The Brown Truck

[Dino Driver]

Your concern over placement of the tranny cooler is one that I have been pondering also. I am going to look into the ones that mount to the frame rail and look like a scared cats tail with all the radiating fins.

[SFTorange]

Originally Posted by Dino Driver

Your concern over placement of the tranny cooler is one that I have been pondering also. I am going to look into the ones that mount to the frame rail and look like a scared cats tail with all the radiating fins.

The frame rail-mounted coolers would be easier to install, and a lot of guys use them. I bought the one I have before buying my radiator with an internal cooler. It's probably overkill, but since I already have it I'll probably use it. I do have another much smaller unit laying around that I might consider.

I'll play around with it this weekend and post what I come up with. The position I showed yesterday should leave good airflow to the condenser and still get air through the cooler. Looking at the suburban, it seems like there will be enough room, and everything will be relatively hidden.

[1966chevytrucks]

Hey truck is looking awesome and fast. Was wandering what kinda budget did you start with?

[SFTorange]

Originally Posted by 1966chevytrucks

Hey truck is looking awesome and fast. Was wandering what kinda budget did you start with?

Well, I have to admit that i haven't kept the best track of my budget over the years. I've just tried to pick up the parts as I've been able to afford them. It would be safe to say that over the years I've had well upwards of $10,00 in the truck. But hey, it's going to be like a new truck when it's done. Also, I've utilized mostly aftermarket solutions for everything. I think you could save a lot of money by using junkyard parts for disc brakes , etc. The only money I've spent on labor was to have my engine and transmission built, and for the body work. I have hundreds upon hundreds of hours of my own time in the truck. Also luckily for me, the truck itself was passed down in my family and I got it for free.

[SFTorange]

Here are some pics of today's progress. I"m pretty happy with how everything turned out. I'm getting a lot better at bending lines, but the 3/8" tubing I used for the tranny coolers was a pain. It isn't necessarily pretty, but should get the job done. I had to do a bunch of modifications to the fan shroud to get it to work with the engine moved forward.

[Alan's Classic]

Nice progress. Is the passenger side of the tranny cooler secured to anything? If not is it floppy?

[SFTorange]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

Nice progress. Is the passenger side of the tranny cooler secured to anything? If not is it floppy?

The cooler has a pretty thick mounting flange, so it is held down tight with just the bolts on the driver's side. If you look closely, it is also supported by the X beams on the radiator support. I plan to attach the passenger side of the cooler down onto those to make sure it doesn't flop around.

[SFTorange]

Finally getting around to posting my progress from the weekend. I kept picking away at the wiring, and got a bunch of small things done. I installed my inner fenders, modified the fan shroud, and got the engine compartment pretty much installed.

[SFTorange]

I also spent a couple of hours staring at the air conditioning box until I built up the courage to drill some holes in the firewall for mounting the box. I'm happy with how it turned out.

[structures]

I think the progress has been great. I thumbed back thru your build but didn't find any specifics on the a/c. That's the vintage air right? How's that install going? Vintage Air's unit is kind of a custom install right? It seems like from looking around I see some guys mount them high and block off the glove box, others mount them lower. Yours seems lower, I like that. Was there a template?

[SFTorange]

Originally Posted by structures

I think the progress has been great. I thumbed back thru your build but didn't find any specifics on the a/c. That's the vintage air right? How's that install going? Vintage Air's unit is kind of a custom install right? It seems like from looking around I see some guys mount them high and block off the glove box, others mount them lower. Yours seems lower, I like that. Was there a template?

It's funny that you mentioned this. I was just thinking that I never posted details about my a/c in my build thread. I started a more specific thread about a/c this winter that details my decision making. It has some pics and details about other people's projects. TR65's install photos really helped me with my decision. I ended up going with Vintage Air's setup thanks to Mark (Coolair)'s support and suggestions for how to make the system work.

You can see the thread with more details here.

I ordered a complete Gen IV Magnum system. The evaporator unit is the universal kit, but the condenser is specifically designed for my '66. Mark also set me up with the needed parts to use Vintage Air's cable converter setup which will allow me to utilize my original deluxe controls. It'll be some work to get everything set up (the cable converters are actually designed for a '69 Camaro), but I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out. I should have some progress on the installation soon, so stay tuned to my build thread.
There weren't any templates, but the instructions show you the basics of how to install the box under the dash. I ended up measuring a bunch and staring at it for several hours before drilling any holes.

If you look at TR65's installation, he set it up so that he didn't have to drill any holes in the firewall. I'm not worried about that, so I had more freedom to mount the box lower and still retain some room in the glove box.

