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Are you considering adding Air Conditioning to your classic car or truck?  Read on for some HOT tips below!

There are many reasons to modernize classic cars from the 1950s, 60s and 70s but one of the most popular upgrades requested of us is Air Conditioning.  Some classic cars came originally equipped with AC but many did not. For the ones that already have it, sometimes it's possible to convert the system to the modern Freon required today (R134A) - the original Freon (R12) is no longer available due to its hazardous properties.  There are pros and cons to doing a conversion of an old system - mostly cons because it doesn't always work or work well AND it can be very expensive.  The components in an R12 system were designed to use R12 and R134's chemical properties are different. When clients request this of us, we generally dissuade them due to the high cost and possibility for an unsatisfactory result.  Generally speaking, installing an entire new system from manufacturers like Vintage Air and Classic Auto Air is the best option for effectiveness and reliability (it's also the most expensive option as you can imagine.)

New, complete systems are widely available for popular cars and trucks from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and universal kits are available for many others. Building a custom system for vehicles that don't have a direct fit option can also be done but it can get expensive due to the customization involved.

Some serious considerations when doing an AC upgrade or conversion - The molecules that make up R134A are smaller than R12 and can actually slip past R12 hose linings, leaking out of an otherwise secure system. AC removes heat from the cabin and by doing that it takes on heat in many components, especially the Condenser which sits right in front of the engine's radiator.  If you have a hot running engine, a cooling system upgrade is a major consideration. Belts and pulleys will need to be dealt with - some kits have what you need for the conversion job but not all. Old Heat and AC systems may have issues with controls, cables, vents or ducts that must be corrected for a properly operating system. Vehicles with no AC will typically need some vents added. If a bolt in kit is not available for your vehicle, an under-dash unit might be the ticket - however, there may not be room and some of them are unsightly.  Old cars that didn't have AC will almost always require an electric fan added on and an alternator upgrade (and possibly wiring upgrades) to support the added power required for the fan and the ac compressor.  Non EFI vehicles (carbureted) will struggle to maintain an idle when the AC is switched on. There are idle "stepper" motors available for carburetors but they don't always work all that well. As you can see, it's not a quick or simple job to do it right.

There are also many opinions out there that say ditch the AC altogether.  They drain power and sometimes don't perform well. Modern AC in a modern car is great but some believe you shouldn't really be driving an old muscle car on super hot days anyway. These cars with high-performance engines designed 60 years ago, and running on an ethanol fuel blend to boot, run really hot. Cranking up the AC in the cabin makes them run hotter. We at Pro-Speed spend a lot of time keeping these classic vehicles running cool in extremely hot weather - they live for spring and fall and cooler summer evenings, not stop and go crawls at the beach when it's 95 degrees. Or the Beltway, anytime.

Ditch the AC.  Pros and cons, starting with cons:

CON: On a hot day you won't have AC

PRO: Removing the AC removes a drag on the engine - more power for you. However much horsepower your engine makes, some of that horsepower has to run the AC. Even in a modern car you can tell when the AC kicks on and she gets sluggish.

PRO: Removing the AC provides your engine with more electrical power, always critical, but more so with an aftermarket EFI set up. EFI systems thrive on correct, consistent, non-fluctuating voltage.

PRO: Back to running hot. The AC condenser lives in front of the radiator, getting first dibs on all the cool air. Eliminating AC lets the radiator have unfettered access to fresh air. See notes about running hot above.

PRO: Removing the AC cleans up the engine compartment, under the dash and the wiring. Probably strip 20 pounds or so off the car, too. Seven pounds equals 1HP; think like a drag racer.

PRO: No AC? Then no AC leaks, or broken components, and need to recharge. And you'll never turn it on and find out it quit working. Go straight to rolling down the windows like our fathers did.

As you can see there are pros and cons for running with AC in a classic vehicle or an old muscle car. Many opinions about it as well. The choice is yours - If you are just going to cruise around and your climate doesn't get extremely hot, AC might be the way to go. If you want all out performance, lose the AC.  One option to think about is a classic car with a modern engine swapped in (think Gen 3 Hemi or LS swap) - these modern engines were designed with AC in mind and the drag placed on them is not as much of a problem.  Either way, most folks want AC especially on the brutal hot days we are having in Northern Virginia this summer already. Hopefully the pros and cons we provided give you some things to consider.