Vintage Air surefit problems

[layinrocker65]

I’m at the end of my install and while I’ve have several small issues with it, I have come across a larger one and seeing if anyone else had a solution for it.

The surefit HVAC control is not fitting behind my gauge bezel. The factory HVAC control sat behind the dash and screws went through the dash and into the factory control pulling it against the back of the dash. Vintage Air says there control gets screwed to the front of the dash so the screws go through there control and then into the dash pressing the control against the front of the dash. In doing this, the control sits too far away from the dash so the gauge bezel will not sit flush against the dash.

Currently with the surefit control mounted on the front of the dash is roughly 3/8” too far out for the gauge bezel to sit against the dash with the bezel against the face of the control. If I put the control on the back of the dash like my factory one was, the control is too far back and there is a very large gap between the gauge bezel and the face of the control.

Here are a few pics of how it’s supposed to be mounted per the instructions and how far the bezel is away from the dash.

As advice would be great. I have already emailed vintage Air but don’t expect a response till Monday.

[layinrocker65]

This is on my 74 with the factory bezel.

[Palf70Step]

It looks like it the surefit lip should go behind the dash, allowing it to shift up slightly and the surefit controller ridge will rest on the opening for the vent.

[layinrocker65]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

It looks like it the surefit lip should go behind the dash, allowing it to shift up slightly and the surefit controller ridge will rest on the opening for the vent.

You would think that but the surefit controller is held together with rivets which stick out from the face of the controller. The controller could not sit flush against the back side of the dash if I wanted it to.

[layinrocker65]

Here’s a pic of the factory control. Even if I could get the surefit controller to sit flush against the back of the dash, it still wouldn’t be close enough to the bezel

[Axle]

Email them, no idea what older model controls look like, but maybe you have the incorrect controller in the box. My guess is they expect you to trim the bezel until it fits properly.

Alex.

[obijuan]

My 91 truck fits the exact same as your first photo and fits excellent with my bezel. Is there a difference in control panel for 73-80 and 81-91. Run the instructions for both and verify part numbers

[layinrocker65]

They call for one control panel for all 73-87. This just sucks that I spend so much money for the surefit system that is sure to fit with modifications. I have already emailed them but I’m sure I won’t here back on the weekend. When I called them last time to “help” with another issue with the kit, it took them over an hour to call back and they couldn’t help me.

[obijuan]

I dont want to volunteer anyone but Wayne is a squarebody guy and is probably going to be the most help there.

[layinrocker65]

Part #473075 is the control panel assembly for 73-87

[meatwagon83]

As much as I hate to ask, is there enough meat to notch it out?

[Palf70Step]

Hopefully this helps, as it appears to look like it would go this way and I thought I saw someone do it that way. The part circled in yelowl slides behind the metal of the dash. It will allow the red parts to come in and rest on the top edge of dash opening where the AC vent goes..

[layinrocker65]

The circle part in the yellow is not part of the control. It looks like it but it just a shadow inside the dash.

Right now, I think the only solution is to cut the tabs you circled in the red and get the control closer to the dash. The problem with that is the backing on the controller will eventually hit the dash and I don’t know if it will be enough.

I’m not the smartest guy but I’ve worked on enough things to know Vintage Air will not be able to give me a solution for this without them sending a different control

[cadillac_al]

Why the f**k do they have the hot and cold backwards??? Do they have only one dyslectic designer to design it? I would be pissed and send it back because of that. Sorry I can't help with the fitment but now we know the mentality of the designer so stuff may be measured backwards.

[SunSoaked]

I got the sure fit in my 85. Currently got the dash apart installing Dakota Guages.
If Vintage uses the same controller for 73-91 then something isn't right with your dash. Is your bezel original OEM?. It looks installed correctly, it goes on the front like you have it. If they send you 20 new controllers, I'd bet they all fit the same.
Push come to shove, you could trim the depth of the tabs to recess it further.
And no, the hot and cold is not backwards as someone mentioned. The system uses a heater bypass solenoid and that's how it's designed.
When you get it finished you will love it! It works great here in S.Az even when it's 120.

[Rich84]

Originally Posted by SunSoaked

I got the sure fit in my 85. Currently got the dash apart installing Dakota Guages.
If Vintage uses the same controller for 73-91 then something isn't right with your dash. Is your bezel original OEM?. It looks installed correctly, it goes on the front like you have it. If they send you 20 new controllers, I'd bet they all fit the same.
Push come to shove, you could trim the depth of the tabs to recess it further.
And no, the hot and cold is not backwards as someone mentioned. The system uses a heater bypass solenoid and that's how it's designed.
When you get it finished you will love it! It works great here in S.Az even when it's 120.

I just finished an install and it fit just like this. The tabs put the controller at the perfect depth.

[layinrocker65]

I’m starting to think that this is a 73-74 issue. I’ve scrooled through several build threads for those years and all of them have the factory a/c controls mounted to the rear of the dash like mine. The 73-74 also had a different bezel. Still haven’t got a response from Vintage Air

[SunSoaked]

I agree. Your bezel looks like it has a flange or lip. I would trim that versus the control panel. Plastic is easier to modify than metal.

[layinrocker65]

Trimming the bezel is not an option for me. It’s too expensive and hard to find to replace if I screw up. It’s also hard to make plastic look like a finished edge after cutting. If you look at the bezel opening, it’s squared off to fit against the control face and if I cut it, the opened won’t be squared off.

Vintage Air needs to make a better kit. I’m probably going to end up modifying the control.

[Axle]

Those rivets aside, how well does the control fit BEHIND the dash? If it seems like its going to be correct then, cut the rivets off and replace with a shallow panhead machine screw and nut. And You can utilize a #6 machine screw & nut to hold it in the factory screw holes without having to hog anything out.

[layinrocker65]

Placing the control behind the dash even without the rivets would leave a gap between the bezel and the control. Also, the dash metal has curves to it so the control couldn’t sit flush

[layinrocker65]

So I finally heard from Vintage Air. Talk to them on the phone for a while. They gave me the typical, we’ve a bunch of these in and have never had your problem before. They asked for me to send pictures of my factory control compared to the surefit unit.

The guy did not have an immediate solution for me and told me I probably have to modify the one I got to work. He suggested to cut down the metal tabs. If engineering decides that they will design another control, they would send me one in the future.

I’m not going to hold my breath for a solution it the future but I guess I’ll just start nodding this one.

[Jaysonb]

I had the exact same issue Iwhen I installed the sure fit kit on a 73 gmc, I just ended up trimming the tabs on the controller until it fit correctly. There must be something a little different with the 73-74 dashes?

[layinrocker65]

Originally Posted by Jaysonb

I had the exact same issue Iwhen I installed the sure fit kit on a 73 gmc, I just ended up trimming the tabs on the controller until it fit correctly. There must be something a little different with the 73-74 dashes?

Thanks for confirming that. I know the 73-74 bezels are different. Another solution Vintage Air had was to buy a new bezel...