Best aftermarket A/C
 

I know this has been asked before, but a search didn't come up with anything. What kind of aftermarket A/C systems have you guys used? How easy was the installation? How was it priced? What kind of quality? How well do you like what you have? I'm in the process of getting ready to buy my A/C but I would like opinions while I shop around.

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

IMHO you can't go wrong with either oldairproducts.com or vintage air.com...(+) great tech depts. Just bought a gen IV from vintage air but it hasn't been installed yet.

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Avoid Hot Rod Air, Wayne is a good guy but he is overworked and understaffed, and typically the only one one the phones, and doing the RA's. We talk so much we are on a first name basis, talked to him this morning actually... My units all arrived wrapped in a trash bag :crazy: I am still waiting on my credit for some terribly designed brackets after two months. Also, got three units from them, and just as the 3rd one was going out to me, I located the one I wanted from Nostalgic Air, so I sold it to a friend and bought the evaporator I needed. Nostalgic Air was OK but I would probably catagorize them the same as Hot Rod being a small company, I am sure if there was a problem, you would enter nightmare land.

For quality of products and service I would stick with the larger guys like Old Air and Vintage Air.

All my units were under dash "knee knockers" The two that go in the center I didn't really care for and the one I got finally to goes across the whole dash is great, blows my hair back... The installation was easy, the only surprize with this unit was that the site says you have to slightly modify your glove box. This isn't true, you have to cut your metal heater duct! I pondered for a while before deciding to do it. They give you a cheap sticky pad to cover the hole and since it was 100 outside, I just did it. I am going to go back in the fall and fiberglass it.

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

The first A/C (Didn't fit right, blew straight up, leaked and blocked the heater):
http://www.grossepointegothic.com/71...e/hpim0707.jpg

The Second A/C came in D.O.A., The third one looked just like this, and I sold it to my friend:
http://www.grossepointegothic.com/71...e/hpim0894.jpg

The fourth A/C is the one I wanted in the first place but didn't find it until someone posted it here, so I bought it! ALL The blower sections were exactly the same. Didn't matter what model or what company. Here's the one that is in there now and working good...
http://www.grossepointegothic.com/71...e/hpim1019.jpg

And the hole they required to be cut for blower clearance:
http://www.grossepointegothic.com/71...e/hpim1014.jpg

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

So is that last one from Nostalgic air? What's it look like under the hood?

Cool...

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

This has been debated numerous times. If I am not mistaken...most will say Vintage Air, and then Old Air always has a few that love their units too.

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

This is where I bought my stuff and I couldn't be more pleased with it. R-134A gets to 46 degree on a 102 degree day. I didn't buy the whole kit because I had factory air already but I would if I ever need to later.

http://www.classicair.com/CPickup6772.asp

Here is a post I did on the install of everything I bought.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=253275

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

My vote goes for vintage air, very well packaged kit, but $$$.

ALSO! I highly recommend a:

1. Tranny cooler if you have an automatic
2. 4 Core radiator
3. Possibly electric fans if you have additional cooling problems.

The 3 things above can jump your cost up QUICK!

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Yeah, that last one is from Nostalgic air, I couldn't find any other companies who carried the long one like that. My friend had one in his truck so that's what inspired me. I only like Old Air because they are a larger company, have a good 6 Cyl bracket, and more importantly, they are in my area, so I can just go there, I have no experience with them tho.

Here are some pics! Under the hood changed a couple of times...

Brackets:
First the Hot Rod Air bracket that blocked the heater hose :crazy: :
http://www.grossepointegothic.com/71...e/hpim0642.jpg

Then the new bracket that is a homemade bracket that happened to come with my old engine. In a perfect world (full of money :lol:) I would have an Old Air Bracket.
http://www.grossepointegothic.com/71...e/hpim0648.jpg


A/C lines:
First, they went into some holes that happened to already be drilled in the firewall for the center mount unit, (you can barely see them on the lower firewall passenger side):
http://www.grossepointegothic.com/71...e/hpim0665.jpg

I decided to re-route the A/C lines the way they suggested up by the blower for this unit, and so I didn't have to make new, longer hoses.
http://www.grossepointegothic.com/71...e/hpim1009.jpg

For detail, more pics and the "story" click on my signature link, I haven't updated it for the most recent stuff tho :)

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

I've got a four core radiator and the compressor head pressure was climbing like crazy and I put a shroud on it and it is all good now. I installed an electric fan which helped too, but I have it unplugged right now and it runs at 195 in the heat of the day with a 190 thermostat.

