Finally some progress A/C is done. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

ddsmith · 07-18-2003, 05:27 PM

I finally finished the aftermarket A/C install and it's blowing some real nice cold air. Measure the center vent on Max blower speed with the doors shut and truck at about 1500 RPM and about 90 degree outside air temp. I'm getting 40 degree air. That's without the truck moving just sitting in the driveway. That should keep the drinks cool. I also managed to get the hood lined up so I don't have to fight it to get the thing to open. After looking at the hood lock thread maybe I should have left it goofed up to foil a would be thief. While I was messing around I put in a universal washer pump and now I can actually get washer fluid up to the top of the glass. Aren't these trucks fun.

cali_surfer · 07-18-2003, 07:31 PM

What aftermarket A/C kit did you go with?

mtdave2 · 07-18-2003, 07:31 PM

sweet. dont think mine is that cold.... is this a stock system?

ddsmith · 07-18-2003, 10:22 PM

It's an Old Air R-134A unit from GMC Pauls. My truck was originally an A/C truck but the compressor and condenser were gone when I got it. I decided that an aftermarket unit was better than trying to piece together something. The unit removes most of the firewall mess. I have a flat plate with four tubes running through it. One line is the liquid supply with a TXV on it. One line is gas return from the evap. The other two lines are coolant lines for the heater. The inside of the cab is considerably cleaner looking now. Some passenger side leg room is given up but not much. You lose a little glove box room but not much. The leg room in the center is substantially more than before. All the S duct and heater vent stuff gets pitched. This may be a problem in the winter but I doubt it. The blower can really push some air and one bad side effect is it's a little noisy. The control panel stays and you do some minor modifications to it to make it control the Old Air unit. There were some stumbling blocks along the way. You may have read about them in an earlier thread but all in all I am very happy with the unit. I'll try to get some pictures posted soon so you guys can check out the room this unit makes in the engine compartment. I did the system evacuation and charging myself. That justified the vacuum pump I bought. I sort of like air conditioning and refrigeration stuff and I have plenty of other vehicles which will need A/C work sometime.

SweetandLong68 · 07-18-2003, 11:02 PM

Sounds good man. Gotta love that A/C! I cant wait to get mine all set up. Still trying to decide whether to go with Old Air or Vintage Air.

lata
CHRIS

**68 Stepside** · 07-18-2003, 11:15 PM

WOW!!! 40 degrees is awesome! Sounds like I need an old air system.

cali_surfer · 07-19-2003, 12:09 AM

ddsmith.... you did exactly what I'm going to do. I finally have enough money saved up to buy the kit from GMC Paul, same thing you have. If you could be so kind, tell me steps along the way proved difficult or gave you the biggest headache. I'm just curious what I'm in for.

ddsmith · 07-19-2003, 12:32 AM

Hey cali_surfer,
I'd be glad to provide you all the information you need but I don't want to bore everyone else so I'll PM you.

**GMCPaul** · 07-19-2003, 07:29 AM

ddsmith glad to hear your freezing yourself in your truck with the rest of us with Old Air systems. I've driven one with window down on 95 degree day and A/C on high and still stayed cool in the cab. Now thats A/C that performs, and I love the way it cleans up the firewall under the hood. Sure makes getting to those rear plugs and other passenger side parts under the hood easier!!!
GMCPaul

**chevy71super** · 07-19-2003, 08:20 AM

I have the Vintage Air system and it sounds very similar. Cleans up the firewall nice at the expense of some glve box room. On a cooler day, mid 70's, the vent temperature was in the mid 30's. The AC tech who added the freon was impressed for a 134 system. The draw back I see is it does not bring in outside air.

Mike Culpepper · 07-19-2003, 09:41 AM

Congrats, love success stories about COLD a/c. I find mlyself only running my V.A. system on medium or low most of the time coz it blows COLD. The V.A. unit is sort of loud on high too, but NOT as loud as driving with the windows open!
Mike

Andrew68c10 · 07-19-2003, 01:03 PM

What happens to the heater blower? Does it get put under the dash? What about fresh air ducts?

ginter · 07-19-2003, 01:50 PM

Pictures please!

