Re: [Chrysler300] 1957 Air conditioning

["rob kern" <robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Keith,
    Good Luck!  The other thing to consider besides the actual A/C equipment is that the passenger side cylinder head is different for a factory A/C car in that it has holes drilled to bolt on the compressor mounting brackets.  A few club members have drilled these holes themselves and have entered the coolant jcket or cracked the head. Pulleys are another factor to consider as well as the fan guard for the radiator. The belts are 71" long and tend to strum.  I cured this problem with advice from Ron Fedoryck who put a belt tensioning pulley on from a '55 331 Hemi. There are other factors that have to be considered in terms of larger generator (40 amp) and the heater/cooler switch and wiring for the control panel under the radio. Have Fun!  ROB KERN
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Keith Boonstra 
  To: rob kern 
  Cc: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 4:10 PM
  Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] 1957 Air conditioning


    Wow! Put a question out there, and get a thousand terrific words of 
  advice in two hours. I really appreciate it. 

  My thought is that aftermarket air might be something like $1500 
  installed (and that's without doing any checking on prices), and that 
  for maybe double that (or so) I could end up with a complete, correct 
  factory system installed.

  Some years back I put a Vintage Air system in a '67 Ford. It worked out 
  adequately, but you don't bring in fresh air through it. And if you open 
  a vent you frost the coil up solid in no time. So I see a factory 
  system as being a better functioning unit to begin with. And beyond 
  that I don't think any monetary value or return is gained by the 
  installation of an aftermarket system, and, of course it doesn't look as 
  good.

  It sounds from some of you (such as Rob Kern), on the other hand, that 
  the factory way is going to be a bit of a nightmare at best. And I 
  understand that.

  So let me think some more about the pros and cons of each way.

  Thanks guys.

  BTW if anyone is short on R-12 we should talk. I can help.

  Keith Boonstra

  rob kern wrote:
  > Keith,
  > Some thoughts on the A/C issue. My C has factory A/C and I added 
  > rear A/C from Old Air Products in Fort Worth. I also added a 1100 cfm 
  > condenser fan and a trinary switch to protect the Chrysler 
  > compressor. I'm running R-12 as refrigerant and have factory Solex 
  > glass since it was a factory A/C car. The Model 900 HVAC system parts 
  > are extremely hard to come by and the underdash componentry is a "Rube 
  > Goldberg" scenario of Chrysler engineering at best. Fortunately the 
  > oil mechanisms and solenoids all work. Many previous owners found 
  > getting the A/C system to be cold a venerable money pit with tepid 
  > results. I spent countless $$$ thousands getting replacement parts , 
  > etc. to get it keeping cold and working to parameters. Starting off 
  > with anything short of NOS will be a nightmare of a Stephen King novel 
  > proportion. George McKovich installed aftermarket A/C in his 
  > non-factory C and is very pleased. Bill Woodman installed a '56 rear 
  > unit with a Sandin compressor and is very pleased. Merle Wolfer is 
  > working on a factory unit for his D. Jeff Carter knows these units 
  > thoroughly and may be able to get you headed in the right direction if 
  > you must have a factory unit. My advice would be to contact George 
  > McKovich and persue that route since you don't have a factory A/C car. 
  > My 2 cents worth. 300'ly, ROB KERN
  >
  > ----- Original Message -----
  > *From:* keboonstra <mailto:kboonstra@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  > *To:* Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  > <mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  > *Sent:* Tuesday, October 27, 2009 12:34 PM
  > *Subject:* [Chrysler300] 1957 Air conditioning
  >
  > 
  >
  > OK Folks, our '57 300C has sat in the barn way too much in the
  > summers just because I'm too spoiled rotten to ride around without
  > A/C anymore in a car that doesn't have a flip top. And besides
  > that, it needed a few improvements that are long overdue.
  >
  > After owning it now (for the second time) for 26 years, I'm
  > finally taking care of a lot of the things I should have been
  > doing right along. I'm putting in seat belts, re-installing
  > correct carbs, finally putting on that right side mirror, fixing
  > up the armrests, and maybe I'll throw a set of WW radials on it so
  > it can safely hit the road.
  >
  > So now I would also like to install a complete original A/C
  > system, and I don't know where to start. Who out there might have
  > everything I'm going to need to accomplish this (both the parts
  > and the knowledge)? I know this won't be cheap, but in my view it
  > will add that much long term value to the car. And it will add
  > immensely to our pleasure in heading halfway across the country
  > for a meet.
  >
  > Who's got parts or ideas for a starting point? Your thoughts?
  >
  > Many thanks,
  > Keith Boonstra
  > Holland, Michigan
  >
  > 
  >


  

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

To send a message to this group, send an email to:
Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm

For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    mailto:Chrysler300-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    mailto:Chrysler300-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/