No matter how tough we think we've become with our hard-core rockcrawling and 100-plus-mph mud bogging, there's always a little room for comfort. When outside temperatures are in the triple digits and the midday sun is beating down unmercifully, nothing feels better than a tornado of cool air hitting you in the face. That's right, we're talking A/C.
With another New Mexico summer just around the corner, we decided to equip our '87 Wrangler with an air-conditioning system from All-Wheel-Drive. Based in Farmington, All-Wheel-Drive is a major supplier of aftermarket A/C units, selling everything from individual compressors to complete bolt-in systems. All-Wheel-Drive has systems available for Jeeps through the 2000 model-year, along with Fords, Toyotas, Suzukis, and a slew of other vehicle makes. In all, it has more than 300 different styles to accommodate your rig. The kits start at $699 for complete systems and come with a one-year warranty.
We completed our installation in one day, including the time it took to drive to the A/C station to have the system charged with refrigerant. And it was strictly a bolt-on proposition. So if you're tired of sweating it out while those around you sit in air-conditioned comfort, follow along and see how quickly you can be awash in nice, cold air.