Quote:

I'd be glad to provide you all the information you need but I don't want to bore everyone else so I'll PM you.

I'm pretty sure there a LOT of people that would like to know also. Please post here!

ddsmith · 07-19-2003, 10:21 PM

Ginter,

Quote:

I'm pretty sure there a LOT of people that would like to know also. Please post here!

I'm be glad to give the information to everyone but it is very long. I'm doing it in installments to cali_surfer. It is specific to the Old Air system. Anyone that is serious about an Old Air system I will provide the information to. Just PM me and I'll try and PM the information as soon as possible. If the general concensus is to post it I will but with the search down it will go by the wayside quickly and people will try and figure out were it went. Later, Don

Chevy4Life · 07-19-2003, 10:56 PM

ddsmith,
You could start a thread in the FAQ's and just add to it when you have the time. I know I would check it out. Just a thought.

krue · 07-19-2003, 11:32 PM

Quote:

You could start a thread in the FAQ's and just add to it as when you have the time. I know I would check it out. Just a thought.

Same thought I had, I second that!

**lock** · 07-19-2003, 11:38 PM

I'd like to see it too. you have any pics? Real curious of pics of the engine bay and interior.

ginter · 07-20-2003, 12:02 AM

ddsmith · 07-20-2003, 12:34 AM

Okay I'll start a thread in the FAQ section and I'll put the pictures that show what it looks like. They are nightime shots with flash so don't beat me up for quality.

krue · 07-20-2003, 12:37 AM

Thanks, man!

ddsmith · 07-20-2003, 01:16 AM

Here's a link to the FAQ.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...threadid=61340

ginter · 07-20-2003, 01:27 AM

Thanks!

Really does clean up the firewall doesn't it? Looks great BTW.

Mike Culpepper · 07-20-2003, 10:29 AM

Great info!
I have a couple of Qs. and a comment
First it looks like you put some kind of foam on top of the fan shroud ,between shroud and rad. I assume it is to maximize air going through the rad and not around. Did this come in the O.A kit? If not wher did you get this stuff(I need to do the same thing with mine).
It looks like this kit comes with a Sanderson compressor, like my V.A unit. It looks like your compressor is mounted such that the oil filler "cap" is about 90 deg. to vertical. The instructions I had made a BIG deal about making SURE this compressor filler "cap" NOT be MORE than 90deg. I thought I would mention this in case the old air instructions didn't emphasize this.

Lastly if it would benifit anyone I would be willing to post some similar pics of my Vintage air unit for comparison. I know alot of members are trying to decide which unit they want to go with and maybey having both systems side by side in the same place would help.
Mike

ginter · 07-20-2003, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Lastly if it would benifit anyone I would be willing to post some similar pics of my Vintage air unit for comparison. I know alot of members are trying to decide which unit they want to go with and maybey having both systems side by side in the same place would help.
Mike

I'd like to see pics of the VA setup also.

SweetandLong68 · 07-20-2003, 12:14 PM

I agree. I would like to see some pics of the VA kit just in comparasion.

thanks
CHRIS

07-18-2003, 05:27 PM	#1
ddsmith Glowing since 1978 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lusby,MD,USA Posts: 532	Finally some progress A/C is done. I finally finished the aftermarket A/C install and it's blowing some real nice cold air. Measure the center vent on Max blower speed with the doors shut and truck at about 1500 RPM and about 90 degree outside air temp. I'm getting 40 degree air. That's without the truck moving just sitting in the driveway. That should keep the drinks cool. I also managed to get the hood lined up so I don't have to fight it to get the thing to open. After looking at the hood lock thread maybe I should have left it goofed up to foil a would be thief. While I was messing around I put in a universal washer pump and now I can actually get washer fluid up to the top of the glass. Aren't these trucks fun. __________________ 66 Chevy C30 Stakebody Dump, PS,PB, 327cu in 71 Corvette Coupe 454 4 speed 69 Chevy C20 Custom Camper

07-18-2003, 07:31 PM	#2
cali_surfer Registered User Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Chico, CA Posts: 1,136	What aftermarket A/C kit did you go with? __________________ My engine is stock... trust me ;o)

