This all started on our road trip to TROG in Jersey with the 52 GMC. This summer here in Ontario was hot maybe not as hot as you guys in the southern states but hot. The first 3 days traveling was torquing hot cowl vent and windows wide open. So naturaly the topic of AC came up, my sweet wife told me Must have.(happy wife happy life) Just planning right now but going with vintage air sure fit unit with heat and cool. Fairly straightforward. The truck has sbc with auto ps pb stock rebuilt rad electric pusher fan. I know a number of hambers have AC in there rods and customs so I hope this isn't off topic if so please delete. My big question is the condenser location,,,,right now the pusher fan is on the front of the rad and trans cooler on the rear. Can I mount the condenser on the front of the rad as recommended by VA with the pusher fan in front of that, so it would be front to back, fan, condenser, rad, trans cooler. Temps run consistently around 195 even pulling our vintage camper.
You will not be disappointed with Vintage Air and you will need the condenser mounted in front of the radiator, if you have the room I would suggest you use a big engine driven fan with steel blades like the one below, I use this one on all my cars and it is available through Summit. HRP
Thanks HRP if I use that fan I could relocate the Trans cooler it all depends on the dementions of the fan I have very limited space between rad and waterpump
Trans cooler and condenser need to be in clean airflow, preferably in front of radiator. You could mount the trans cooler underneath the car in good air, the only time temps might creep up would be in stop and go traffic. With it behind the radiator, it is getting hot air from the radiator, so it is functioning more like a heater than a cooler.
Good point Bama, under the truck is really my only option. Its been there for eight years with no problems but I'm glad you pointed it out. Thanks.
Yes the condenser should be in front of the radiator. Put the trans cooler under the truck somewhere not in front of the condenser
Yes sir, it 's the 173-- style, they are available from 15" to 20", I have a 17" on my '32 Ford and a 18" on our '54 Ford Wagon, I don't need any additional cooling fans.
Ok the todo list is getting longer, relocate trans cooler, new mechanical fan, relocate alt. to left side engine bay order AC kit from vintage air, oh and batt back under floor, game on.
I'd say that most of us over 65 Hambers earned our "cool guys only have rods without AC" creds decades ago. Both of my builds will have AC and I could give a rip what the cool guys think. I've done too many road trips where I was wore ass out when I got there from the heat and the wind from having the windows down and my chopped truck has terrible air flow though the windows anyhow. I've seen a few guys install a small fan under the rig to blow air though the trans cooler that was mounted under the car. Thinking about it my OT daily has the trans cooler and engine oil cooler sandwiched between the ac condenser and the radiator. I had to replace the trans cooler and it is a tight sandwich and the car has the fan on the water pump plus a pusher fan.
Mr 48 I can relate to those long trips my wife has this allergy reaction to heat, last happened on our trip to letchworth sp in New York serious heat rash serious meds so if we travel need ac. Sold my 41 Willys and my 31 chev 5 window so now going to concentrate on the gmc.
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