Clean looking Heat Only Option
 

I'd like to keep the underhood area clean and uncluttered looking on my truck build. I like the look of just few hoses passing through to an under-dash unit like Restomod Air or Vintage Air, but don't know if A/C is in my future with the truck.

Does anyone make a heat only option that works with our trucks? I guess I could always buy and install an option with A/C, and then it's there if I ever wanted it, but also trying to control costs.

Re: Clean looking Heat Only Option
 

You could look into heavy equipment heaters or a vintage car heater. I can't see why you would want to go that route as you lose the the advantages of heating outside air and are stuck with recycling the air in the cab.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CPQLMH1...T1zcF9kZXRhaWw

https://www.coldmasterinc.com/under-...versal-heaters

https://www.hotrod.com/how-to/1006sr...r-restoration/

Re: Clean looking Heat Only Option
 

Speedway Motors has street rod heaters that mount under the dash. Heat and defrost along with ducting options.

Re: Clean looking Heat Only Option
 

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I think both VA and Old Air have heater only solutions.

That said, I'd suggest purchasing the under dash evaporator/heater core unit and plumb it for heat only. Leave the evaporator capped off until/if you or some other person decides to purchase and add the A/C components to make that work. You probably would want to purchase the control panel that would run the A/C in the future and install it even though no A/C.

You'd need the under dash unit, ducting, vents (if no-A/C cab), controller, a bulkhead for firewall to get heater hoses into the cab and a heater shutoff valve.

No need for the compressor, condenser, receiver/dryer or the plumbing for those things. Just cap off the firewall bulkhead ports for A/C lines. Doing it this way, you can still throw air at yourself with the blower fan when it's warm out but it will be ambient temp air.

No idea what that would cost but Ima guess just a few hundred more than a heat-only solution.

Beware, first hot day you find yourself driving it after you do this, you're likely to start ordering parts :)

EDIT:
Vintage Air: evaporator kit: 1340 (don't think they have heat only)
......Old Air: evaporator kit: 1195 - 1895 (lots of options)
......Old Air: heater only: 525 cable operated +100 for digital
......Old Air: generic heater only: around 200

Hth,

-Kevin

Re: Clean looking Heat Only Option
 

If it is a AC truck, the heater core is inside. This would allow you to shave the engine side of the firewall pretty clean and still maintain heat function for now and AC ability in future if so desired by you or future owner. I agree, driving these trucks without AC in mid summer is not very comfortable. 50 years ago, we were not so accustomed to conditioned air.

Re: Clean looking Heat Only Option
 

E bay has a few heat / defrost units available with good prices..

Re: Clean looking Heat Only Option
 

The old air unit is a bit spendy for a "universal" heat only unit.

The Vintage air units run a little over 300 now but have been popular with hot rod guys who want heat but not AC for years. Small but efficient. Most states require that you have working defrosters even if you don't have heat.

Re: Clean looking Heat Only Option
 

Thanks for the links and detailed suggestions, guys! The truck won't be going anywhere, it was my grandfather's truck and what I learned to drive on. A/C would be nice to have, one day, so going that route probably makes the most sense.

It is not a factory AC truck.