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Sold Out - Installed AC and Heat in the wagon

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Boones, Feb 1, 2004.

  1. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    To some on here you will say I 'sold out' for putting one in. After some very cold drives home from shows last year I decided I like to have heat and for anyone who has lived in the south knows it can get hot.. A few months ago I ordered the Largest GenII set up from Vintage Air for my 53 wagon. Its a big unit and takes up most of the under dash area. I thought I could do the install myself but once I got it out of the box and took time to read the instructions (my first problem I guess) I got worried and decided to call a friend for help who has done a ton of these installs. Well after a week its in the car and blowing warm or cold. A thermometer check put it at 17 degrees when on the max cold... so it will cool the interior with no problem.. The only down fall will be little to no glove box, still have to shorten it up, and no were to put the stereo (may go with a tissue dispensor and put it inside of it).


     
  2. jdubbya
    Joined: Jul 12, 2003
    Posts: 2,435

    jdubbya
    Member

    COOL...and hot, if I lived in your area, I would have done the same...you sell out [​IMG]. -Joe
     
  3. Elrusto
    Joined: Apr 3, 2003
    Posts: 1,285

    Elrusto
    Member

    That's perfectly acceptable. Now if you were puttin' it on a hoodless coupe or roadster( [​IMG]) then we would have to talk.
     
  4. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 22,885

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Hey, I wanna put it in my wife's '51... Was it really that hard to install?
     
  5. tragic59
    Joined: Sep 16, 2002
    Posts: 766

    tragic59
    Member

    I want to see some photos. You should have done a tech-o-matic on this...

    I don't care if it makes me a sissy, I like to be comfortable.
     
  6. wayfarer
    Joined: Oct 17, 2003
    Posts: 1,789

    wayfarer
    Member

    Ryan, I've done two installs of vintage air kits; one in the dodge and one in my dad's '72 chevy pickup. They're pretty easy to do, probably would take a couple guys a day to put the in.
     
  7. zman
    Joined: Apr 2, 2001
    Posts: 16,790

    zman
    Member
    from Garner, NC

    Yeah they're not to difficult. Pretty well do***ented to. Thoutgh I highly recommend the extra set of hands method (i.e. have a friend help) Shouldn't take but a day. I also recommend the Vintage Air setups over Old Air or any of the others...
     
  8. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    Ryan, now that I have seen it done, it would not be to hard, All the externals are straight forward, IT was connecting all of the AC stuff that I thought were beyond my ability. If you can find someone who can crimp the hose ends I am sure you can do it... I will take some pics later on and post them. Since I went with the largest set up they make (per their recommendations) it takes a lot of underdash space. Did not even think about doing a 'How To'
     
  9. Glen
    Joined: Mar 21, 2001
    Posts: 1,789

    Glen
    Member

    I have one in my Buick too. I installed the evap before I put the dash in so it was really easy.

    That unit comes with an electric valve the for the heater core instead of the cable actuated design too.
     
  10. cool57
    Joined: Dec 19, 2002
    Posts: 1,756

    cool57
    Member

    [ QUOTE ]
    Ryan, now that I have seen it done, it would not be to hard, All the externals are straight forward, IT was connecting all of the AC stuff that I thought were beyond my ability. If you can find someone who can crimp the hose ends I am sure you can do it... I will take some pics later on and post them. Since I went with the largest set up they make (per their recommendations) it takes a lot of underdash space. Did not even think about doing a 'How To'

    [/ QUOTE ] Is that the Super or the Monster ?
     
  11. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    Here are a few pics of the unit installed. Right now I have under the dash vent pods as the diameter were just a little to big for the flat section of the dash and I did not want the square vents. Also do to the size of the unit I could not run a center vent and just have two tubes dumped straight down. I am thinking of directing them thru the speaker grill in the center but I am not sure if it will let enough air out of the grill openings.

     
  12. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    Here is a view looking thru the speaker grill opening

     
  13. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    and one from under the dask to show how large this unit is. It goes from the steering column to at least the outer edge of the glove box.

