Been a while since I posted as been so busy and been working heavily on the Dart.

Anyway, my question is, does anyone have any pictures of factory installed AC on a '71 Slant Dart? Pictures in the engine compartment and of the dash/behind the dash unit would be great.

Have a dealer installed unit now and looking to perhaps gather the pieces to convert to factory air so I can get rid of the hang on box under the dash which is cramping my knee a bit. Also wondering if the system is more technically advanced with better control in the system than what I have.

Thanks for any help!

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From Mopars to classic Minis and back to Mopars in 19 years flat!

Will work for roast chicken crisps!!

A factory service manual would be what you really need.

However, quite few things are different with factory AC. The firewall, the heater box and vent on the passenger side, etc. Even the dash trim plate for the pushbutton switch is different, and is very hard to find for a 71.

The factory AC also has the vents hanging under the dash, allot like an aftermarket unit.

I would look at one of the aftermarket kits that put the unit behind the dash and then only have narrow vents under the dash, which would be no worse than the factory unit and much more realistic to actually install.

Thanks for the post! OUCH! Even the firewall is different???? Is it just a matter of holes for the lines to come through or a different shape all together?

Thanks again.

Cheers

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From Mopars to classic Minis and back to Mopars in 19 years flat!

Will work for roast chicken crisps!!

See this post. If the present underdash box is bothering you, the easiest thing to do will be to select and install a different style of underdash box. Remember, even the factory A/C used an underdash air distribution box; the ducts were not integrated into the dash as we're used to in modern vehicles. You may want to check the slimline units at places like ACKits.com.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks for the posts. Sounds like a pass then. Just wanted something out of the way and it was for the correct year and only $100 complete from firewall back. If firewall is different then that does not help either. Only issue I have now with an aftermarket that takes up less space is I know I'll be looking to add on some sort of cycling function etc. Right now looks like the dealer air just has a fan control twist knob, a temp control twist knob, the lines go out hand have no pressure switches that I can see and the compressor has a single wire sort of looped around a line going over to it. Looks a pretty simple system. Actually worked and was using it, but then it just cut off all together, no fan no nothing. Waited a bit and tried it again and it worked fine for a bit and then cut off again.

So, a combo of getting it to work for a longer period (like a 1200 mile trip instead of 5 miles or so) and getting the room back for the under dash as it is really cramping my knees was the emphasis to looking at the factory stuff.

Back to square one. Don't have the doss to completely replace it with aftermarket.

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From Mopars to classic Minis and back to Mopars in 19 years flat!

Will work for roast chicken crisps!!

Im not that up on non factory A/C but back in the day I just took of the under dash diffusor part and let the air blow down. I believe it actually cooled the car better without the restriction.
Just a thought.
Frank

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Scrapple: Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
73 Duster - Race Car
66 Dart Wagon - DD
178" FED
82 D150
All Slant powered

The temp control knob is attached to a variable clutch cycling switch; you've already got your cycling function.
The nice thing about simple systems is that they're simple to diagnose. Dodgy wire, faulty switch, something simple.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.