Finally Aftermarket AC Systems for 1980-1986 F-Series

Don't know if anybody happened to see this posted on Facebook earlier today, but it looks like Vintage Air released an aftermarket AC system to retrofit into AC equipped, and non-AC Bullnose trucks. This is very cool, and it looks like a really nice kit. I wish it was available when I had my '84 Flareside.

https://www.vintageair.com/surefit/complete-kits/?make=Ford&year1=1980&model=F%20Series

Kits for inline 6 and V8, and nice instructions also.

This is really tempting ...

The wife would kill me.

Nice find!

It’s cool that it has the vents and controller instead of all under the dash type units.

That's cool!  

Gary Lewis wrote

That's cool!  

grumpin wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

That's cool!  

Rembrant wrote

Don't know if anybody happened to see this [...] but it looks like Vintage Air released an aftermarket AC system to retrofit into AC equipped, and non-AC Bullnose trucks.

Yep, saw it and found it very interesting!

But looking at the price (2K$ US, something around 2700$ CAD), I told to myself that I could wait a bit, for the moment Quebec is cool enough in summer time.
With climate changes, we never know...  I'll write down this product in my wishlist.


Quite expansive for just couple of hot days per year here.

Why would you need their kit for a AC truck
Non AC I can see but you can get everything for a factory AC truck to get it working again.
Dave ----

Maybe if you have an old York/Tecumseh system and want to go with something later?  Dad's truck had the York, but I'm going to put the FS6 out of Big Blue since I put an FS10 in him.  Just need to figure out the mounting on an M-Block.

Gary Lewis wrote

Maybe if you have an old York/Tecumseh system and want to go with something later?  Dad's truck had the York, but I'm going to put the FS6 out of Big Blue since I put an FS10 in him.  Just need to figure out the mounting on an M-Block.

In my case my parts truck came with a York and only had half the mounting bracket.
Now I could have found the other half but ....... there is always a but ........
My truck was running a Saganaw PS pump, I did have the Ford PS pump on the parts truck but did not know what brackets I might of needed to mount it along with the York bracket?

So staying with what I had, PS, and was working I needed to find brackets for the later compressor as I wanted to run it and work with the pump I had. A member on here was able to get me the right brackets from a van that is working.

You know they make am adapter bracket that uses the York motor brackets / flat plate, and you can then bolt the newer compressor to it. I also looked into this but being I only had half the York bracket that would not work for me.
I think you can find them on Ebay.
That is the way I work go if I had motor brackets for the York.
Dave ----

ps the only issue I had running the later compressor was hoses as the compressor ends changed between the 2 systems. I was able to find off the shelf hose that worked but was looking at having a custom one made.

FuzzFace2 wrote

...but you can get everything for a factory AC truck to get it working again.

Well, you can get the main hardware like compressor and lines for the engine bay, but if you need any of the vacuum motors, blend doors, controls, ducting, etc that stuff is more difficult. I can't see anybody replacing a working factory AC system, but if you bought a 40 year old Bullnose to restore and none of the AC system worked, I'd install one of these kits in a heartbeat just to have all new stuff.

Rembrant wrote

FuzzFace2 wrote

...but you can get everything for a factory AC truck to get it working again.

Well, you can get the main hardware like compressor and lines for the engine bay, but if you need any of the vacuum motors, blend doors, controls, ducting, etc that stuff is more difficult. I can't see anybody replacing a working factory AC system, but if you bought a 40 year old Bullnose to restore and none of the AC system worked, I'd install one of these kits in a heartbeat just to have all new stuff.

Do you know who you are talking to
The crazy one who replaced half the firewall to get AC

Ok I can see the motors and now the controls, mine were missing, not working but most of the systems are still there it is the compressor & bracket that go missing.

I have not looked at the link but most of the after market systems dont have a way to get fresh air into the cab where factory has "vent".
And if you can close off water to the heater core or have a door that seals you can keep the cab pretty cool before needing AC.
Dave ----

FuzzFace2 wrote

Do you know who you are talking to
The crazy one who replaced half the firewall to get AC

Haha, yes, I sure do know! You will forever hold the crown for that firewall swap Dave, because I don't think anybody else would ever do it (even if they had the skills).
But you know what I mean though...if you had an old system that wasn't working with rotten and warped plastics, etc...swapping in a new AC kit would be pretty slick in my opinion.

Looks like I am going to have to bookmark that.  I have Dealer AC but I know eventually the Dealer unit will have a failed evaporator core and will require replacement.

This would be the replacement for me.  I just wonder what they are doing with the dash vents.  Are you cutting out the whole plastic piece of the dash or is that like a trim piece that sits over the dash.

~Update~
Well that panel mounts under the dash using the glovebox screws.  I am not a fan of the passenger side dash vents being under the dash mount.  They have you cut the driver side dash bezel for dash mounted vents yet passenger side hangs under the dash.  Maybe they will correct that down the road but I think I would try to fabricate the dash vents I currently have to work with the vintage air kit if I ever did the upgrade.  At the very least I have thought about tossing my York compressor for a sanden and redo my hoses and try to keep my dealer evaporator going as long as possible.