Center AC Vent Mod

[tdangle]

I finally got everything hooked up and working, except the AC itself. I did the center vent mod which only uses 1 inlet hose. Not really working out. It blows a good amount of air to the driver, but none to the passenger. Side vents work as expected.

Guess next time I take the dash apart, I'll put the dual feed housing back in.

[projectking]

Thanks for the info, I'm putting together a collection of AC parts and will keep this in mind.

[Katrina/10]

I did mine that way too, didn't bother me too much since nobody sits in the middle.

[B. W.]

I'm mulling over the same thing, I'm an A/C hog, I always turn the vents toward me (selfish huh!) So I'm thinking this might work out in my favor?

[Katrina/10]

It greatly improves the airflow to the driver, nice when it's really hot in the summer. I just did it that way to simplify the air hoses in the dash, but it does have a side effect.

[tdangle]

I plan on getting my AC working prior to summer. If I want my wife to ride as passenger I must do all I can to keep her cool. So, I'm going back to the original setup. You know what they say... Happy wife, happy life!

[jeffahart]

I did the mod because of limited space behind and around the original AM radio. I hated the Mod. I installed a retro sound. Now there is enough room behind my dash to park a bus! I re-plumbed center vent to blow out evenly, much better that way. But, hose wrestling around the stock radio is no fun either.

[Andy4639]

As long as cold air is blowing out the center vent who cares! It blows straight out no matter how it's ran!

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by tdangle

I plan on getting my AC working prior to summer. If I want my wife to ride as passenger I must do all I can to keep her cool. So, I'm going back to the original setup. You know what they say... Happy wife, happy life!

Just swap the hose/plug to the other side

Like Andy said, cold air is cold air. If the AC works that's all that matters, the cab will stay cool no matter how the air is directed.

[Andy4639]

Center vent.



Outside temperature!

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

As long as cold air is blowing out the center vent who cares! It blows straight out no matter how it's ran!

This is not correct.

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by jeffahart

This is not correct.

So your saying it doesn't come straight out? Mine sure does. The air comes into the center vent from the side one are the other and hits the other side then comes straight out the vent looking at you.
But I really don't see how it's not enough cooling to begin with when you haven't changed the capacity of the unit.
All you have done is restricted the flow.

[67 chevelle]

If you dont smoke just put it where the ash tray is , Im sure someone has done this on a retro ac install

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

So your saying it doesn't come straight out? Mine sure does. The air comes into the center vent from the side one are the other and hits the other side then comes straight out the vent looking at you.
But I really don't see how it's not enough cooling to begin with when you haven't changed the capacity of the unit.
All you have done is restricted the flow.

If you do the mod of the OP, which is the mod I did. Plugging one hole and using one hose, then the air flows in the direction the single hose is pointing. It's a dysfunctional mod. I did not like it. I agree, do you get enough cooling in the cab after a bit of time running, but the passenger gets no air from the center if you only hook up the right hand hose, which is the easier hose to keep hooked. Right had hose only, then, the passenger gets no air from the center. And if that passenger is your wife on a hot day..... then you move toward reversing the mod!

[Andy4639]

I've had this mod for several years at least 10 and have never had any problems with it. My wife rides with me a lot and has never complained about being hot. Temp wise anyway!

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by tdangle

I finally got everything hooked up and working, except the AC itself. I did the center vent mod which only uses 1 inlet hose. Not really working out. It blows a good amount of air to the driver, but none to the passenger. Side vents work as expected.

Guess next time I take the dash apart, I'll put the dual feed housing back in.

If you do this mod, then this is the result you can expect. Maybe there is some other variation that I have not seen. But this is the effect of plugging one hole.

[cleszkie]

I run Vintage Air with my stock center vent with the single hose set-up with the driver side inlet plugged. As mentioned, all flow is directed to the driver. However, I seem to recall that someone was making modified plastic ducting for the center vent with a single hose inlet to fix this issue. I think it might even be Vintage Air.

After some research, I found that it was Brother Truck that has them.

https://www.brotherstrucks.com/67-72...tinfo/CVUG072/

Its still a side inlet, but it looks like the plenum is contoured with a 90 degree bend to push the air straight out the vent.

[Raleighswb]

This is what I am going to use,came from restomod air. My inside unit(also restomod air)has 2 outlets for center vent but I will be blocking one off.

[Coursey]

Originally Posted by Raleighswb

This is what I am going to use,came from restomod air. My inside unit(also restomod air)has 2 outlets for center vent but I will be blocking one off.

How did this work for you?



I also see brother has this one https://www.holley.com/products/ac_a.../parts/CVUG072

does it help?



On my vintage air kit. You block off one side of the inlet (driver side). But on mine all the air is directed to the passenger side.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

As long as cold air is blowing out the center vent who cares! It blows straight out no matter how it's ran!

Onboard with this. RH hose a big PITA, and a mess with the wiring. So I got plugs from LMC for the original parts. Ensured they were sealed tight and right (won't out of the box, easy fix). Clean, and the AC is wonderful.

[Richard]

This piece here https://classicparts.com/chevy-gmc/t...or-center-vent will control the air flow a bit better than plugging off one side of stock ducting manifold. It also provides even more room in that area.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by tdangle

I did the center vent mod which only uses 1 inlet hose. Not really working out. It blows a good amount of air to the driver, but none to the passenger.

Sounds like my 1998 model Vintage Air system. The blower pushes the air left out of the airbox in such a way that it can't make the turn completely before hitting the center vent. Also, the airflow out of the passenger side vent is not as strong as the driver's side. Everything is severely left-side biased. Just a poor design, IMO.

I think their latest version may be better, but wish I would have gone with Old Air, and I still may do that someday. IMO, they have a much better designed airbox, even though it hangs down lower.

But 26 years after installation, the V/A system just keeps working, even in 100 degrees temps. All I've ever had to do was replace one hose, along with the receiver/dryer because the system was opened.