealer installed AC?
Thought only the AC controls blend the air for defrost/vent and vent/floor? I think it is? To lazy to go look at my AC truck control.
Dave ----

1986F150Six wrote

This one is for dealer installed units:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Temperature-Control-With-AC-Dealer-Installed-Fits-83-FORD-F100-PICKUP-14778970/352802053978?fits=Year%3A1983%7CModel%3AF-100%7CMake%3AFord&hash=item5224a41f5a:g:dfQAAOSwH1BdiwUm

That one is the same one that is in my truck now. They have it titled incorrectly. That truck has no AC of any kind.

Something I need for this swap that I don't have is the clamps to mount the accumulator. Parts 19D607 in the picture below. If anybody happens to have an extra set let me know. Gary if you're watching could you let me know what the proper part number is for these clamps? I don't see it listed in the AC parts listing on the AC components page.

Gary fixed it.

Thanks for pointing out that they weren't in the parts number info.  They are now at Documentation/HVAC/HVAC systems.  And I only put the F-Series info on there.

But, just so you don't need to go look:

Shaun - I think I just beat you getting them in there.  

Gary Lewis wrote

Shaun - I think I just beat you getting them in there.  

You must have. Haha.

By the way, don't know how you pasted it in there, but I right-click the picture, copy the address, and then paste it in the "Or copy an image from the Internet:" option.  But make sure that there's no number past the jpg.  Sometimes when I edit the pic Weebly will put a number at the end.  Just delete that back to the "g".

Thanks for the part numbers, that's great!

Nothing on Ebay or at Green Sales or on RearCounter. Ok...NBD, I can make a set. I figured if I could find them and they were cheap I'd buy 'em, but I might as well wait until I get the rest of the AC parts anyway.

Surely one of the thousands on the FB groups is parting out an old Bull with AC.

Wish I hadn't thrown all of that stuff out.

Rembrant wrote

Something I need for this swap that I don't have is the clamps to mount the accumulator. Parts 19D607 in the picture below. If anybody happens to have an extra set let me know. Gary if you're watching could you let me know what the proper part number is for these clamps? I don't see it listed in the AC parts listing on the AC components page.

Cory, incorrect year, but could these be made to work? If so, perhaps a later model truck close to you could be the donor?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/7-3L-A-C-AC-DRYER-MOUNTING-STRAPS-FITS-99-00-01-02-03-FORD-F250-F350/123861673034?hash=item1cd6bb244a:g:HKcAAOSwy1ZdRKyr

85lebaront2 wrote

That right there is the biggest item you need. Lines can be bought aftermarket, the system will convert (done properly) to R134a, but if you can score a later compressor (FS-10 instead of FS-6) it will cool better. The 1994-1996/7 AC casing will fit the 1986 firewall with no modification. I would also recommend a later inside duct for the heater core and blend door, the later blend door actually seals the heater core off in max AC. The 1994-1996/7 condenser mounts differently from the 1986, but is adaptable.

If it were me, (a) having done Darth and (b) having to adapt the entire system, I would definitely update to the factory R134a system, just grab an entire Serpentine setup for a 302 and use the newer, improved system.

Can the later 1994-1996/7 cab and firewall AC components be used with the 1986 style compressor? Is it just a matter of adapting the lines to fit between the two systems, or is it not so simple? Just curious.

On painting the interior, SEM interior paint works very well, Painted my red interior to tan,
And yes swapping to an AC equipped cab is the way to go, I wanted to "install" AC into my stripped cab, The Owner of the JY that had a AC Cab said "if you want the spend hours trying the get all the blend doors wires vac lines ect, you'll never get it right in the stripped cab, Take the whole cab (completely rust free) and all components under the hood for $700.
Super glad I did!