07-18-2003, 07:31 PM	#3
mtdave2 newly minted old timer Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Hudson WI Posts: 3,521	sweet. dont think mine is that cold.... is this a stock system? __________________ ____________________________________________ 72 c20 longhorn 65k org miles and counting! 69 k10 Suburban

07-18-2003, 10:22 PM	#4
ddsmith Glowing since 1978 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lusby,MD,USA Posts: 532	It's an Old Air R-134A unit from GMC Pauls. My truck was originally an A/C truck but the compressor and condenser were gone when I got it. I decided that an aftermarket unit was better than trying to piece together something. The unit removes most of the firewall mess. I have a flat plate with four tubes running through it. One line is the liquid supply with a TXV on it. One line is gas return from the evap. The other two lines are coolant lines for the heater. The inside of the cab is considerably cleaner looking now. Some passenger side leg room is given up but not much. You lose a little glove box room but not much. The leg room in the center is substantially more than before. All the S duct and heater vent stuff gets pitched. This may be a problem in the winter but I doubt it. The blower can really push some air and one bad side effect is it's a little noisy. The control panel stays and you do some minor modifications to it to make it control the Old Air unit. There were some stumbling blocks along the way. You may have read about them in an earlier thread but all in all I am very happy with the unit. I'll try to get some pictures posted soon so you guys can check out the room this unit makes in the engine compartment. I did the system evacuation and charging myself. That justified the vacuum pump I bought. I sort of like air conditioning and refrigeration stuff and I have plenty of other vehicles which will need A/C work sometime. __________________ 66 Chevy C30 Stakebody Dump, PS,PB, 327cu in 71 Corvette Coupe 454 4 speed 69 Chevy C20 Custom Camper

07-18-2003, 11:02 PM	#5
SweetandLong68 Your UncleBen Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indian Trail, NC Posts: 590	Sounds good man. Gotta love that A/C! I cant wait to get mine all set up. Still trying to decide whether to go with Old Air or Vintage Air. lata CHRIS __________________ 68 C10 shortbed -- Street/Strip

07-18-2003, 11:15 PM	#6
68 Stepside huh? Join Date: May 2000 Location: Washington, Illinois Posts: 5,690	WOW!!! 40 degrees is awesome! Sounds like I need an old air system. __________________ Someday when I'm lonely, Wishing you weren't so far away, Then I will remember Things we said today. RIP El Jay

07-19-2003, 12:09 AM	#7
cali_surfer Registered User Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Chico, CA Posts: 1,136	ddsmith.... you did exactly what I'm going to do. I finally have enough money saved up to buy the kit from GMC Paul, same thing you have. If you could be so kind, tell me steps along the way proved difficult or gave you the biggest headache. I'm just curious what I'm in for. __________________ My engine is stock... trust me ;o)

07-19-2003, 12:32 AM	#8
ddsmith Glowing since 1978 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lusby,MD,USA Posts: 532	Hey cali_surfer, I'd be glad to provide you all the information you need but I don't want to bore everyone else so I'll PM you. __________________ 66 Chevy C30 Stakebody Dump, PS,PB, 327cu in 71 Corvette Coupe 454 4 speed 69 Chevy C20 Custom Camper

07-19-2003, 07:29 AM	#9
GMCPaul Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Rockville,In. USA Posts: 3,721	ddsmith glad to hear your freezing yourself in your truck with the rest of us with Old Air systems. I've driven one with window down on 95 degree day and A/C on high and still stayed cool in the cab. Now thats A/C that performs, and I love the way it cleans up the firewall under the hood. Sure makes getting to those rear plugs and other passenger side parts under the hood easier!!! GMCPaul __________________ Secure Online Catalog for-GMCPauls Truck Parts Email- GMCPAULS@GMAIL.COM

07-19-2003, 08:20 AM	#10
chevy71super Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: So Cal Posts: 658	I have the Vintage Air system and it sounds very similar. Cleans up the firewall nice at the expense of some glve box room. On a cooler day, mid 70's, the vent temperature was in the mid 30's. The AC tech who added the freon was impressed for a 134 system. The draw back I see is it does not bring in outside air.

