http://sportscargallery.com/images/70_Nova_blk4spd_intpsdash1.jpg
http://sportscargallery.com/images/70_Nova_blk4spd_eng1.jpg

I've seen these before but was wondering....

1. Were the under dash a/c units like the one in the above pics only installed at the dealerships? Or could anyone go out and buy one and install it themselves?

2. Where on the fire wall did the refrigerant lines pass thru at? I'm guessing it was required to cut a hole in the fire wall to do this?

I had a '68 survivor car that had one from Sears. It looked exactly like the one in your pic. The hoses went thru the firewall just over the gas pedal and the drier was on the right fenderwell instead of the left one. I switched to R134 and replaced the drier and it blew 35 degrees! GM had on that the dealer would install, and Mark IV was another good one. Lots of places did them back then.

Yep, the Mark IV was a very common unit, with different evaporator cases to match the vehicle.. There were many places that sold and installed add-on AC systems, from NAPA to JC Whitney, even K-Mart.
They were a pretty simple TXV system and most used a York or Tecumseh compressor. They were closest in design to OEM Ford systems of the mid-late 60s.
Some worked really well, some were lousy. The biggest problem was the size of the condenser on some applications. I had a Mark IV in a 72 Ford truck that worked just ok. It needed a bit larger condenser than what was spec'd for it. Many cheap kits needed better sealing between the condenser and radiator than was supplied also.

Is that the drier I see on the left side inner fender?

I recall when my dad bought an old Nova from a neighbor it had one, didn't work and dad removed it, I was 12 at the time.

I don't know what brand it was.....

Wasn't the evaporator contained within the underdash unit itself?

The underdash unit had the evap, expansion valve and blower all in one case. And that is the drier on the left fenderwell. Only issue I have with these units is that they take up all the room under the dash and leave no space for gaueges and yer 8 track!

8 track? Who still has one of those?:confused:

Of course not all cars had under dash 8 tracks, some cars like this 70 Nova had indash 8 tracks. Leaves more room under the dash for other accessories. :yes:

I though everybody had an 8 track! I sure am not down with the new stuff like cassettes :)