Hard-core high performance is a term that all Cobra owners are familiar with due to the fact their cars are able to accelerate hard, corner as though they are attached to rails, and stop in a blink of an eye. Whether you own a roadster or a coupe, the feeling you get when you light the fire under your healthy V-8 is sure to bring a smile to your face, but there are times when the outside temperatures can wreak quite a bit of discomfort with your time at the wheel.
We're talking about those days when there is a definite chill in the air that a jacket alone can't remedy, as well as the dog days of summer when all you crave is a cold blast of air to keep you comfy. Up until recently there was little that you could do to get all of these creature comforts in your Cobra--that is, until now!
Sensing the need of Cobra owners to find an alternative to either sweating or freezing in their cars, Chris Richards of Quality Roadsters in West Brookfield, Massachusetts, set out to create a system that would be tailored to work within the tight confines of the Cobra, as opposed to trying to get an existing off-the-shelf system to adapt to the car's needs. He contacted a leader in the heating and air conditioning business, Vintage Air (San Antonio, TX), and explained all of the requirements the Cobra needed in order to create a proper system that would be adapted specifically for the car.
After designing and developing the product, Vintage Air came up with a system designed solely for the Cobra, and presented it to Richards, who then added all of the necessary additional components to create a complete off-the-shelf system that fits both roadster and coupe owners. Offered exclusively through Quality Roadsters, Richards offers three different kits, one specifically for 4.6 Ford-powered cars, one for all other Ford V-8-powered cars, and one designed just for the Daytona coupe.
The kit's compact design fits neatly within the confines of the engine compartment and behind the dash, while all vents are hidden from view and the dash controls look factory (that is if Carroll would have ever thought of putting A/C into his racers!), and there are options for a polished compressor, chromed drier, and stainless-steel braided lines with Aeroquip fittings available should you desire them. Interested? Then follow along as Chris installs his complete system in a brand-new Factory Five Racing Cobra.
After drilling a few pilot holes in the firewall to allow access for the cutting blade, Chris uses an air-powered hacksaw to open the space up for the evaporator housing. This step can also be completed by hand using a standard hacksaw. | 
It's a good idea to file down the new opening's edges to remove any burrs and sharp pieces left behind by the hacksaw. | 
With the firewall opening completed, it's now time to place the evaporator into the firewall for a test fit. |
After aligning the evaporator in the firewall, Chris drills some initial pilot holes with a 1/8-inch drill bit on either side of the box to squarely locate it in the opening. | 
With four pilot holes drilled, Chris secures the evaporator to the firewall using four Cleko fasteners while he follows up with all of the additional mounting holes. | 
With all of the mounting holes drilled, Chris uses an air-driven rivet gun to secure the evaporator to the firewall. You could also use a manual rivet gun or sheetmetal screws to complete this step. |
From the engine side of the firewall, Chris mounts the high-output blower assembly to the evaporator with the provided hardware. | 
Measure and firmly secure the left and right vent assemblies to the 2x2" chassis crossmember by drilling through the vent assembly with the appropriate-sized bit for the size sheetmetal screws used. Once secured, its time to attach the hoses from the blower to the vents. | 
Though not shown, the installation of the defroster vents and dash cables comes next, as the body must be installed and secured to mount these items. The lower vents are recessed far enough back so that they cannot be seen once the dash is in place. |
Here is the completed evaporator, blower, vents, and hoses in place, which will be totally hidden once the dash is set back into place. Nice, neat, and clean. | 
Working in the engine bay, Chris attaches the bracket that supports the A/C compressor to the driver's side cylinder head with the provided hardware. (Chris has a multitude of bracket combinations available for almost every engine configuration.) | 
Chris mounts the A/C compressor in place, making sure that the fit is secure. The A/C compressor looks great in its new spot, and it's also offered in a highly polished version, too, for that little extra bit of glitz, just in case. |
With the accessory drive belt installed and tightened, the system is starting to look complete. | 
Using a 1/4-inch drill bit, Chris drills the support mounting bracket holes for the A/C receiver/drier assembly, which will be secured to the exterior of the passenger-side foot box. | 
The receiver/drier assembly has been mounted using rivets. |
After securing the mounting brackets to the extra large condenser, Chris places the unit in front of the radiator, positioning it to mark the holes used to attach the condenser to the frame surrounding the radiator. | 
With a 3/16-inch drill bit, Chris carefully drills the mounting holes into the radiator frame. The condenser will be mounted to the radiator with rivets. | 
Talk about a great-looking install, the use of rivets in this instance has made the securing of the condenser look real clean. |
With all of the major components of the system now in place, it's time to begin installing the hose lines to connect the system. Using the -6 line, the receiver/drier is connected to the evaporator. | 
A -10 hose line connects the evaporator to the A/C compressor. | 
Using the -8 hose line, the compressor is connected to the condenser. |
Here Chris measures and marks the appropriate length of -6 hose that will be needed to connect the condenser to the receiver/drier. | 
To crimp the hose ends on the lines, Chris uses his Atco 3710 air-powered crimping tool. Chris advises that most any well-equipped auto parts store is capable of crimping ends on lines, or you could simply measure all the lines and send them back to Chris who will do that work for you. | 
Measuring a -6 line to attach the condenser to the receiver/drier, Chris recommends one end of the hose be crimped and secured before taking the final measurement at the other end on any of the hose measuring applications. |
The inlet and outlet from the condenser have a clean factory appearance. | 
The completed A/C line for the system ends with the connection of the condenser to the receiver/drier with the -6 line. | 
With custom flex-tubing from Summit, Chris measured, cut, shaped, and mounted all of the heater hoses from the evaporator box to the manifold and water pump. Included in the line is a coolant cutoff switch. |
The wiring harness was installed with the provided instructions locating the three relays to the driver's side inside of the firewall, which will be hidden under the dash. | 
Here's a look under the hood of the installation of the completed system, ready to give its owner years of heating and cooling pleasure. | 
Below the relays a 7/8-inch hole was drilled in the firewall and filled with a rubber grommet to allow the balance of the wiring harness to safely pass through, supplying power to the compressor, safety switch, and shut-off valve. |
Once the dash and switches are installed, there is little to let anyone know that you now have a Cobra that carries the comforts of both ice-cold A/C and plenty of heat for those winter days. | | |