A/C compressor replacement in '95 Tracer/Escort

[RatLabGuy]

Hi guys. My A/C comrpessor needs to be replaced - looks to have seized an internal bearing... I turned it on the otehr day and it was really loud, looked at it and the pulley was smoking, hahaha - this sems to have cooked some of the outer/pulley bearings, 'cauise now it makes quite a racket just getting pushed by the belt.
So for the time being it's been bypasses, just put a belt on for the no-a/c vehicles.

Anyhow there are 3 reasons I bring thsi up.
1 - anybody got a compressor laying around? Otherwise its off to the boneyards or eBay.
2 - anybody have any advice/suggestions/tricks with replacing this thing? Looks easy enough... but I figure I shoudl go ahead and flush the lines, replace the drier. Anything else while I'm at it? Car has 205k miles and is worth about $500 so minimal investment is preferred.
3 - anybody know what other cars interchange w/ thsi compressor? Looks like the 96-00 aret he same part as mid-90s - other cars?

[Davescort97]

I've been looking at Escort compressors on e bay. Used compressors going from $29.95 to $75.00. Rebuilt compressor with filter-drier and expansion valve goes for $245 plus $25 shipping. The only thing I can add to do on a compressor replacement is to pump it down with a vacuum pump to get all the moisture out of the system. Seems that any compressor from 91 to 96 will fit your car. 97 up is different animal.