    As you can see we had to trim the bottom of the dash to gain access to the control panel to install or remove it if it is ever needed


     
  14. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    Here's the engine compartment

    We fabbed up a firewall panel to fill the unwanted holes and to smooth it off alittle, just tacked in for now.

    We also moved the top of the radiator back about an inch to provide clearance to the condensor.

     
  15. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    last pic of the radiator area
     
  16. Machinos
    Joined: Dec 30, 2002
    Posts: 761

    Machinos
    Member

    Do they have to go under the dash? I want AC eventually, and 95% of my car's heater junk is under the hood on the firewall, pretty much just the defroster fan sticks into the cabin.
     
  17. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    I guess you could mount the unit anywhere you want but I think it would depend unit you ordered.

    Anyone know of any good aftermarket vents that are smaller then the ones that come with the Vintage Air kits (no square vents) oval or round is preferred
     
  18. hatch
    Joined: Nov 20, 2001
    Posts: 3,667

    hatch
    Member
    from house

    Ryan, I did a 55 chevy installation last week....just take your time and it's not too bad.
     
  19. Machinos
    Joined: Dec 30, 2002
    Posts: 761

    Machinos
    Member

    Billet Specialties sells some really nice looking ones, but they're WAY overpriced if you ask me.
     
  20. WZ JUNK
    Joined: Apr 20, 2001
    Posts: 1,915

    WZ JUNK
    Member
    from Neosho, MO

    My brother (MO JUNK) had his air coming out of the speaker grille on his 48 truck. He changed to another method as it was restricting the flow a lot. It made a big difference in the cooling of his truck.

    What radiator did you use and what do you think of it?
     
  21. 2raticl
    Joined: Jan 11, 2003
    Posts: 54

    2raticl
    Member

    That turned out real nice. I work in a shop that is a distributor for Vintage Air and we get to complete a lot of projects that were started by the owners, but not completed. Give yourself a pat on the back. You certainly deserve it.
     
  22. james
    Joined: May 18, 2001
    Posts: 1,064

    james
    Member

    Boones- why not hit the junkyard looking for vents? Seems like you could find something cool.
     
  23. Kustm52
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 1,981

    Kustm52
    Member

    That's not a sellout, that's a survival tactic....!

    Brian
     
  24. MilesM
    Joined: May 28, 2002
    Posts: 1,220

    MilesM
    Member

    I am using the middle grille on my 53 wagon. IC made a plate to seal it with two duct fittings and it flows enough air. I would still like to add some hidden directional vanes though.
     
  25. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,689

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa

    Miles, I was thinking of doing as you had done but was worried about the restricted flow. I am leaning towards building a small senter console (dip in the dash) to install vents and to put a radio but my problem is I want it to look like it belongs, not an after thought. I may start another post asking for ideas or suggestions for a center console pod...

    thanks for the compliments but I can not take them as my buddies who build cars for a side job did the majority of the under dash install hose work.. I did the wiring, vents and other under the hood work.. Without them I would still be looking at the unit trying to figure out how to plumb it...
     
  26. Boones- I think air is more imortant than lots of other parts in the build......also heat is underrated-I want it on my driver too.
     
  27. bigron
    Joined: May 6, 2003
    Posts: 631

    bigron
    Member

    hey it's your ride. put curb feelers on if you want!
     
  28. speedaddict
    Joined: Sep 28, 2002
    Posts: 2,420

    speedaddict
    Member
    from Austin, Tx

    hmm... What do you guys think about putting AC in my 39?

    Esp if I'm livin in Texas and driving the car almost everyday.
     

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  29. bigron
    Joined: May 6, 2003
    Posts: 631

    bigron
    Member

    i wish i'd had a/c on the way back fron bowling green. i have it just need to get off my *** and put it in. going with and older underdash unit
     
  30. Unkl Ian
    Joined: Mar 29, 2001
    Posts: 13,509

    Unkl Ian

    Life is too long to suffer without AC.


    **** it,we have the technology.Why do we have to sweat like farm animals ?
     

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