does anyone have any pics of installed vintage air in their 66? any horror stories about install? i am fitting everything before i send to paint to make sure all is correct. i like what i read on vintage air, but would like to see finished installed project and opinions before i commit. i have installed in 67 mustang....piece of crap....looks cheesy and not smooth install at all. maybe things are different with the surefit systems. also, i see they offer dryer or no dryer....i dont have much experience in this area. whats the difference and whats better? thanks.
Vintage Air in 66
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I've got it in mine.......if no one else can show a pic, I will this weekend for ya. Are you interested in under hood, interior, both?
Bill
Bill
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Get the Sure Fit for sure, must have the dryer also. Does not take up any leg room. I have on installed on my 67 sedan.
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I installed mine myself in my 66. Took me time to fabricate a center brace for the dash since the original brace in the center to the firewall on the inside wont fit because the electric servos get in the way. My fear was without the center brace there the dash would vibrate in the center. Also I used the stock heater controls (sure fit controls) to operate my servos. Its a REAL tight fit there but worth doing right. Foot room for passenger is adequate if you take the time to instal it right. I passed the hoses through the holw for the blower motor and had filled the firewall so it is hidden. If you want I'll post pics this weekend too...I only mechanically installed it still have to connect wires to get it to work (I'll get to it later...)
thanks for the replies. it looks like the sure fit is a good choice. i would still like to see any pics anybody is willing to share so i can see the final product. i got my car completely stripped, basically just a shell, so seeing how everything is properly routed is a big help. the assembly manuals help, but dont give the whole pic.
Without the center brace, my car does not squeak or rattle at all.
I just did not bother with putting it back in when I realized the original will not work.
Also--I made some modifications to mine to reroute the heater hoses into the engine bay directly from the heater core. Heater hoses are a maintenance item, and I want to be able to replace them without removing a fender and the kick panels.
I'll post a pic when I get back home from my work trip.
I just did not bother with putting it back in when I realized the original will not work.
Also--I made some modifications to mine to reroute the heater hoses into the engine bay directly from the heater core. Heater hoses are a maintenance item, and I want to be able to replace them without removing a fender and the kick panels.
I'll post a pic when I get back home from my work trip.
car was original big block, non a/c. im just going to be cruising it, no racing so plan on going back with small block (383) since i have no motor anyways. living in louisiana...a/c is a must with a coupe 8 months out of the yr. i have to try and find good control panel.....would it benefit to search for original a/c model compared to heat only? i believe all the repops ive seen are heat only, but i could be wrong. just moving into this phase so time spent earlier has addressed other parts of car.
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I haven't looked at Vintage Air in a while but when I did my 67 years ago the only system they had was for a NON-factory A/C car, heat only. Mine also used the original 3-level heat only controls and converted the mechanical cable control to microswitch.
At the time, they did not have anything for a factory A/C car that one could use without going to a universal unit and more work. Anyway, that's something you might ask of which vendor you plant to use, can/should original controls be used? Naturally if you're doing a really custom installation and using their dash/console control system, the point is moot.
{Edit}
I just looked at the Vintage Air site and they have kits for both factory A/C and non A/C 66/67 Chevelles and converts current cable controls to microswitch . PDF here - http://www.vintageair.com/2012catalog/2012 VintageAir Catalog Final WEB (Page 20).pdf
Both 3-lever and 4-lever controls used to be fairly easy to come by, not sure how so now. The 3-lever (heat only) is the same between 66 and 67 but the 4-lever units have different levers so I'd look for a 66 unit. New, replacement levers are available for all if you find one with broken levers - shouldn't need to worry about the cables themselves.
Hi Pat,
I installed a vintage air system in my 66 convertible over the winter. I removed the dash to install it and did some updates along with it.
It was pretty straight forward. I welded a plate with studs to mount the evaporator and then installed a mirrored stainless plate on the firewall to hide all the holes and old looking firewall.
I also installed a front runner system with the polished compressor. Here are some pics. I can answer any questions you may have. System works great and so far I have no complaints.
I installed a vintage air system in my 66 convertible over the winter. I removed the dash to install it and did some updates along with it.
It was pretty straight forward. I welded a plate with studs to mount the evaporator and then installed a mirrored stainless plate on the firewall to hide all the holes and old looking firewall.
I also installed a front runner system with the polished compressor. Here are some pics. I can answer any questions you may have. System works great and so far I have no complaints.
Attachments
Rich
thanks for the pics and info. looks really nice :thumbsup:. did you use a custom control? is that what i am seeing below the radio? if so, can you give me any info on that or close up pic? i definitly would install with dash removed, i just want to do any fit and fab work before i start painting anything.
thanks for the pics and info. looks really nice :thumbsup:. did you use a custom control? is that what i am seeing below the radio? if so, can you give me any info on that or close up pic? i definitly would install with dash removed, i just want to do any fit and fab work before i start painting anything.
Will this work with the factory single center vent if your car had factory air?
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Well, that's what mine looks like on the passenger side, too. I must have plenty of leg room on the passenger side, my son-in-law rides with me to Goodguys, Scottsdale twice a year, and he's 6 foot+. He's never complained about being cramped.
I used the replacement non-AC control panel.
I used the replacement non-AC control panel.
here is the pic of the somewhat modified heater hose routing
Again--I wanted to be able to service the hoses and the valve without removing
body parts of the car.
I was less concerned about the AC lines as they are pretty much trouble free
for years.
Gen IV unit
acquired a 67 Malibu dash strip for an AC car (I like it better than the 66 strip) aand cut the dash to fit the VA vents------the vents are actually behind the dash strip, but they look okay
Again--I wanted to be able to service the hoses and the valve without removing
body parts of the car.
I was less concerned about the AC lines as they are pretty much trouble free
for years.
Gen IV unit
acquired a 67 Malibu dash strip for an AC car (I like it better than the 66 strip) aand cut the dash to fit the VA vents------the vents are actually behind the dash strip, but they look okay
Pat,
I used the Dakota Digital controller as it was specifically made for the Vintage Air system. The digital dash was manufactured from them as well. Here is the web site http://www.dakotadigital.com/index....tegory_id=337/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd821.htm
I used the Dakota Digital controller as it was specifically made for the Vintage Air system. The digital dash was manufactured from them as well. Here is the web site http://www.dakotadigital.com/index....tegory_id=337/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd821.htm
Doug,
The evaporator has 2 supplies for the center dash, 2 for the defrost, 1 left and 1 right on the outter areas of the dash and two outlets in the unit itself for the floor. Check this PDF file shows the hose duct routing. This is for Factory Air cars.
http://www.vintageair.com/Instructions2013/904466.pdf
Rich
The evaporator has 2 supplies for the center dash, 2 for the defrost, 1 left and 1 right on the outter areas of the dash and two outlets in the unit itself for the floor. Check this PDF file shows the hose duct routing. This is for Factory Air cars.
http://www.vintageair.com/Instructions2013/904466.pdf
Rich
Rich
i like the dakota controller, i will have to look into that. i dont have a factory style control and am going with dakota dash...sweep style. but the car is going to be modified for comfort, so i dont think ac controls will really matter if they are factory.
thanks for the pics and info.
i like the dakota controller, i will have to look into that. i dont have a factory style control and am going with dakota dash...sweep style. but the car is going to be modified for comfort, so i dont think ac controls will really matter if they are factory.
thanks for the pics and info.
They turn and go under the fender with the AC hoses.
Had an AC supplier make the 90* bends and I made the aluminum
cover.
I'll try to locate a pic of those 90* turns I had made.
one is longer than the other due to the angle of the firewall.
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