My Vintage Air Install

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slick
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My Vintage Air Install

Post by slick »

I started out wanting to do a "How to" on installing Vintage Air in my 63 Crewcab. I started taking a bunch of pictures when I first started. As I got further into it I forgot to take alot of detailed pictures that I had planned on doing. Anyway here is my install, hopefully it can help someone else down the road.
My truck is a conglomeration of a few vehicles, so the install is very specific to my application.
The specs are my truck are 5.2 Magnum, radiator,and trans out of a 2000 Durango. This was my first obstacle. The 5.2 obviously comes with A/C. My original plan was to just use a factory compressor for the Durango, but after researching it and finding out that every compressor is different I decided to use one designed for the Vintage Air set up. First lets start with the kit that I decided on. After alot of research and pricing I decided on the Vintage Air Gen II Super cooler kit. I used a company out of Florida to order the kit because a friend had ordered from them and was happy. So off we go!!
First thing I did was figure out where to install the condesor.
After deciding where I wanted it I built a lower bracket out of angle iron to mount underneath the core support
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This is where that bracket bolts
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Here is the condenser mounted. I used spacers on the top to bring it out passed the recess in the core support
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Next was to come up with a plan for the ac compressor. The universal brackets that I got with the kit are pretty ridiculous. I ended up building a plate to bolt to the 5.2 original ac bolt holes and cutting down the brackets to work.
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Once the compressor was mounted it was time to find a belt. I assumed a standard ac belt would work, but I was wrong. The bracket moved the compressor up to much, so back to the drawing board. To make a long story short I figured out that a Dodge Viper ac delete belt would allow me to run the new compressor and eliminate the leaky power steering pump I wasn't using anyway.
Now the fun part, how to mount the evaporator under the dash. I built 3 brackets. Not a huge fan of where Vintage Air puts the mount holes, but it works. 1 bolt through the firewall and 2 to the dashboard. I had the remove the center dash support which I don't think is a big deal because the evaporator with brackets should support the dash. This where my picture taking fell apart. I also, ended up welding all the holes where my original heater was and bought a bulkhead to run the lines through the firewall.
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I also eliminated the factory fan and found an electric one off a Pt cruiser that seems to fit pretty good. It's pretty cool because with the Trinary safety switch the fan will cycle on and off as needed.
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Well that's pretty much it for now. Any questions just let me know if I can help. Sorry I fell short on the pics, but I can take any specific pics of anyone needs them.
With everything I'm in it about $1600. Well worth it in my opinion. It blows super cold and actually cools the entire leaky cab.
1963 Crewcab
1965 Crewcab
1968 D-100 Longbed
1948 Dodge Panel Truck
1964 Dodge Polara
1957 Shasta

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my5thmopar
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Re: My Vintage Air Install

Post by my5thmopar »

This is on my list hopefully for the winter. You have your air vents to get some outside air in to prevent window fogging. I guess you won't need heat in AZ. Thanks for the pictures. Are there 3 or 4 vents? Craig

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slick
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Re: My Vintage Air Install

Post by slick »

Yes there are 4 vents, forgot to take a picture. It's the same as the drivers just the other side. No fresh air, the evaporator has heat and defrost as well.
1963 Crewcab
1965 Crewcab
1968 D-100 Longbed
1948 Dodge Panel Truck
1964 Dodge Polara
1957 Shasta

gww
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Re: My Vintage Air Install

Post by gww »

thanks for sharing. need to add ac in the near future
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Re: My Vintage Air Install

Post by skyrodder666 »

Sure you don't wanna trade for a factory big block dash shift crew? Lol. Good looking install though. I was very curious how it would cool the bigger cabs. Glad to know it works well. I'm thinking about this and efi for my orange crew.
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Re: My Vintage Air Install

Post by Ian30 »

How hard was it to mount the unit under the dash? Did they supply you with any usable brackets for that or were you pretty much making them yourself.

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slick
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Re: My Vintage Air Install

Post by slick »

The brackets they sent are useless. I threw them away and made my own. It actually fits under the dash pretty good. Running the duct work for th defrost and ac vent hoses was a pain. The stereo, crossovers for my component speakers, and body control modules didn't make it any easier. I took out my glove box liner to make a little more room.

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1963 Crewcab
1965 Crewcab
1968 D-100 Longbed
1948 Dodge Panel Truck
1964 Dodge Polara
1957 Shasta

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slick
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Re: My Vintage Air Install

Post by slick »

I also wanted to have control of my electric fan. I tapped into the wire for the ac trinary switch and ran a push pull toggle switch. I piggy backed this onto my original blower switch which now had no purpose.
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1963 Crewcab
1965 Crewcab
1968 D-100 Longbed
1948 Dodge Panel Truck
1964 Dodge Polara
1957 Shasta

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slick
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Re: My Vintage Air Install

Post by slick »

Here's a picture of the passenger side bracket. Driver is the same. I used holes that were already in my dash.
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1963 Crewcab
1965 Crewcab
1968 D-100 Longbed
1948 Dodge Panel Truck
1964 Dodge Polara
1957 Shasta

Ian30
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Re: My Vintage Air Install

Post by Ian30 »

That looks great, Thanks for taking the time to take pictures and make a post. I have been planning to do this for a while and your post answered a bunch of questions I had.

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