1979 trans am Air-conditioner replacement
 

Hey , I have a 79 400 4 speed trans am black on black hard top. It had ac from factory but Previous owner removed All wire and firewall box is there gave me the compressor with one bracket missing plus condenser that he just cut brackets that looks like junk. So it's hot on 80 plus day. is it better to just replace all original or is there a aftermaket kit that is a better route?

Original matching number car, go original

Yes it is matching numbers but I'm just looking for the best easiest to install package deal I see on tv they made kit for older cars up dated , better Compressor, etc

This has the updated compressor. This should eliminate the dreaded A6 front seal leak, and uses less HP to turn. Not the way to go if you have a survivor or restoration:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/77-81-Firebi...MAAOSweW5VVfw6

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/H0UAAO...tJ/s-l1600.jpg

http://www.ebay.com/itm/77-78-79-80-...1Wu3x8&vxp=mtr

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/E64AAO...x8/s-l1600.jpg

Yes that's the kit I was thinking just reprinted t/a last year it's a great drive rebuilt. 30 over pWh 400 be so much nicer with cold AC anyone familiar with this kit will have good directions and us R 12 ?

This kit is set up for using r134A refrigerant. I would not modify a 400
4 speed car because it hurts the value too much, and these cars restored properly are bringing very big bucks. if your car is just a beater, then modify away. If it is a very nice car, I would put it back stock.

I am thinking of going with this kit myself. I put a original A6 compressor with 134a instead of r12. I used old evaporator and condenser, just flushed both with cleaner. The system worked well, the only problem was blower motor does not push out air like modern cars do. The plastic vents in TA duct work are not sealed the best either. I had to keep blower motor on high(modern car fan motor would be on 2 or 3) for hot days and this would tax the alternator at idle. I guess it depends where you live but 134a refrigerant worked great for me until the front seal blew(which is real common on A6 compressors):(, just like 77 Canamman said. Plus when the A6 front compressor seal blows it slings oil on the underside of your hood. Don't worry about adding the newer compressor to your TA' it is lighter and takes less HP to run. The kit is a bolt on and you are not modifying anything on firewall or engine. If you ever need to sell car and that person wants original compressor and ac lines then they can do that. The 134a is cheaper then the r12 especially if you need to do repairs on AC system down the road.

Thank you all for your input. Going to get new kit don't plan on selling car in the near future. Jim

Be nice if they had a newer design high efficiency condensor or evap core.

Oh, but they do....

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/77-79-FIR...-/360292724190

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-81-Fire...oAAOSwofxUlH4E

Interesting! My old college roommate started doing aftermarket AC add ons as a business(back when some were ordered without A/C) and now has stuff manufactured for various OEm companies I'l have to ask him about these

Some of the easiest kits to change to become the hardest to correct when you realise you should have gone original.

If you must use R134A, I would switch to the parallel flow condensers and evaporators. That is the design that the late model cars designed for R134A use. If you must stick with original parts, use the refrigerant designed for the system. GM had some of the best auto HVAC systems out there, and still do.

I've been restoring my 79 TA for years now...long story...and last week I installed the upgrade R134a system from Classic Auto Air.

I'm the original owner of my l78-W72 4speed car, and 6x-4 heads are on the shelf, modified 62 heads in place along with other upgrades so, while it is a numbers matching 79 TA, it isn't as it sits.

My selection of this upgrade kit using a Sanden style rotary compressor was for improved efficiency over the monster A-6 compressor that leaked from the front seal. I retained all those OEM parts, could have had the A-6 rebuilt, but working operation was more important to me than what the car could be sold for at some time in the future.

Do you have it operating yet? Wondering how well it's cooling for you.

But when you pop the hood what looks worse than a gutted A/C system, a after market system. There are guys that will sell you the whole system rite down to the nuts nd bolts, I wouldn't buy a car with a gutted system.
Guys like Firedan will sell you the whole correct system. I recently picked up a 22 lb tank of r12. That's not hard to find either. Keep,it Original

Grand73AM--
The system has not been charged yet as my TA is still in pieces getting ready (at some date in the future) for new paint. Just getting all the mechanical stuff out of the way so there's less chance of some knucklehead leaning over the fender ruining my $$$ paint job. All the under dash AC ducting also needs to be re-installed.

Thanks. I'm in the process of installing my Classic Auto Air kit. I got the kit with the new evap core and condenser, so I've installed them and soon the compressor. Sounds like your car is more disassembled than mine. I should have mine going in about a month.

Grand73Am--
On my 79 TA, the evaporator housing has a metal bracket that holds the accumulator with a bracket that is attached to the accumulator. There is also a small round clip that holds the lower inlet line to the evaporator close to the bracket. This is where the fixed orifice is located. You may have a slightly different A-6 OEM set up than the later 79 version and may not have the problems I did.

What I had to do was pull the evaporator case and remove the bracket's 3 rivets that hold it to the fiberglass housing. I'm telling you this because the set up for the 79 TA caused me fit problems with the accumulator. The bracket conflicted with the location of the new accumulator. It was resolved favorably but was quite tricky to get the right fit angle on the accumulator.

I'm using a new evaporator from Classic Auto Air as well but decided to retain the original condenser. I find the mounting bracket arrangement for the compressor quite sturdy and easy to adjust tension on the belt. I finally settled on a 59.5" V belt purchased at NAPA. I found this length provides plenty of adjustment room to get proper tension on the V belt.

Check out the photo below.

Thanks for the tips! Mine's the Olds 403, so the belt length might end up being a little different.