vintage air gen. 2 unit , has anyone placed unit behind seats rather than fitting under dash , pretty tight fit ... don,t want bottom of unit seen under dash . any photos of other suggestions appreciated .....
Many have built a panel under the dash painted the same color or upholstered. Eventho not on a 40, the 4” panel on mine covered the evap and doesn’t interfere with passenger comfort…
I have the same unit in my 40 coupe and it is very hard to see unless your head is laying on the seat. It's painted the same color as the dash and tucked up tight. I have the defrost, heat, and cool unit with the center tube blowing thru the speaker grill and an outlet on each end of th dash underneath. There were 4 stock knobs along the bottom of the dash under the speaker grille and we put the controls thru those holes using So-Cal 40 knobs painted the stock 40 knob color. Moved the wiper switch to the hole in the top of the dash that the antenna went thru and put the antenna in the vertical windshield strip where the vacuum wiper control was. Also have 1/2 a glove box left. Unit does an acceptable job unless it's a 100 degrees outside. I have a friend who put the air unit behind the seat in his 32 coupe and after a couple years he moved it to under the dash. Also made a dummy radio head to fill the radio hole.
A side note, olscrounger above was my tutor for the install providing part numbers and helpful suggestions when we installed the air in my 40. Also did mine with no hoses thru the firewall. Everything thru the inner fender panel down the outside and thru the cowl panel.
THX--gonna do another one soon. Hope all is well. Glad I made templates yrs ago. Just looked-have done 11 40's with AC. For knobs I use Ford knobs for after market cig lighter. They have a stud sticking out. Stick stud to grinder--when hot pull out and they work great on controls.
Thank you Olscrounger for suggestions on your A/C control knob adaption. My ‘40 Coupe project is not ready just yet for A/C but looking for suggestions from one with your experience on which Vintage Air model fits and provides comfort when outside temps exceed 100. I’m in SoCal, we see lots of 100 days. I’m ok with little or no room for a glove box and ok with an under-dash panel to house ducts and A/C control knobs. Having said this; which VA model would you recommend? Hardy Handshake, 40Mike
I run a Vintage Air on my '37 truck, it's the smallest one. It ices up pretty easy being so small. What I have been told, is run the biggest unit that you can fit in the space you have. Better to see some of it hanging down, then going too small.
I installed a Vintage Air mini II heat/cool/defrost in my 41 PU. I only removed about 3" depth from the glove box. Plenty of room in there still for ray bans and magazines.
I used a Vintage Air Gen II in my 40. It does hang down a little too much for my taste as well. I used some ABS sheet I was using to create interior panels to better hide the unit.
my 40 Ford with gen II painted same color as dash, switches for heated seats, cruise control, & vintage air are in an aluminum turned panel in speaker grille location, I bought it from speedway.
I thought 40 Fords came stock with air conditioning? You can either use the big knob under the center of the dash, or the two little ones on the front wind wings.
Well; it seems like everyone has installed "under-dash." While that's ok (actually REALLY OK and the way it usually gets done) the question revolved around "has it ever been located behind the seat?" While I don't have pix, I saw a 37 Chevy coupe at the NSRA nationals in Columbus (remember when they had them there?) about 30 years ago that had the A/C behind the seat. Owner said it "worked great." That's all the info I have but maybe it'll confirm your intended direction. I remember the car as it was my favorite of the entire show. Just about everything on the car was either resale red or chrome. Maybe someone on here remembers the car or knows where it is. I know it was at an NSRA show and sounds very streetroddy, but actually it leaned way more towards hot rod and not very much streetrod. Just a VERY high class hot rod.
My feeble 76 yo memory seems to recall a thread years ago where someone used the REAR air unit from a 90’s+ Chevy/GMC Suburban behind the seat of his car. I had considered it for my earlier 40 coupe to the point that I searched pull-a-parts for a unit. They were thin, compact and all in a single unit that only required long hoses and wiring from the front. They were behind the pull out panel at right rear. The guy made some low thin rectangular ducts under the seats and over head above the headliner if I recall. It cooled great in the small confines of a coupe. Maybe do a search.
Today I was reading a tech article on taps/dies in a September 1974 "Streetrodder". On page 33 of that issue there's a pic of a Model A sedan with an A/C unit hanging from the roof at the very rear of the car. It appears to be an "add on aftermarket under dash" unit. If I could get my scanner to work I'd post it.
The Jalopy Journal