Here's a question that is related to this topic... The engine runs one for a full second after I turn the key off when I have the electric fan hooked up. This exact same thing happened on my Monte Carlo also too. When I say runs on, I don't mean dieseling, I mean like normal, it just keeps running, but just for a sec ond then it shuts off like normal. The fans were both plugged into an IGN port on the fuse box that kills power when the key is turned off. The only thing I can think of is that they draw so much juice that when I kill it, the circut needs a second to "drain" off the rest of the juice.. any ideas of how to address this?

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

I have helped install 3 vintage air sur fit kits,and they come with easy to follow
instructions,I myself got a bad compressor the first time, but they worked it out quickly and smooth.All three were for non factory air trucks but with a hole saw and dremel,in about 6 hours you can have one put in!!I think they are very clean and neat!!Only thing you will have to buy besides the kit will be air controls and a bracket that will allow you to mount it to the dash!! You are also going to have to buy belts pulleys and your cold beverage of choice!!

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...od/1556057.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...od/1556056.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...od/1556060.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...od/1556061.jpg

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

190 Degree Thermostat Is Way Too Hot For A I-6 Engine. Your Going To Crack A Head Promiss. A 160 In The Summer Is Plenty. The Rear Cylinders Run Far Hotter Than The Rest.. I,ve Run The I-6,s For 25 Years. Also At Least A 3 Core Rad. Is Very Important. I,d Go With A 4 Core With A/c.
Jmo
Bob

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Hopefully 4 next year :D

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

I've got a 4 core radiator. I just put in the thermostat that is the OEM temp, which is actually 195, not 190 so I guess it is running right where the thermostat is set, but if I'm gonna crack a head, why is that the factory temp? I'm not doubting your experience, I'm just wondering. I am going to go down to 180 at least tonight tho...

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

I am a firm advocate of the vintage air surefit systems. If you go that route you are going to want the system that uses the factory air controls. I have also done my part in installing a handful of these and would be more than happy to help you out Craig!!:lol: Both of my trucks are running 3 core radiators with no overheating problems.


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...h/100_0574.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...h/100_0525.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...h/100_0524.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...h/100_0521.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...h_100_1642.jpg

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Just let me now when I'll get the crew pit up and ready!!

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Couple questions:

What thermostat are you running?

What fan are you using? Stock, electric, something else?

Are any of the trucks autos, and if so, are you using an additional tranny cooler?

Thanks :D

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Both the trucks are running 180 thermostats. One is an auto and the other is a straight shift. Both are running dual electric fans. I am also using the stock tranny cooler on the auto. I checked the temp of the coolant entering and leaving the radiator of my brother in laws Z (4 core) and my C10 (3 core). There was no significant difference in the temps. I did this using an infrared thermometer. Both were dropping the temps by about 40* or so. I don't know if the temp difference would have been higher while the trucks were rolling.

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

My 71 has the 700-R4 in it. Trans cooler from Advance in line with the radiator. I have the 4 core and never had any issues with over heating. The factory fan shroud shouldn't cover the fan blades completely, there should be a 3/4" of fan out side the shrould for best cooling. I also closed up the area between my radiator support and back side of the outter grille to force more air through the shroud.
You can see the lines for the cooler between the condensor & radiator sticking up.
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/...0/DSC00355.JPG

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Asa, did your kit come with that nifty glove box or was it extra. Also, what kind of money are we talking about? I can get an OldAir kit with EVERYTHING to install it with the factory style vents and A/C controls for $1400. I checked on a Vintage Air "Sure Fit" kit today and they said $1050, but they didn't say exactly what came with it. I already have a compressor bracket, so that's the only thing I don't need in the kit.

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Are these aftermarket systems really that much better than replacing my old stock stuff with new ones?

Also, I plan on a serpentine setup from GM and it comes with newer model compressor. Will it fit the rest of my stock A/C equipment (that I plan to replace with new stuff)?

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

You are still going to have to come up with a set of factory air controls as well as the bracket that lets you screw them to the dash. You can buy the controls other places that will be cheaper than VA. Some places don't include the fan speed switch with the factory ac controls. Make sure you ask about this before ordering, it's a bummer having a couple $ part holding you back. The bracket for the controls can be bought from VA. I'm not aware of anyone else who sells the bracket new. You don't want the surefit system that is going to use your factory non-air controls. As best as I can recall that's all your going to need aside from your pulleys and belt. And yes the glovebox liner came with the system.

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Where can I get some compressor brackets on the cheap? It's a 508 compressor , looking to mount to a SBC upper driver side.

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Re: Best aftermarket A/C
 

Here's the one I've finally decided on. Cheapest one I could find.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/S...1&sku=dash+fan