I don't know if AC if frowned on on the main HAMB so I'm posting this here. I'm finally going to bite the bullet for AC. I looked at a 56 with a Vintage Gen IV unit and liked what I saw under the hood for the mounting. I already have a 100 amp CASCO T-Bird alternator fitted to my stock car generator mounting and it appears to be able to work with the Vintage mounts with a pulley change. A shop near me is a Vintage dealer as has mounted many of them including the one I saw. What I'm hoping from this thread is photos of what some have you have done in the car. I'm not planning on cutting the dash for the louvers/vents/registers what every you wish to call them. The Gen IV has the ability to convert the stock controls but the installer advised against it. The owner of the 56 said it doesn't work that well either. Whether I end up with a Gen II, ****og, or Gen IV, digital, I'm looking to their knob style controller. Future they will get repoped 56 radio knobs. They will make a metal panel under my dash from door to door, pad, and cover it with Peackock Blue vinyl I have left from my upholstry. I'm ***uming this will be 3-4" wide. I hope some of you have done this and can show us photos of what you have under the dash. I do want full width and already know around the emergency brake will be tight. Vents might be circular ones on the ends and rectangles in the middle. The one at the driver edge may need to move closer to the steering wheel. I've sent for a Vintage catalog to see all my options. Don't know if it's possible but it looks doable to keep the right air vent and control it from the original control bottom slide; anyway I hope a few of you will show what you've done and not all need to be 1956's as 52-59 all are flat bottoms ...
Maybe this would be a good option so as to not touch your existing dash,I had a similar unit in a '65 Chevy pickup and it would keep it ice cold in Phoenix when it was 110 degrees plus. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Slim-Line-Heater-Air-Conditioning-Unit,50710.html
Thanks, but what I’m wanting to see does not do anything to the dash other attach to the bottom like the unit you show. What I’m considering replaces the entire stock heater and adds heat and air. From what I see it removes the electric fan and ducts from under the hood also cleaning up the right side.
My install in my 55 Sunliner will be of no benefit to you but I must say that I am very impressed with the VA Gen IV. Boy does it put out the air flow. I have Gen II’s in my 40 and F100 and they work great. But that Gen IV is WOW.
Thanks, did you have the original controller converted or go with the 3 knobs. Did you keep the right air vent or just seal it off under the hood?
Mine is a 55 and they have no conversion for controls but I didn’t use them anyway. I have the three knob controller. I eliminated both fresh air intakes. As much as I love the cowl vents in my 40 and 53 F100 I decided to do without in my 55.
Hi Jimmy Six, I'm getting ready to do the same thing in my 56. I don't plan on using my original controls either for the Gen IV. I don't want to loose my air vent if possible, but I haven't really looked close at it yet. I was planning on using VA slim line to attach under my dash but not sure yet. I may just fabricate my own panel under the dash similar to what you are doing. I have a friend who fabricated a panel for his 58 Fairlane and it looks nice and clean. He put a bead in it too to give it some strength and character. If I can get a pic I'll send it to you. I know I didn't help you much but let me know what direction you go. I would really like to keep my air vent if possible. Please share if you get to it before I do. I'll do the same.
Thanks Nalakaya I know I won't be doing it before the end of the year. I have had my heater controller out so I believe a cable can be made to work. for the right side. My main problem it need to have the unit installed but a shop as I'm too old now to take on the project. As long as I can get to the 2 nuts holding the controller in I'm sure I can come up with something. It's that or add a cable pull over on the right side edge of the new panel under. I've looked at everything the VA has to offer and figured most of it out. I've some long cardboard from a box and am going to fab the panel out of it so it can make the e-brake handle and all work. I'll draw on the air registers and controller. I like the slider kind more than the knobs. I'll post a photo here. good luck with yours
Ok here’s some photos. I scheduled an installation of a Gen IV but could not seem to get together on the panel so the shop gave me a controller and the 4 vent/louvers I wanted. I had the panel bent at a metal shop that does our dirt car panels and did all the cutting and fitting myself. Bought some 1/4” padding, spray upholstery glue, and covered it with extra Pea**** Blue from my upholstery work. Just in with clamps right know as they want it out for the install.
Looks professional to me. I think you did a great job. Is the AC functional? Let us know what you think about it.
Not yet scheduled, when the shop gets the Y-block compressor/alternator brackets I’ll be ready to go. Every one I’ve talked to really likes the Gen IV.
Thanks, it was the one thing I wanted to still function and look as good as I could. I’ve now got to remember to grip it from the bottom in instead of the top.
Great job Jimmy. Not too unlike what a friend from Colorado Springs did in his '57. His looks great too. I may be doing something similar to mine, but will have it in two pieces since I have that big ***ed console in mine. I hate the plastic pods I used for the lower two vents.
Update... A VA Gen IV or II won’t fit without major radio modifications which I won’t do because you could not remove it with the evaporator unit installed. An Old Car Products evaporator unit will work and miss everything so the shop is waiting for one to come in. They offer an electronic rectangular controller similar to the VA unit only 1/2” longer so they ordered that for me and I’ve given back the VA one and will change the under dash panel to fit the new one. All the engine parts and condenser will stay the same. As a note a friend has an Old Air in his 56 sedan Delivery and likes it a lot so I’m sure all will work out. It’s not quite as trick but has floor air, defroster, and can use all my louver/vents. Last the CASCO alternator I had installed a while ago will not work with the VA brackets so I had to buy a different style. It’s a single wire PowerMaster that can still keep the idiot light which I wanted. The OAP compressor brackets are different than the VA but all that was finished by the installer so we are leaving it.
Does the VA bracket position the compressor to be driven off the water pump pulley? What pulley does the OAP compressor bracket run off of? Given my experience with the compressor running off the water pump pulley, I would use one that ran directly off the crank pulley if given the option.
A friend had the Old Air unit in his 56. He was not happy with it and wished that he had gone with VA.
Since the VA Gen 4 or II would not fit without major changes and since a friend with a 56 has an OAP and likes it I went ahead with it. The VA compressor/alt mount was already in the car and it’s compressor is driven of the crank and not the water pump. The VA brackets are sold by other AC companies so others may see its advantage for that reason. It’s only problem maybe it’s location but I don’t see it as that. Everything works fine with unit and controls. I like that the engine water does not circulate through the unit unless the electronic recirc valve tells it to. The unit also allows blending of hot air vents/floor and the defrost. The controller was slightly different and I was able to make it fit where the VA I had installed.
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