07-19-2003, 09:41 AM	#11
Mike Culpepper Red Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Llano... Texas Hill Country Posts: 448	Congrats, love success stories about COLD a/c. I find mlyself only running my V.A. system on medium or low most of the time coz it blows COLD. The V.A. unit is sort of loud on high too, but NOT as loud as driving with the windows open! Mike __________________ '72 Cheyenne LWB 350/350 "The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." - Catfish Hunter (commenting on why he was not able to pitch another perfect game).

07-19-2003, 01:03 PM	#12
Andrew68c10 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Paso Robles, CA Posts: 178	What happens to the heater blower? Does it get put under the dash? What about fresh air ducts?

07-19-2003, 10:56 PM	#15
Chevy4Life Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 749	ddsmith, You could start a thread in the FAQ's and just add to it when you have the time. I know I would check it out. Just a thought. Last edited by Chevy4Life; 07-20-2003 at 12:05 AM.

07-19-2003, 11:38 PM	#17
lock Insert funny comment. Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Concord NC Posts: 621	I'd like to see it too. you have any pics? Real curious of pics of the engine bay and interior. __________________ ------------ - Mark -My Build Thread... -68 C10, LT1 - Undergoing Frame off resto -86 IROC-Z T72 turbo 355, M6 -70 Camaro http://www.iroc-ss.com

07-20-2003, 12:02 AM	#18
ginter Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Denver CO. Posts: 156	__________________ Mike 67 C20 Camper Special - Rust Free! 1970 Porsche 914/6 Last edited by ginter; 07-20-2003 at 01:36 PM.



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07-20-2003, 12:34 AM	#19
ddsmith Glowing since 1978 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lusby,MD,USA Posts: 532	Okay I'll start a thread in the FAQ section and I'll put the pictures that show what it looks like. They are nightime shots with flash so don't beat me up for quality. __________________ 66 Chevy C30 Stakebody Dump, PS,PB, 327cu in 71 Corvette Coupe 454 4 speed 69 Chevy C20 Custom Camper

07-20-2003, 12:37 AM	#20
krue Designated A-hole! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: South Mississippi Posts: 36,448	Thanks, man! __________________ "If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is!" Being stupid ain't illegal. We're Still Debt Free Except for the House!!! www.daveramsey.com 70 GMC SWB Stepside project "Green Booger" soon to be 6.0l/4l80e 93 S-10 "Poppaw's Truck"

07-20-2003, 01:16 AM	#21
ddsmith Glowing since 1978 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lusby,MD,USA Posts: 532	Here's a link to the FAQ. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...threadid=61340 __________________ 66 Chevy C30 Stakebody Dump, PS,PB, 327cu in 71 Corvette Coupe 454 4 speed 69 Chevy C20 Custom Camper

07-20-2003, 01:27 AM	#22
ginter Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Denver CO. Posts: 156	Thanks! Really does clean up the firewall doesn't it? Looks great BTW. __________________ Mike 67 C20 Camper Special - Rust Free! 1970 Porsche 914/6

07-20-2003, 10:29 AM	#23
Mike Culpepper Red Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Llano... Texas Hill Country Posts: 448	Great info! I have a couple of Qs. and a comment First it looks like you put some kind of foam on top of the fan shroud ,between shroud and rad. I assume it is to maximize air going through the rad and not around. Did this come in the O.A kit? If not wher did you get this stuff(I need to do the same thing with mine). It looks like this kit comes with a Sanderson compressor, like my V.A unit. It looks like your compressor is mounted such that the oil filler "cap" is about 90 deg. to vertical. The instructions I had made a BIG deal about making SURE this compressor filler "cap" NOT be MORE than 90deg. I thought I would mention this in case the old air instructions didn't emphasize this. Lastly if it would benifit anyone I would be willing to post some similar pics of my Vintage air unit for comparison. I know alot of members are trying to decide which unit they want to go with and maybey having both systems side by side in the same place would help. Mike __________________ '72 Cheyenne LWB 350/350 "The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." - Catfish Hunter (commenting on why he was not able to pitch another perfect game).

07-20-2003, 12:14 PM	#25
SweetandLong68 Your UncleBen Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indian Trail, NC Posts: 590	I agree. I would like to see some pics of the VA kit just in comparasion. thanks CHRIS __________________ 68 C10 shortbed -- Street/Strip

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