Need advice on air conditioning in old cars, what brand?

I did my own setup using an early Mustang under dash unit and mounted and routed all the components and lines.
Then just paid a guy to wire and gas it for me.
From memory the whole thing came in under $1,000.

Check out my thread;
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=481492

 

I put a Classic Auto Air system in my 65 Chevy PU and it works great.

 

If you are going underdash unit, I used one of the new/old MarkIV units in a '64 El Camino. They run around 300 bucks and everyone sells them now, even Summit. I pieced together the rest and used a Sanden compressor. That setup was awesome, I never should have sold that truck.

 

You might want to check out Rainbow Products online. Mike Brown is located in North Carolina and sells several brands including Vintage Air and usually has good prices. I have purchased two Vintage Air and two Hypercool setups from him with no problems.
Here's the link: www.rainbowproductsonline.com

 

Had three vintage air units, no problems, great support, and parts available if you ever need them. Plus, who else has gone 200mph with their a/c on but them.

 

The owner of Vintage Air ... is a HAMBer

He checks the board often but rarely posts.
Jack is a stand up type of fellow. I have Vintage Air in my 32 3W coupe and it will freeze you out of the coupe.





You get what you pay for ...

 

What Alliance vendors carry V.A.?

 

I used to use Hot rod air but they did go out of business. My last purchase was with Vintage air. They had everything in stock, their web catalog is pretty detailed.

Vintage Air has great top of the line systems that fit in a stocker and you would never know it was aftermarket. From that I believe there is a perception their prices are high. However, if you piece together generic components for a rod or custom, their prices are really good.

 

The best cost no more in the long run. The question is, why risk sitting on the roadside overheating, or "enjoying" 80 degree temps - on high mode, or just having the damn thing freeze up solid? Air Conditioning (Climate Controls systems) are SYSTEMS! Trying to save a few bucks by mixing and substituting cheap parts is crazy when a great system is engineered with a total-system approach and Vintage Air tests the stuff for thousands of hours - you should see the kind of proof and data Ford required for the GT program!

If you can't afford to do it right the first time, how you gonna afford to do it over?

BTW, Vintage Air policy is to make every component they can in-house (even their coils), or source U.S.A. parts whenever possible. And they employ over 100 America workers!

 

I cannot say a word about the service and support from Vintage Air, and this is a good thing. I just put them in, they work as-promised, and that's it.

But that, in and of itself, for me is not enough. If there were another vendor that matched this performance, but did not have the policy of sourcing domestically, whenever possible, and building domestically, I would never buy from them.

I will pay a premium price for an excellent product. I will pay even more for an excellent product that keeps my fellow countrymen working.

 

thru experience vintage air is overall the best
based on quality / service / technical backup
price is not always the answer

 

I used Southern Air. in my 40. and I am happy. It didn't come with the chrome knobs or anything, but it came with Heat/ Defrost, and of course A/C. A sanden Compressor and everything I needed. The kit was called, "The Super Frost kit" and my truck is like a meat locker. I might have $500 into it? Bottom line, it works and its affordable, made in USA.

For me the biggest pain in the rear was finding someone who could crimp the ends proper....

I have been runnin it for a few years, and if I ever get another Rod, I will use Southern again. Parts guys and tech guys are cool!

I read through some posts, leaving me scratching my head. Fittings are all industry standard. LoL. Sanden Compressors are used on all as well. Technically you can mfg your own. Parts are all industry standard and readily available at any parts house. No question Vintage has some pretty knobs, and dash plates. But the rest is the same.

 

Okiedokie and L. Eckart,
Any pointers you care to share with regards to maximizing performance in a 53-56 F100? I know insulation and sealing the cab are definite to do's. What about the install and hose routing any lessons learned for maximizing VAir unit performance???

