Adding AC to 1961 305 V6

[GTS61]

I want to add AC to my 1961 GMC stepside pickup which has never had it before. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a company and what I will need to have air conditioning installed. Any advice would be appreciated. I live in Florida so I will need it. Thanks

[Ed Snyder]

Originally Posted by GTS61

I want to add AC to my 1961 GMC stepside pickup which has never had it before. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a company and what I will need to have air conditioning installed. Any advice would be appreciated. I live in Florida so I will need it. Thanks

I chose Vintage Air for installation in my '62 Suburban. Others may disagree, but I think Vintage Air is the biggest, best known, and best engineered of the aftermarket A/C suppliers. I had an advantage you won't have though, in mounting my compressor. I installed it on a 401 which had an "ear" high on the driver's side of the water pump housing. It probably had an air compressor mounted on it in a previous life. I used Vintage Air's generic compressor mounting brackets. So you would most likely have to have custom compressor mounting brackets fabricated. You can see mine in the photos below (click on the thumbnails to enlarge). I cut holes in the dash for 2 of the vents and mounted the two outboard ones below the dash.

[GTS61]

Looks awesome Ed! The 2 in the dash really make it look like factory installed. Do you have a 3 groove pulley on your crankshaft? Also I was told that I would need a 6 blade fan from Classic Auto Air. This so new to me I wish I knew what I needed on my motor to run AC. I have a generator and don't know if I need to change to a regulator or what. I'll probably need to call the AC company.

[Ed Snyder]

Originally Posted by GTS61

Looks awesome Ed! The 2 in the dash really make it look like factory installed. Do you have a 3 groove pulley on your crankshaft? Also I was told that I would need a 6 blade fan from Classic Auto Air. This so new to me I wish I knew what I needed on my motor to run AC. I have a generator and don't know if I need to change to a regulator or what. I'll probably need to call the AC company.

Just 2 groove pulleys -- one for the alternator and one for the compressor. The water pump on the 401 is mounted too high to use an engine-mounted fan, so I went with an electric fan with shroud. I did convert from a generator to an alternator.

[GTS61]

Thanks so much Ed. One more question. What do I need to switch from generator to alternator?

[Ed Snyder]

Originally Posted by GTS61

Thanks so much Ed. One more question. What do I need to switch from generator to alternator?

If I remember right (I did all this several years ago) the alternator mounting bracket is different from the generator mounting bracket. Someone here on the forum may be able to sell you one. But you could probably get away without converting to an alternator. I did it to get more amps to power the electric fan.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

I second the Vintage Air. I have it on my wish list for when I get to that point. EVERYBODY that has one loves it, and it looks almost factory so bonus points there.


On the alternator bracket, you can do what my PO did and just run a looooong bolt through the bottom mounting bolt hole and the alternator and it'll mount just fine. The wiring is straight on a 2 wire GM alternator, you don't run it through a rectifier like the old generators had (iirc). I can take some pics if you get in there and get lost.

[GTS61]

Thanks a lot Fetchmeapepsi!! Love the name!! Is there a certain alternator I should buy? Could you give a brand or anything else? I sure appreciate your help.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by GTS61

Thanks a lot Fetchmeapepsi!! Love the name!! Is there a certain alternator I should buy? Could you give a brand or anything else? I sure appreciate your help.

No prob!


Brand won't really matter. If you go into OReilleys and say "Hi, I need a 2 wire GM alternator" they'll know what you're talking about. They may ask you how many amps though. I think mine's 130, but honestly I didn't need that much. I don't run a boom car (I like my neighbors) or anything that draws heavy, it was just the cheapest one they had.


Oh, and you'll probably need a pigtail to connect it to your truck wiring. Ask if they carry the wire that connects to the back of it. It's two prong. There's also a single prong "bolt" wire runs to your battery, but you can mash one of those together from any 16 gauge (IIRC) wire with a set of wire terminals.

Take pics when you get started. it's fun to see where you were and where you are now. If you're really into it, you can start a build thread and go wild

Unless you already have one and I missed it. In which case gimme a link and I'll subscribe.

[TJ's GMC]

Does your 61 has P/S? I think with a 305, you'll have to ditch the power steering to add A/C. No experience with it yet, but judging by my 305 it sure looks that way. And if you don't have P/s your off to a good start. haha