Suburban Vintage Air A/C

[MAC71]

I had to modify the original cover to fit over the AC unit by cutting about 6 in off the front of the cover.

[MAC71]

Coboyle...

I have two layers of 1/4 in heat/sound insulation on the floor and sides of the truck. There is 1/4 in of foam type insulation on the roof that was there when I got the truck. Living farther up north in Maryland and VA area it was fin most of the year. Only a July and August was it hot in the back. Not unbearable hot but still hot.
In Texas for half the year its hot in the back. In the middle of the summer in Texas with no rear A/C it will be nice and cool in the front and about 100 degrees in the 3rd seat.
If you live in OR you might be ok with out the rear A/C. You will need a rear heat if you use the 3rd seat.

[Coboyle04]

That's what I was thinkin but I also plan to do a bit of roadtripping and cool would be nice. And my concern with rear heat is the defrosting of the back windows currently almost impossible in the winter
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[jeffg1010]

GCBURDIC and I have been talking about this for a while. I am in the exact same boat as you. VA Gen II system not cooling the back good. This is EXACTLY what I was thinking about doing. Can you give me a "rough" budget of what you have involved in the rear air upgrade?

This may be a "must have" for my Burb.

Originally Posted by MAC71

Just added the rear A/C.
I went with the Vintage Air slim line heat and A/C unit and mounted it in the rear over head. I measured out 23 feet for the hose from front to rear and bought 2 lengths of 25 feet. ended cutting about 3 feet off. I ran the A/C lines on the passenger side of the truck and the heater on the driver side. It was really, really easy and works really well. The hottest weather that I have used it in so far was low 80s and with the front on low and rear on low it coos the truck extremely well. Turn it any higher and its to cold. The temp of the air from the rear is a little bit warmer. I measured 38 degrees from the front but about 42 from the rear. I may need to adjust the charge a bit.
One thing that worked out really well was the t fittings that I found. They connected inline with the current fittings so I did not have to splice into any of the lines on the existing A/C system.

[MAC71]

So for prices I had bought the vintage air unit, the hoses and had the hose ends crimped at Roger Lewis Makeover in Pearland TX. His is on vintage airs dealer list. Total for all that was $470.00
The 2 T fittings were $21.00 each from Texas truck air in Houston.
and a few cans of refrigerant from AutoZone
So all together around $550.00.

[MAC71]

I have not yet connected the heater, but will need about 45 ft of heater hose to do that. I do have a vacuum pump and A/C gauges so I did not have to pay to have the system charged.

[MAC71]

I need to make a correction to the place that I got the T fittings. It was South Texas truck air 713-675-2700.

[53burb]

GREAT info!! any pics with the "modified" housing?

[gcburdic]

Originally Posted by MAC71

I had to modify the original cover to fit over the AC unit by cutting about 6 in off the front of the cover.

Originally Posted by 53burb

GREAT info!! any pics with the "modified" housing?

My question exactly

[jeffg1010]

Goodies from UPS! I guess I am gonna follow in your footsteps on this one
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[MAC71]

Originally Posted by jeffg1010

Goodies from UPS! I guess I am gonna follow in your footsteps on this one
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jeffg1010

Sounds like a good early summer time project. Keep us posted on how it goes. Let me know if you have any questions on how I did my set up. I would not be able to take any additional photos for a few weeks because I am currently out of the country for a few weeks, but I do have a few additional photos on my computer that I did not post earlier.

[jeffg1010]

I already have a question for you. How did you run the line that comes out of the compressor and goes into the evaporator and then the dryer? Didn't both systems have to run through them? Did you have multiple 3 ways? or an additional evap and dryer?

Do you have part #'s for the t-fittings? I gotta chase them down this week

[gcburdic]

Jeff...maybe start your own thread and do a detailed write up for us guys thinking of doing this in the future Good luck buddy....I would love to come up and help too, so give me a call!!!

[MAC71]

Going off of the advice of one of vintage airs authorized dealer/installers , Roger Lewis Makeover in Pearland TX, this is how mine is set up.

The lines for the rear or only T'ed of in to places at the # 4 line coming from the condenser (in photo) and T'ed of on the compressor on the suction side( in photo. That is all I had to do. So only addition to the system other than the rear A/C unit are the hoses from rear to front and the T fittings. So no additional dryer.

