Air Conditioning

[brialin]

Has anyone put air conditioning in a b61?

Wife say we can take truck to shows but need A/C.

How much would it cost?

Brian

[hatcity]

Leave the wife home-problem solved.

[HK Trucking]

Finding a spot for the condenser while still maintaining the stock appearance of the B61 nose would be the main problem, and if you shoehorned the condenser in front of the radiator you would have to disable the shutters so they are open all the time.

As far as mounting the compressor, there were lots of R model & DM's with E6 motors equipped with A/C, so you could try and find the compressor brackets from one of those, though the brackets would need to be modified slightly because the B61 uses a shorter water pump, therefore the belts are closer to the engine than on a DM or R.

For an evaporator you could adapt a complete HVAC unit from an R or DM, or possibly find an aftermarket under dash unit that could be adapted.

Other than these options, you could search for an old Kysor "rooftop" unit, which would give your truck a "period correct" appearance.

.

[Gambi80]

We added an aftermarket a/c unit to my dad's R a few years ago. Everything was bolt on, the condenser went underneath the radiator and the blower and all that bolted to the back wall of the cab between the seats. I can't remember off hand the name of the company that makes them. I know it's not the same truck but I'm sure things can be adapted well enough.

[theakerstwo]

Red dot I was working on the B when it was in production at the dealer here. We installed the roof mount as a kit and there was two braces that had to be welded in under the roof skin to suport the weight. There was a funky braket and idler mounted on the front timing gear cover of the front cover and it used a belt from the crank. If i remember it was not a good ideal. On my B i found a thin light metal pully that was same diameter as the water pump pulley and brased it to the water pump pulley and bingo. Used a R model compressor mount and a york compressor but have seen kits that had a braket that used a rotary compressor. I think that is better. I used a red dot condenssor and mounted it with its fan on top of the box that i have mounted using it as a camper.

[ducky698]

Red dot I was working on the B when it was in production at the dealer here. We installed the roof mount as a kit and there was two braces that had to be welded in under the roof skin to suport the weight. There was a funky braket and idler mounted on the front timing gear cover of the front cover and it used a belt from the crank. If i remember it was not a good ideal. On my B i found a thin light metal pully that was same diameter as the water pump pulley and brased it to the water pump pulley and bingo. Used a R model compressor mount and a york compressor but have seen kits that had a braket that used a rotary compressor. I think that is better. I used a red dot condenssor and mounted it with its fan on top of the box that i have mounted using it as a camper.

Hi, I am fitting air con to an r model, am using the vintage air gen 2 mini system, its a nice kit and small and fits behind the dash.

http://www.vintageair.com/

regards Grant

[vanscottbuilders]

The effectiveness of air conditioning in a B model Mack, or almost any old truck cab, is dependent on the details and pains taken in the preparation.

There is a totally restored B-53 that is going to the ATHS auction in California this spring.

The builder, from Alabama, had the truck in the Huntsville show last year. The truck really caught my eye.

That truck has the neatest installation of A/C that I have seen on a B model Mack.

The condenser unit is mounted under a set of steps up to the frame at the passenger side rear of the cab.

The fan is fully shrouded in, and the whole unit looks like it belongs there. The rest of the A/C equipment is between the seats on the floor at the rear wall of the cab in a custom fabricated box/console. Very neat install.

I believe that it is a Red Dot system, but almost any of the hot rod systems should work.

The real key for air conditioning to be effective in the B cab is the insulation. Particularly the firewall insulation. The cab is a very efficient oven, and overcoming the heat build-up is a real challenge. Just sealing up the holes and drafts from the engine compartment is a huge help.

Again, this B-53 builder has used a neat idea - he used heat resistant expanding foam in aerosals on the underside of the cab floor. The area above the inner rockers is completely filled with foam, yet is not visible at all from the outside of the truck (Unless you stand on your head and look up under the truck). The foam is available readily at places like Home Depot. The interior insulation is a mix of thermal and noise reducing sheet goods attached directly to the sheet metal and finished with either rubber floor mat or carpet.

My personal feeling is that if you have a very well insulated cab, the need for air conditioning is minimized, except, perhaps, in the warm climates.

Hope this helps.

Paul Van Scott

[theakerstwo]

Paul I used a unit from a cab over freightliner when the evaporator was mounted inside at the top of the cab in a console. This was modifide and install under the bench passenger seat. The condensor was a red dot install on top of the camper.We insulated the under of the cab and the roof and firewall as much as we could but the doors was a bad leak.Like stated old cabs are like a oven. The engine heat is bad on the fire wall.The B 61 has a problem getting the hot air out from under the cab.I built a larger rad for mine and still could not get enough air thru the rad untill i moved the cab forward and up aboy three in. and then that would let the air to get out from under it.This was because of a larger HP engine. I had to put a small dog house in the firewall to move the cab forward.