I'm sitting here thinking that I want all the street rod creature comforts in my new F-100 digger hauler... some stuff that is definately taboo for the NewTraditionalist(TM)... but screw it, nobody hands out kudos for being uncomfortable. I've installed several Vintage Air units... and hand it to the wonderful street rod parts aftermarket for making things that are easy to install... but, I'm gonna have to do this truck on the CHEAP! I have a compressor to use... and I can make brackets... hoses are available from the TK dealer I used to work at... as well as a new dryer... but the evaporator and condensor are both items that I can get at the wreckers, I just need to know what to get. I'm thinking that a unit out of a mini-truck might be the hot set up... but are there any other units that don't transend the firewall?? Anyone rod one out of something and stick it in their rod? (or put one in their modified old car? ) Anyone?? TIA! Sam.
I've seen and owned several 60s/70s cars with aftermarket, or "dealer installed" AC systems that featured under dash units. They look right outta the 60s, and can likely still be found in wrecking yards on old cars out your way. Should be dirt cheap, and the units are pretty rugged and simple. You may also have something with the mini-truck idea...check into older (70s) Datsun cars, too. Their components are small, light and easy to hide.
I few years ago, I beleive it was R&C or maybe Carcraft had an article on getting old aftermarket underdash units and converting everything to R134. I bought the magazine just for the article. I think it may have ben Carcraft cause I did'nt have a sucscription. Anyway, they went this route because they were able to find the underdash units cheap. Maybe I can find that magazine and relay the info back up here.
If you can't find the article I know I have that issue somewhere. They put it in an old Dodge parts hauler. Under dash units can be had for cheap. I would go for a good sized condenser because I think the r-134 likes a bigger one. Let me know how it works or maybe even make a tech article for the rest of us. I want to put a/c in ome of my 68 crewcabs when I get it ready for daily use. Actuall I think I have an extra underdash since I scored a custom fitted one for the old F-250 that fits the dash contour. I don't know anything about it but I'd let it go for 25 plus shipping.
look at a rear unit out of the 73-91 chevy suburbans. i used one in my old 47 ford sedan. it is made like the old under dash units. i ordered a vintage air control and vents. then i took some sheet metal and shaped it to fit the unit. add some pieces of tailpipe or tubing to the new sheet metal cover to hook the vent hoses to and your ready to go. if you need one of those units i have them in stock and we can e-mail you some pictures if you want to see um. it made a great indash unit in my 47 and should kool a pick/up with no problem.
Flat-top, how much do those units run? And why not just post a picture on here for all of us to see. I'm sure there are more than afew of us that live in hotter climates who are reading this with interest... Do you have any pics of the install in your old Ford? What did you use for the rest of the system?
I'm gonna spend some time at the P&P in Windsor on Monday or Tuesday, Sam, and I'll keep my eyes open for something you might be able to adapt. I'll take the digicam along. I'll be looking for a suitable rear-steer non-power R&P unit and a GM slip joint shaft. Fuller's been leaning on me to mount a rack on the F-1 axle and get rid of the side drag-link box and all the potential bumpsteer problems that arise when the front of the truck is dropped. He also said he'd talk me through the installation, so what the hell . . .
Flat Top, I'd love to see a pic of the adapted Suburban unit you speak of! That sounds like just what I'm looking for.
tragic59 i will post some pictures of the unit tomorrow. but there are no pick's of the install (sold the car in 1991). i just used the unit from the rear of a suburban and the control and vents with the air ducts from vintage air. the rest of the system was used with homemade brackets and a 508 sanden comp. the only new stuff was the vintage parts and hoses with fittings and a new dryer.
old Datsun Pickups made a little unit that will mount under the dash or up flat on the firewall with a little work on the drain tube.
Oh ya..I think i got an after market one that used to set up under the dash out of sight on a 69 chev. truck...you pay shipping and you are welcome to it.may even still have the manifold for it...come to think of it i still got the old york compressor...
[ QUOTE ] Oh ya..I think i got an after market one that used to set up under the dash out of sight on a 69 chev. truck...you pay shipping and you are welcome to it.may even still have the manifold for it...come to think of it i still got the old york compressor... [/ QUOTE ] That's a wonderful offer, uncleAud. But I'd kind of like to hide it... so I'll look for the Datsun one you suggested. Thanks everyone else for your input... I knew this would be an interesting topic... av8, if you happen along a left front fender, no rust, no dents... for around $50, pick it up. I may have gotten lucky on my last PNP run with the '58 fender for $35... they are a two year only fender and can be isentified my the round parking light... anyway, wishful thinking. Hopefully I'll get to hunt the wrecking yards before the summer is over... the ideas are churning!! More to come... Sam.
here is the same style unit i used in the 47. with the homemade cover and a few new parts it's pretty cheap. it mounted in my 47 with the cowl vent no problem but i did lose the glove box.
Flat-Top, How much do those units sell for? If you want you can PM it to me... So what did your homemade "cover" actually cover? Was it just cosmetic? Or did it serve to route the cool air to the vents as well? Does it have to mount in the position it's shown in the photo, or can it be oriented differently to fit the space better?
yes, sam that is the sub. unit! i sell those units for 50.00. the cover only serves as a place to hook the air duct hoses to the box. on my 47 it was all behind the dash and all that was seen was the control and the air vents. it would have to be mounted like it is in the pictures as the drain is on the bottom of the box. i bet it could be moved or a new box made if you needed a differnt mounting.
Here are a couple extra ideas. Try and find out what kind of air flow that the old style fans put out. Then see if you can run either computer fans or there is a company that makes a much smaller blower fan. its meant to cool amps in car audio but it would lower the profile of your AC setup. It would need some fabrication to make a duct http://www.pac-audio.com/products/fans.htm Garth
Ive got the rear air unit from a mid 90's caravan. Looks like it would work. Never measured it, picked it up for my f-1.
Where in the vehicle are these rear A/C units usually located? Fire wall? Inside passenger compartment? Engine compartment? I guess this is a pretty ignorant question, especially considering I have a Suburban with rear air, but if I'm in a junkyard and come across a van or SUV, I wann know where to look.
I've used the rear air/heat units from F150 conversion vans, it looks similar to the Burb setup. but has a heater core in it too. New sheet metal front, and duct it where you want it. You do have to add a thermostatic control valve, about $25 at NAPA. With a little imagination you can set up defrosters on this too. I am sure most conversion vans use a similar unit, it was made by Proair, Elkart In
The Jalopy Journal
