If I were to rip the AC controls out of a newer vehicle, and adapt my firewall to fit the heaterbox, do you think it would be safe to say that the connections to the compressor would be similar? All it does is turn on and turn off, right? Does it have any other statuses? I am going to try to adapt a newer style AC control unit and put it in an overhead console, and use the space left behind for gauges. Thanks guys.

 

That's partly true. AFAIK all of these cars are of the CCOT design (Clutch Cycling Orifice Tube) and all compressors designed for that type of system are pretty much interchangeable... just a big dumb pump that turns on when the controls want it and off the rest of the time. Some newer cars use a compressor with variable bypass (I don't know the "official" name, I'm just an idiot I guess), these would not interchange. In them, the compressor has an internal regulator of sorts that controls the amount of work it does, so that it uses as little power off the motor as possible. Most of the cars that use a thermostat type of "climate control" run the A/C all the time, and simply mix its air with heated air to attain the set temperature.

------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

Awsome. Thanks for the info. I'll have to take a look at some Ac systems that look nice to see which one I would like to put in. Any suggestions? Thanks.