More Vintage Air in a 57 questions

[Russell Ashley]

I'm installing a VintageAir setup in my 57 and I'm not liking the way it's going. I have four 1 1/4 inch holes in my firewall plus a couple of other smaller ones. What I don't like is the connections for the heater and a/c on the evap unit run parallel to the firewall and will be behind the unit when I bolt it in place. The connections on the unit don't seem to match where the instructions say to make the holes. It looks like I will have to connect the lines before bolting it in permanetly and also looks like the heater hoses will have to make a 90 degree bend. It also looks like it will be impossible to change the heater hoses when it's installed.
At this point I almost wish I had gone with Old Aire because their connections are accessible under the hood.

Others here on this forum have mentioned that they installed VA setups before and I'm just wondering how you handled this situation. Pics would be great.

[OrrieG]

I got a used VA Sure Fit under dash unit for 57-59. It was plumbed with hoses different than the current VA set up with the bent lines. It looked like they were ran thru the side and in the wheel well like other manufacturers. I made a template of the firewall using the mounting template and bolt thru the wall as a reference. I tried mocking up different hose routes (just holding them in place, no fittings) and decided to run the heater hose in the fenderwell (see below). I am running the ac at an approx. 45 degree angle so it exits below the battery box towards the fender (haven't had the hoses made up yet, might go hard line). My thinking is that the fitting on the unit will be accessible and somewhat removable and I will be able to pull the clip without discharging the AC in the future. Draining the heater hoses is not a big deal. I wondered about the VA design because if you have a problem you will need to pull the whole unit to fix it because of the hose access.

[Russell Ashley]

Thanks Orrie, The one I have is different than yours, although it looks like I could route the hoses like yours. With mine the instructions say to cut the holes in the firewall and route the hoses through them.
I'm feeling a little dumb right now though. I realized what I was doing wrong and now I have it installed and it looks good. I haven't hooked up all of the cables and hoses but that won't be a problem.
My problem was that I have an ABS firewall cover that has thick insulation behind it. It wouldn't allow the a/c unit to go up far enough to get the unit up above the holes in the firewall where the water and a/c hoses pass through. I had to cut out a square area behind where the unit goes to get a little more clearance. It's still tight and I won't be able to get the center screw that holds the glovebox lid in but I expected that it would be close.
It looks good now that it is in.

[OKGMC4]

I bought a VA universal unit and I did it a little differently. I sealed off my cowl (welded in solid) and will not use the vents so I cut a hole in the side under the dash for the hoses to feed through and I'm coming out under the fender. You can see my bulkhead if you look. There was just nowhere on the firewall I wanted to come out from.

[Russell Ashley]

OKGMC4, I've followed your build thread. You have done some really nice work on that truck.
Since Vintage Air A/c's don't have a fresh air setting I decided to keep my vents operational. I'm not that concerned about the hoses coming through the firewall so it didn't bother me too much to cut the holes. The way you are doing the hoses definitely will keep the underhood more clean looking.

[parkwood]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

I'm installing a VintageAir setup in my 57 and I'm not liking the way it's going. I have four 1 1/4 inch holes in my firewall plus a couple of other smaller ones. What I don't like is the connections for the heater and a/c on the evap unit run parallel to the firewall and will be behind the unit when I bolt it in place. The connections on the unit don't seem to match where the instructions say to make the holes. It looks like I will have to connect the lines before bolting it in permanetly and also looks like the heater hoses will have to make a 90 degree bend. It also looks like it will be impossible to change the heater hoses when it's installed.
At this point I almost wish I had gone with Old Aire because their connections are accessible under the hood.

Others here on this forum have mentioned that they installed VA setups before and I'm just wondering how you handled this situation. Pics would be great.

This how i did it on a '55....... we used bulk head fittings to get the hoses through the fire wall, on the inside we used pre molded hoses for the heater and had lines made up to route the a/c lines so all would fit.. the interior guy covered it all on the inside so the hoses didn't show.. came out nice..

[parkwood]

some shots of the interior ....

[Daze57]

very very nice !

[Russell Ashley]

Wow! That's beautiful. Where did you get the bulkhead fittings? I got two formed heater hoses from NAPA yesterday that look like they will work good if I use the rubber grommets supplied with the a/c. After seeing yours I think I'd like to use the bulkhead fittings.

[renegade6]

I used a universal VA system on mine. Used a bulkhead for heater and AC hoses on the firewall and all the lines run behind the glove compartment. Had to use some pre-formed heater lines and a couple of 180 fittings for the AC. A very tight fit but, it is all there.

[Russell Ashley]

Thanks for everyone's help. I have it installed now and it really fills up the under-dash area. I can't possibly get that short glovebox that is included with the kit installed, but I'd rather have a/c than a glovebox anyway.

[OrrieG]

All you really need it for is the registration and insurance card (at least in Idaho anyway)!

[renegade6]

Mine 1/4 sized glovebox was a tight fit but, it did fit in there, you just have to bend it a bit when you put it in.

[DransportGarage]

Mine is a '55, but here's what I did with a VA Compac Gen II:

[Russell Ashley]

DG, you are going to have a hard time seeing the sightglass when you get the fender mounted, but looks nice. I assume that you filled your cowl vent.

It would have been nice to have had this thread before I started my install.

In fairness to Vintage Air I must mention that all of my problems stemmed from the fact that my firewall hump had been enlarged a bit by some PO to make room for an HEI distributor. I also have an ABS firewall cover with thick insulation and that added to the problem. It would be an easy install in a perfectly stock cab.

[DransportGarage]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

DG, you are going to have a hard time seeing the sightglass when you get the fender mounted, but looks nice. I assume that you filled your cowl vent.

It would have been nice to have had this thread before I started my install.

In fairness to Vintage Air I must mention that all of my problems stemmed from the fact that my firewall hump had been enlarged a bit by some PO to make room for an HEI distributor. I also have an ABS firewall cover with thick insulation and that added to the problem. It would be an easy install in a perfectly stock cab.

Sorry about the lateness. I just found this thread. I've been living over in "Engine and Drivetrain" doing a DIY on my 700R4.

That's a great revelation on the sight glass. Didn't think about that. Maybe I can put in a peephole with a rubber plug in it!

All I have done is the rough-in, but I plan to plug the rest of the hole with Great Stuff (might be tough to get out) or maybe that dum-dum that electricians use.