'93 2wd V8 swap with A/C?

[tinman_72]

Is the heater box picture in the V8 swap article (about 2/3 of the way down on the page) from a non-AC Ranger? Looks like heating the plastic and molding it with an oil filter is an easy fix but that picture looks like it might be non-AC in a Ranger older than a '93. Has anyone done a V8 swap in a '93-'97 Ranger and retained AC? I will give it up if I have to but it sure would be nice down here on Georgia asphalt in the summer.
I have been looking at V8 swap articles since the mid 90's when I bought my Ranger. It seems that most V8 swap articles reference the same article that was in the Advance Adapters catalog back in the 90's (including the above linked tech article) which was really meant for the 1st gen Rangers. All other articles seem to refer to swapping an Explorer engine into a '98 up Ranger, usually 4wd.

 

[franklin2]

I did a little searching. Are you any good with fiberglass? Looks like the only way to make it work is to cut the box up and then fill it back in. Fiberglass matt would probably be the best way to do it.

 

[tinman_72]

That is definitely something at which I can try my hand.
More information/conjecture: in the article "Install a 1996 Explorer 5.0L into a 1995-1997 Ranger" the RangerSVT talks briefly about retaining his AC. He make no mention of having to modify the evaporator core plenum. Doesn't '95-'97 use the same evaporator box as '93-'94? (or at least very similar) Looks like RangerSVT hasn't been active since 2019.