[brown7373]

I do my A/C work myself, after I bought the Haynes Techbook Automotive Heating and Air Conditioning (#10425). Not that it is better than a factory service manual, but it does a good job of explaining the basics, that the service manual assumes you already know.

If I had a non A/C vehicle, I'd use Vintage Air, but replace the factory system...never. Have the POA rebuilt and calibrated for either R12 or 134A whichever you use. Don't use that silly POA bypass or replacement or whatever they call it, use a real POA. My system with 134A works just fine in south Florida. My 72 Cutlass also has a parallet flow condenser and with 134A I have 25 - 30 degree air from the vents. The cross flow does a better job of cooling the refrigerant, but unfortunately, they do not yet make one for our trucks. If you need a new compressor, and if it has sat for a while it may leak, spend extra money and buy a rebuilt from Classic Auto Air. Many of the lower cost suppliers are inferior, or they sit on their shelves too long and the seal dries out and leaks. And Classic is VERY GOOD at helping you. I have spent numerous times on the phone getting tech help, when I needed it.