Before I did this conversion I did do lots of research on line and found confliction information on if a 2nd dryer was needed. I in the end decided to go off of the dealers advice and went with one dryer.

Also because the systems are operating together that also requires the blower fan to be on at the same time, as in if the rear is on the front fan also has to be on, and if the front A/C is on than you have to have the rear fan on. If not the evaporator coil will externally freeze up.
There are solenoid operated refrigerant valves that can be places inline the high side leading to the rear to isolate and shut off the rear A/C. I did not personal price them but were told that they were a few hundred dollars from a dealership. Decided to go with out it, but looking back I should have investigated this more and I may at a later time add one in.

As far as part numbers for the T valves I don't have any, but the place I got them from was South Texas truck air 713-675-2700. If I was currently in the states I would call and try to get more info for you. But it should be easy to find some where the specializes in truck(18 wheeler trucks) or R/Vs because these vehicles have mutable A/C units in them.

Also the type of compressor that I have is a 600 series as in the Sanyo 605 that comes with the chevy truck direct fit A/C kit. There is a larger capacity unit that is a 700 series, but to keep the price down and because the dealer also thought that the 605 would work I kept the smaller 605 compressor.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Hart_Rod]

Good info, more pics!!!

[Street Smart]

The second dryer is not needed but doesnt hurt, it acts as a second filter in the system catching any dirt or moisture.

[jeffg1010]

I got my Vintage Air slimline unit (for rear air) mounted in the rear of my Burb today. gcburdic and I spent the weekend in Pigeon Forge, but I was able to get a little done this evening.

Got the unit mounted and the hoses ran from the back through the firewall and into the engine compartment, but no fittings installed yet. It has to be functional by Friday because we are heading to the beach!

Photos being taken, build thread to come...

[gcburdic]

Nice!....but please get it done so the wifey doesn't yell at you!!!

[jeffg1010]

Well... mine is done. And the fan appears to be working, I just dont know if it'll get cold yet. I have an appointment at 7 am to get the vacuum pulled and the system charged. If it works, then I will consider taking the pictures I've made and sharing my info.

It will be after my vacation though, I have been thrashing to get it done so my kids would have rear a/c for our trip to the beach. If it doesn't work, then this is gonna be a long week. Hopefully I can get an hour or two tomorrow to even build an enclosure to make it "pretty" haha!

[gcburdic]

Well....is it working??

[jeffg1010]

WELL... I'm not one to brag (immediately) But, it is C-C-C-COLD in there. Let me take it to the beach and back, then I'll brag.

[gcburdic]

Originally Posted by jeffg1010

WELL... I'm not one to brag (immediately) But, it is C-C-C-COLD in there. Let me take it to the beach and back, then I'll brag.

You back from the beach??...Was it nice and cold??...how about a nice write up for the burb boys???

[jeffg1010]

Well... it is working great. I am very pumped. Total budget including hoses and vacuum/system charge was around $750. I will try to put a thread together over the next couple of weeks. It has been crazy around here. I was hoping to make the custom cover to hide it and house a couple speakers and a dome light before I posted it up. I have a big show in West Virginia next weekend, so it will be done by next Thursday.

I also have a "low budget" (less than $50.00) rear barn door -door panel build thread I have photographed and ready to post. Just need more hours in the day.

[skyhawk1]

Where's the big show in WV?

[jeffg1010]

Originally Posted by skyhawk1

Where's the big show in WV?

I was wrong. It is NEXT weekend, not this weekend. I had my dates screwed up. It is the Friends of Coal Auto Fair. I will be there. You can check it out at http://www.friendsofcoalautofair.com/

Let me know if you decide to come. I will be there with my Burb and the Blazer, my dad will be there with his Burb and his Nova. Plus I think I am hauling a '60 Chevy Bel Air. Who knows. It is a good show, Fri, Sat and Sun. Lots of good trophies given away Friday night at the cruise, Sat and Sunday.

I posted it in the WV/VA forum but it is like a ghost town in there. Not many active fellow WV'ians in there. When I was at the show last year, I only met one forum member, and he was from New Hampshire. haha!