Fred D. Zwiger

Can anyone who has installed a Vintage Air unit in their C-1 let me know the down side and what to expect with regard to fit and difficulty? I have a 67 coupe that is completely gutted and figure it is a perfect time to do this job. I know some have had trouble and I would like to know what the problems were.

Thanks,
Fred Z

54greg

66 vert here. Really tight fit, but it does fit. Car has cooling electrical issues. I have a new DeWitts and still have issues. You will need to upgrade the alt. Don't forget to use great insulation to keep the cool a/c in. Now after all the crap unit leaks so again no a/c. Big mistake. I've never worked so hard at messing up my car

You really didn't want to know

Nowhere Man

do you really drive your car that much to justify the cost. how original is your car to start with

robert miller

After 2 years just got mine on the car. Fit really great and I did put dynamat in my car last year with new carpet with the good backing on the carpet. My air is really cold and works great and love the look under the hood. Look much better than org air. Plus put aftermarket alt in the car and put the alt on drivers side. Robert

Dbiggmon

How did you mount the Alt. On the drivers side? Or I guess a better question is what did you do about the wiring for Alt. To the drivers side?

Thx Darren

splidecision63

I used a vintage in y 66, and all is well. The fit is a little tight behind the glove box, no big deal. I t doing fine. Geting ready to add a/c in my 61.
George

67*427

You said C-1 in your original post text but I assume you meant C2 since you are talking about a '67....

Here's a link to my install in my '67...
http://www.dasplace.net/Corvette/Vin...ntage_Air.html

Since then, I have added VA's fan kit which made a WORLD of difference in the AC as well as engine cooling. I woulld STRONGLY recommend you add the fan as well.

Any questions, just ask.

Hope this helps,

SD

JohnZ

What year is your car? Your post doesn't say, and there's zero information in your profile.

You'd use the same factory parts the A/C cars used to mount the alt. on the driver's side (exhaust manifold, alternator lower bracket, engine harness, etc.).

Dbiggmon

Hey thank you, its a 1965 Coupe. Alt. is on the passenger side and I want to put vintage air in it and I like dont like the hoses running across my engine. I just was not sure about the wiring harness stuff. Sorry about my profile, I will fix and add to it.

Thx Darren

MiguelsC2

Well worth the trouble. No leaks, no install hassles.Only as good as the installer.

The electrical does need an upgrade in most cases. Might need an idle solenoid and an electric cooling fan in southern climates.

I have the older system. I am glad for that. I am not impressed with the under hood appearance.Or the routing of the hoses of the new system.

StuM

I had it put on my 67 427/435 car and it's worked great for 2 years now. Tight fit on the BB car and slight mods, but it did fit. Also have DeWitt and booster elec fan on thermostat switch. No overheating at all, even in Texas summer heat. Really pleased with the unit.

gjfeng

Fred,

I put a Vintage Air system on my 67 convertible about 8 years ago, put it on myself(pretty easy) but took it to a shop to do the final charging. It works fine if you like to drive your car in hot weather.

One downside I've seen is that there is no outside air, the system just circulates the cabin air, not like the original A/C. With a smaller compressor, if you open up one of the side vents, the ac will be overworked.

Another downside is the lack of an upper return vent, which would hit you in the face and upper body while you are driving (like originals and modern cars). All of the air return is low, and the radio side panel vents just go straight back to the rear of the car. You can play with the radio side panel vents to try to divert the AC air upward (as I have).

But all in all, it is a pretty good system, If you like to take long trips in hot weather. (My first trip with it was a trip from N.CA to Flagstaff, AZ across the Mojave Desert for an NCRS event. It worked just fine and I made Top Flight). The points hit at NCRS judging is not that bad, half to one percent.

I have never had any electrical problems with the system, the fan unit is wired directly to battery with a relay wired to the fuse panel. I have never had any over heating problems caused by the AC, and with my original radiator (cleaned out and with a refurbed original pump). But that is at cruising speed. Like any other AC car you have to turn it off going up a long steep hill or in stop and go traffic.

If you see those conditions then an electric fan would be in order.

It is a good system and maybe they have improved it further by now.
It is sure better than driving a 67 with no AC in the summer time. It actually made my car usable in the summer

Jerry Fuccillo
67 since 68

dollarbill

I put a VA system in my 63 SWC. Very tight fit under the dash but I got it in. Used a short glove box I put the compressor in the passenger side and the alt on the driver side with stock brackets. Be Sure to replace your fan with a stock A/C fan since it has more rake and moves more air. Also I would suggest an aluminum rad to improve flow and cooling. It works great and gets plenty cold. I did increase idle speed just a bit and might add a solinoid for winter so I can idle down a little.
Good luck.