Here are some pictures of the Vintage Air cable converters mounted up to my factory controls. They were super easy to install. I'm really excited to have electronic controls with my stock dash. I still need to trim the extra length off of the mounting straps.

By the way, after calling a bunch of dealers for quotes, I placed my order from Curt's Rod and Custom in Lake Park, MN. He quoted me great prices, AND free shipping. I had my a/c setup direct from Vintage air in exactly one week.

I also picked up some #1 welding cable to use for battery cables.

[structures]

I like that, my biggest issue with the vintage air was loosing the deluxe controls, now it seems I wouldn't have to. I have always preferred the construction of vintage air system but "old air" makes that electronic controller that looks just like the cable one. I was contemplating trying to adapt that to the vintage air. I wish vintage air would re-produce an electronic controller. Although your method here looks really slick.

Oh i did read that thread a few months ago. I get on this website and get inundated with information and never can remember who said what and who installed this and that!

Thanks a lot.

[SFTorange]

I got my heater controller mounted up this morning and the gauge cluster installed. It's really starting to look like a truck! The Vintage Air cable converters have turned out great. Hopefully they'll start advertising a custom fit Gen IV system for our trucks in the near future. Until then, though, the universal setup has been surprisingly easy to install.

More pics later.

[SFTorange]

Here is a picture of the gauge cluster installed. I'm glad I chose to maintain the stock looking dash.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Very nice, clean looking Chevy dash.

[SFTorange]

Ok, so I've done a lot of work without much noteworthy progress. I've been cleaning up the wiring and getting ready for the headlight relay upgrade. I wired up the Vintage Air unit and routed the heater hoses, and the blower works great. Now I just need to route the a/c hoses and get them crimped.

[SFTorange]

Originally Posted by 66-PMD-GMC

Very nice, clean looking Chevy dash.

Thanks! Just what I was going for.

[SFTorange]

Originally Posted by structures

I like that, my biggest issue with the vintage air was loosing the deluxe controls, now it seems I wouldn't have to. I have always preferred the construction of vintage air system but "old air" makes that electronic controller that looks just like the cable one. I was contemplating trying to adapt that to the vintage air. I wish vintage air would re-produce an electronic controller. Although your method here looks really slick.

Oh i did read that thread a few months ago. I get on this website and get inundated with information and never can remember who said what and who installed this and that!

Thanks a lot.

No problem, I know just what you mean, and I'm glad I could help. Some days I ponder what this project would have been like without this forum. I can tell you, it would have been a lot harder and much less nice. The FAQ section is a goldmine! If you look down the list, you'll see that I've done the headlight relay upgrade, disc brake swap, sway bar installation, split brake lines, wing window rebuild, big back window conversion, and built custom bed wood.

[Dino Driver]

Have you mounted the wiper motor yet? I'm putting a 64 frame under my 60 cab and I took the mounting bracket from the 64 cab but I can't remember what the sheet metal looked like. Could you take inside and outside pics of that area?

[SFTorange]

Originally Posted by Dino Driver

Have you mounted the wiper motor yet? I'm putting a 64 frame under my 60 cab and I took the mounting bracket from the 64 cab but I can't remember what the sheet metal looked like. Could you take inside and outside pics of that area?

I don't know if these will help, but hopefully!

[glos55]

Just went through this entire build, Wow! You have my attention!!!!! Can't wait to see it done!

[Dino Driver]

Originally Posted by SFTorange

I don't know if these will help, but hopefully!

That is perfect! The pics even answered some questions I didn't know I had yet!

[SFTorange]

Originally Posted by glos55

Just went through this entire build, Wow! You have my attention!!!!! Can't wait to see it done!

Thanks! I'm hoping to have it finished up by the end of the summer. Things are getting pretty close.

Originally Posted by Dino Driver

That is perfect! The pics even answered some questions I didn't know I had yet!

Glad I could help!

[SFTorange]

We got quite a bit done this weekend. I picked up my bed at the body shop so I could rough in the wood and figure out where the holes need to be drilled. It took us quite a while, but we got it done. I also got my a/c hoses cut and ready to be crimped. It's supposed to be 95 here tomorrow, so it gives me comfort knowing that I'll be cruising with a/c when this thing is done!

[SFTorange]

The place where I took my a/c lines to be crimped managed to destroy one of my fittings in the process, so a new one is on the way from Vintage Air. I'm 90% finished up with the wiring, have the headlight relays completed with larger wires going to the headlights. I've been playing around with the TV cable, and have its preliminary adjustment done. Things keep moving forward....