The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Vintage Air or What?

I need to install a/c and heat in the 46 I'm working on. Thinking about Vintage Air. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Tell me about systems that you have installed or are familiar with.

Also installing power windows. Really got my eye on the "NeW" set from EZwiring. I do plan on using thier 21 circuit wiring harness. Anyone ever had any experience with installing power windows in a 30s or 40s Chevy?

Frank

I bought a kit for my 41 NASH 4 door car from vintage air. They are very helpful and knowledgable. I recommend you use the biggest condenser you can fit and an electric fan. You need 12 volts. I used the car in traffic last weekend when it was 85+ and you could hang beef in there!! The 46 cab is about 20-25% of the area as well, I am sure you wiil be happy. You do get some warm drafts without the pressurized cabin like modern cars.But still a good move! Hope this helps cauz its 10 min. of typing!! :hammering:

I used the Old Air in my 54 pickup. I went with this company because I liked the way their hookups were not up under the dash. However, this is visual clutter on the firewall which will require some "creativity" to cover. They included the brackets for the compressor and also to mount the alternator above it and run it off the 2nd groove of the compressor. If by chance you are running Fenton Headers this alt. bracket will need to be modified. I went with a modified 2 groove balancer from Buffalo so this wasn't an issue and mounted my alt on the pass side of the engine.

The installation was simple...no cutting on the rad support, the compressor is low and almost hidden, the condensor install was easy with drilling a couple holes for the included metal screws. Positioning the evaporator is determined by using an existing heater mount hole and requires only 2 additional holes through the firewall. I used their manual control for the defrost. The ducting fits across the bottom edge edge of the dash...also to the left of the driver. The fan has 3 speeds....high is a mini tornado with medium giving good circulation but not too loud and low when you get the cab cooled down. Like the Vintage air, it does a great job cooling.

Fortunately, I didn't need tech support as everything was included and went in without problems. I added a pusher fan with manual controls just to be safe (it's Florida) but my engine temps haven't required it's use. For my needs it fills the bill!!! Hope this info helps.

Dave

I used the Vintage air kit in my '53. I thought the instructions were terrible, and neither my e-mail or call to their tech center was returned. It's not that cold either, just OK would be my best description. Should be a meat locker for how small the cab is, and with all the new seals and whatnot. I took it back were I had it charged and they said everything was as it should be. Maybe I'm just a picky idiot who can't read instructions, but for the money I just ain't happy.

Dave,
Would the Old Air unit fit under the seat?

I've been thinking of putting some louvers in the front of my '50's seat skirt with a big-ole AC unit under the seat but I haven't come up with a system yet- I hate the look of the aftermarket vents. and I don't like air blowing onto my face anyway. A cold seat would be ideal, with air flowing from the floor of the cab up behind the seat and blowing out onto my neck.

Interesting question. Anything is possible. However, I wouldn't pay the bigger bucks for a complete system from one of the custom fit vendors.

I have used the under dash "box" evaporator units that sell for about 1/2 of what they are asking for the custom ducted configurations. Most modern vans use remote evaporators so we know they will work. I see no reason why they couldn't be adapted to fit under the seat....there's plenty of room and the charge lines could be run under the floor for a very clean install. Under the seat you'd have room to fabricate your own ducting plenium...you could run duct hoses even up behind the seats which would keep it out of your face.

As for putting this system together....you're local automotive A/C suppliers...the guys who keep the A/C repair shops supplied with components (at least in my case) have all the necessary components "on the shelf" and have been very helpful in matching the components and doing the final crimps on the lines after I got everything plumbed in. At about 60% of what you pay for a custom "made-to-fit" setup it sure seems like a viable option. Interesting idea!!

Dave

I know a guy w/a 57 Chevy 3100 who mounted an underdash a/c behind the seat where the tank was, pointed straight up.

I installed an Old Aire Hurricane AC/Heat unit in my '54 which already had a condenser and evaporator in it (though I installed a new evaporator, too).

You can see my install notes Here

I didn't use the under-the-dash plenum for the knobs ... instead I installed the controls in the bottom area of my dash and put '55 Chevy chrome knobs on them -- this gives a much cleaner look, I think!

I've had it 4 years now and have *no* complaints.

I bought my system from Hot Rod Air. People there were easy to work with and a better price too. From what I have seen, every one's units are all identical with a different name on them.

i like how you set yours up Alan, it looks nice

That looks clean, Alan. Do you have defrost with that?

Thanks.

Yup -- defrost, too. And it even works! LOL!

Alan, That was a great write up. Even though my project is a 46, it was very, very helpful. You gave me a lot of ideas.

Thanks
Frank

Cool!

It's always great to know that my site is being helpful, Frank. I know, as we all do, how much fun these ol' stovebolts can be -- especially when things go well!

Hey Frank, Since our trucks are both '46's I'll tell you what I used. I installed the 21 curcuit 18 fuse harness in my truck. Very, very easy install, folks at EZ were very helpful with any questions I had. I really only had one issue with the way I wanted the tail/signal lights set up and they faxed me a diagram to make sure it worked the way I wanted. I also used thier power window units again just had to build the mounting the way I wanted, easy install.
For the AC I used a Hot Rod Air unit. AC/heat and defrost. Fits right under the dash easy install, great folks to work with on questions, very helpful. Works great, no leaks on fill up which suprised me as I've never worked with AC before. Don't know how soon you need your unit but I got mine at the Good Guys show at Texas Speedway, Ft Worth, Oct 6,7,8 this year. You can see what they got and talk with them there. Just bring a cart to carry it out with. The only draw back with the unit is you will loose the cowl vent, part of the unit blocks the linkage.
Other than that both companies and products have been very good for me.

Blupen, I was going to get rid of the cowl vent anyway. But as for Oct, I hope to be done with this truck by then. I'm gonna look up Hot Rod Air and see what the've got. Sounds like what I'm looking for.

Frank