Vintage air with OE dash trim and vents

[UKNOWME]

Is anyone using OE dash trim on the passenger side with all 4 factory air vents instead of the cheap crap that comes with the vintage air kit?

[Matt Man]

Interested in this, I was going to pick up dash trim from the junkyard. Are the vintage air vents really that bad?

[UKNOWME]

Originally Posted by Matt Man

Interested in this, I was going to pick up dash trim from the junkyard. Are the vintage air vents really that bad?

The trim doesn't fit well in the dash pad. The vents are ok except for the left side lower. It doesn't mount correctly. I'd just like to have it look nicer.

[Matt Man]

The kit comes with a new dash trim piece? I thought you had to cut out your original one with templates?

[73kay]

Bad picture but what I did to keep uniformity was for the passenger vents I just trimmed the vintage air bezel (the long black piece) and make it mount behind the dash. So I had oe woodgrain then the dash, then the plastic which held the vintage air vents and all I did was drill 3 holes for the woodgrain threads to go thru and screwed the sandwich together.


Hopefully I explained it well enough but it came out pretty good and junkyard finds were in crappy shape and new ones were expensive.

[UKNOWME]

Originally Posted by Matt Man

The kit comes with a new dash trim piece? I thought you had to cut out your original one with templates?

Mine came with the passenger side. I bought a new gauge bezel for the drivers side. No idea if the other option was to cut the non AC bezel because a friend actually did the install for me.

[UKNOWME]

Originally Posted by 73kay

Bad picture but what I did to keep uniformity was for the passenger vents I just trimmed the vintage air bezel (the long black piece) and make it mount behind the dash. So I had oe woodgrain then the dash, then the plastic which held the vintage air vents and all I did was drill 3 holes for the woodgrain threads to go thru and screwed the sandwich together.


Hopefully I explained it well enough but it came out pretty good and junkyard finds were in crappy shape and new ones were expensive.

Any other pics? Drivers side too?

[73kay]

Here is my factory non ac with the va add in vents that come with the non ac kit

[73kay]

Here is it before I added in the vents. Sorry for all the posts. For some
Reason I can't upload more than 1 pic a post on my iPhone. Hope this helps!

[gmachinz]

That really looks good!

[68c10owner]

Im curious as well. been thinking about upgrading the oem a/c down the road. I have all new GM a/c vents sitting in a box so I`d hate to not be able to use them. Anyone know about running the vintage air set up for oem a/c trucks?

[73kay]

I thought so and I really wanted to match all the vents and the new ones seemed good enough for me. I just had to get creative for the passenger vent setup bc I love the woodgrain oem dash insert and va black plain insert looked cheap.

[wpotter]

If your truck did not have factory air they include a reproduction for the passenger side and aftermarket vents that you cut into the instrument cluster. These do not fit the original ac cluster holes, you would need original vents for that.

If you have a factory air truck the kit has adapters to use the original vents. You can get the adapters from them if you install all or any of the original vents in a non air truck.

[UKNOWME]

I would prefer to use all OE panels and vents. I just didn't know if the ducting will all mate up.

[wpotter]

Duct hose is the same from the unit to the vents. You will just need the adapters that go on the back of the original vents to connect the duct hose to.

[silverbear]

Originally Posted by UKNOWME

I would prefer to use all OE panels and vents. I just didn't know if the ducting will all mate up.

I have some experience with the Vintage Air kits but not the one for our generation trucks. But from the research I have done, if you have the factory vents, there is an adapter piece that attaches to the back side of the vent that allows for the flexible duct tubes to connect the air box to the vents. I was ready to install one of these kits in my 86 k10 until I realized the VA kits block off the fresh air intake and will only recycle the air inside the cab. I know that would not matter to most. I also prefer the factory controls over the VA controls. Now there are still advantages to the VA kits over the factory but you should be able to maintain a mostly factory look by using your original vent assemblies and adding the VA kit under the dash.

Install instructions for a 73-80 factory air truck: www.vintageair.com/Instructions2013/904184.pdf

Install instructions for an 81 to 81 factory air truck: www.vintageair.com/Instructions2013/904185.pdf

[gmachinz]

I don't know....these trucks are still so common that IMO I'd overhaul a factory unit and install it in a non-AC truck before going a VA route. Knowing how tight it is behind the ashtray/radio area, I don't like the idea of octopus ducting running everywhere. And there's some definite deviations from the factory climate control wiring as well. VA has a place but I don't know that the 73-up trucks is one of them....time will tell tho.

[UKNOWME]

Originally Posted by gmachinz

I don't know....these trucks are still so common that IMO I'd overhaul a factory unit and install it in a non-AC truck before going a VA route.

Well too late for that on my part. I've had the VA kit in since July. I don't really drive the truck so for me it's not about which functions better (as long as it works) I'm concerned about appearance right now.

[BigCountryx]

The only good reason I see to use the V.A. kit in a 73+ is for bagged applications where the tire and AC box are trying to occupy the same real estate. That's why it's in the plan for my 75. I guess the engine compartment is a little less cluttered too. Otherwise I agree, the factory AC is a good option.

[y5mgisi]

I have been trying to work out this idea in mind that u have had for a while. On my crew cab, I want to take a suburban rear ac unit and fabricate a new enclosure for it that would mount it under the truck like outside the frame rail under the passenger seat or something. And then running nice looking /hidden duct work up under the dash to allow for like a dual zone climate control, or, run it out under the front seats facing rear for like a rear ac like the new trucks.