 

Hey Guys, I know Vintage is good if you have a small block, but I bought a Gen IV unit for a 6cyl Chevy the install wasn't bad, but the mounting brackets did not allow for lower radiator hose to fit ,idler pulley brackets ,compressor mounts were all wrong. I talked to Tech 3 or 4 times and they final comment from them was "We don't sell that many units for 250 sixes,what we sent is all we have". I had to modify everything on the engine to make it work and I still didn't like how the pulley system was designed and was afraid the belts were going blow off ,So I sold the car

 

Here in AZ I installed an Old Air system in a customers 57 Chevy pick up. Told him he would not be happy. They gave him a R12 condenser, and when he called them they told him yes but now we send the other style. Did not offer to exchange it. I put in a Vintage Air condenser.
Well last summer hit and he came by and told me to order him a Vintage Air unit.
I told him he would have to ride in my 56 Chevy pick up first as I wanted him to see first hand the difference. We only went two blocks, the truck wasn't even colled down as it had been sitting in the 108* sun all day, and he said "order it, this is as cold as my will ever get".
Ordered it and installed it and now have a happy customer!

 

Hands down, Vintage air.

 

I have used Vintage Air units in all 4 hotrods I've owned. They are great. By the way, buy the condenser for your radiator from V.A. His are so much more efficient than the ones Vernon Walker uses on his radiators.

 

Traditional hot rod and a/c ? A/C is over rated, man up and drive it.

 

You install air conditioning at your shop?What is the name of your shopand what is the average price for installation in a old car? Thanks.

 

I have A/C. It's called an on shore breeze off the Pacific. No hoses, no belts.

But I have been looking at those fan contraptions you put over your ice filled cooler, for trips inland.

 

My 2 cents,... "Buy American, and Buy Quality". It may be a bit higher priced, but you won't need to buy another one, as you do when the "cheapie" fails.

4TTRUK

 

Funny this came up. Just talked with my dad on installing a/c on the 52. He used to build his own with parts. Check out Danhard a/c online. They are out of Texas. He would also use a small Japanese compressor like off a Honda Civic and run his own lines. I will start a thread once I get ready. His home brew costs around $750. He used Danhard stuff since the early 80's.

 

^^^^^This is similar to the compressor he would use. Check out www.danhard.com and look under indash units.

 

Inland? There is something there?

 

Oh, and another thing. Vintage Air customer support is second to none. I called in to by a heat control rheostat that I full-on broke off myself. Totally my fault. I admit it, and I admitted it to them. I was just being a ham-handed idiot. I have these occasional spams, but I recover nicely.

They refused to let me buy it. They assured me that "accidents happen", and then just sent another one, at no charge, and quickly.

This unit was for a 47-54 truck, specifically with a SBC. It was about as close to a direct, simple, bolt-in, as anything I have ever seen, and I have been at this, for a couple 2-3 decades. It actually felt kind-of weird. It just all went right in....

 

A/C in a car is not complicated. Vintage is probably the leader. You can go real cheap, go to u-pull it get a evap. unit out of the back of a conversion van or Chev Suburban. They are all the way in the back on the ceiling $12. It is like the old under dash units from the 60s. Includes heater core. Then get a Jap car compressor and buy new parts condenser, binary switch, etc. The next unit, if I ever A/C my 32 coupe I will put under the seat and run duct work up the b-pillar and blow on the side of my face. A early Ford coupe doesn't take much to cool. small area and not much greenhouse.



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Pieced mine together for my 55 Customline from an ARA unit out of a Cessna crop duster. E-pay Y-block brackets and odds and ends. I've got about $ 300 total wrapped up in it. Blows pop-cicles!

 

Never heard anything good of Southern Air. Their on/off switch is goofy enough. VA Gen IV is the way to go.

 

I buy the factory under dash units at swap meets, and either junk yard the condenser, compressor (sanden units) and dryer, and possibly hoses to use. I bought a fitting crimping tool on line that you put in a vice that works very well. If you want just a/c then this way is the cheapest route. You can buy condensers and dryers from auto zone or advance auto or other parts stores if you want new stuff. Even new sanden compressors off e pay are very inexpensive. I guess that's just my hot rod mentality..to fab stuff myself. Not anything against any of manufacturers, but my pockets aren't that deep, and I just love figuring stuff out and getting it to work. Guess I'm just an old skool hot rodder.......

 

I bought a fitting crimping tool on line that you put in a vice that works very well. If you want just a/c then this way is the cheapest route.


65Hemi Coronet,

Where did you buy the crimp tool?




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