I am looking to install AC and Heat in my Tudor. Looking at Old Air Hurricane vs Vintage Air Mini Does anybody have experience with Old Air? I have used Vintage and know about them but the Hurricane units are a bit smaller and look to fit better.
I prefer the cowl vent myself but from what I can understand the Arizona summers gets pretty hot,,the vintage air units have a huge following and a proven track record. HRP
Greetings JMHO I have a GenII compact unit in my steel 5 window 32 Ford with operable cowl vent. FWIW, this unit has without a doubt the least friendly line fitment possible for a 32 Ford. I'd consider a mini if I had do-overs, however, the three registers are not easy to use. Upon the advice of an un-named Vintage Air tech, I was told to make a manifold to fit the ac unit and use 2 outlets. This was the only way the air could have been inserted behind a reasonably stock dash, and without the tunnel. I'd also recommend avoiding any bulk material buildup if using a stock firewall. If the firewall is recessed, there is a probable fitment problem. Good luck in your choice. Jack
I have an Old Air Hurricane in my 32 vicky. It fit fine, does show but looks ok.....about the size of a vintage heater. Plenty of room for the cowl vent yet. It works fine. I have a Vintage Air in another deuce...seems to cool a bit better. I am not unhappy with the hurricane at all. I wpuld buy another one.
I have experience with Old Air out of Ft Worth and I tell you, Stay Away! Very bad. I bought a unit for my 57 chevy and after extreme hassles the owner of Old Air admitted that he didnt know if it fit or not!! (It didnt) There was also not enough defroster hose, Seems like they would know how much a 57 takes! Then they made me pay for more hose. The unit could not cool a station wagon even tho they claimed it would. Stay away
I love how all of the folks who live in places where it never gets "Arizona hot" are the ones to comment that AC is not traditional. I have used Vintage Air products for years. I am not only 100% satisfied, as are my customers, I am beyond that. There were a few times that I broke something small, from being the 600lb. gorilla that I am sometimes, and they just sent me a new part WITHOUT EVEN CHARGING ME, even for the shipping! That said, I haven't worked on a setup for a '32, though.
I have an Old Air Hurricane unit in my 48 Plymouth. It takes up about as much room as the old stock heater, was the only unit compact enough to fit where I wanted it, and works well. The only issue I've had is that I sometimes get condensation on the underside of the unit that drips down on the carpet. I'm just glad to have a cool car!!
Old aire has some neat products. The have lots of parts. But the unit just don't put out enough for most cars. It will cool a small cab like a pick up are coupe. It will not fit as high up under the dash as a Vintage Air unit will.
I didn't say "don't do it". It is your car, but air on a hot rod isn't very traditional, and it is on a slippery slope to a street rod.. The disc brakes, left over over billet, radial tires, and modern wheels on my 36 Ford pickup aren't traditional either. Some of these are things that I'll eventually un-update, and some I won't.
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