LouieM

Kid_Again, your signature says your midyear has a Vintage Air unit. I'm thinking of adding one to a midyear and wonder:

1) Did you put it in yourself? It looks like a fairly straightforward bolt-on, but did you find any surprises during installation?
2) Does cold air come out of the windshield defroster vent? Or just from the two eyeball vents and two low center-console vents?
3) Any problems with getting engine pulleys? Does Vintage Air supply the correct ones for your application, or what?
4) Does the VA unit (using 134 refrigerant) blow as cold or colder than an OEM midyear A/C unit?
5) Did the VA unit arrive as advertised, with no missing or wrong parts, etc. If you had any problems, did they stand behind their product?

Anyone else have experience with Vintage Air units? I'd like to hear from anyone who has had a VA unit for several years, to find out if the units last over the long term. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Louie

Kid_Again

...this'll be an interesting set of responses....some love the system, some hate it.....i bought the kit because i'm pretty sure they'll be in business tomorrow and the rodders in my area have used VA (and others) with success...

..here's my take...simple to install, as they say, no special skills needed EXCEPT for the correct crimp on the hoses and filling with R134a (both of those the only aspect done by a pro)....i have no power accessories, used the same pullies and just used a longer belt....the difference between R12 and R134a, with all my ususal humility, is nonexistant for all practical purposes - i don't know about you, but i have much better things to do than to track down R12 (legend has it that "new" R12 is manufactured in India, transhipped to the US via Mexico and of dubious quality, at best - no one reputable is making the stuff - why take the chance????)...i use R134a and the small sanden compressor and on a bright, sunny day, high 90's, high humidity, blows air cold enough for me....

...the defroster works and you can have air from the eyeballs and vents in the radio panels...for my tastes, i blocked off the defroster and radio panels - much more pleasant.......

...i HATE the crummy microswitches they supply because the soft metal bends when actuated by the console cables - i bypassed that altogether by simply having a double pole/double throw switch to either set heat or AC and don't need the dash controls at all...you'll see that others have pretty serious reservations about the relative lack of control.....take the advice you need and throw away the rest....

....the one artful part is putting all those hoses in place as you push the glove box back in...after a couple of tries, i tied them down with nylon ties and did the same with the wiring - and i also duct-taped the hoses to the plenuim to minimize leaks.....

...THE problem i had with VA is that they couldn't get m order right to save their lives - wrong hardlines, not enough "o" rings - they overnighted EVERYTHING i needed and it's didn't slow me up, thier tech guys are GREAT, but what a way to do business :rolleyes:


...oh, i have to tell you that adding AC will uncover any problems with your cooling system.....i guarantee your car will now run hotter (it MUST because you now have a condensor in front of your radiator)..if your sytem was marginal before, you're in trouble....first things first, drain ALL your coolant and replace with water/water pump treatment and water wetter is optional...next, take that antique clutch fan and sell it at an exorbitant profit to the "factory correct" guys and go with a direct drive orignal fan or flex fan...if that doesn't work (and you're sure your water pump is OK (you don't need a high volume pump)), then it's time for a radiator fix....if it's aluminum. you need a new one (i buy be-cool blems at carlisle for less than half of list - work great) or if it's brass, have it recored


...more than you wnated, i'm sure....hope this helps


[Modified by Kid_Again, 7:29 AM 6/4/2002]


[Modified by Kid_Again, 7:37 AM 6/4/2002]

kellsdad

Louie -
Let me add that my experiece was much the same as Kid's. When I found a part didn't fit, they shipped a replacement immediately at no cost. My biggest complaint is that there is no way to adjust the termperature other than by varying the fan speed. When the a/c is on, you get full cold. When the heater is on, you get full hot. There is nothing in between and no way to mix the hot and cold to moderate the temperature. If I were starting again, I would look for a way to vary the amount of hot water into the heater box and I would manually control the compressor on/off so I could have the a/c on with a small amount of heat to modulate the temperature.

LouieM

Well, Kid Again and kellsdad, I'm a little less enthused now about a Vintage Air unit. Still, they are the largest such company, and will be around next year. I see in their catalog that their newest units have electrical control of hot and cold air, so I think you can mix the two--but this does not yet apply to older Vette units.

Has anyone else out there in ForumLand had experience with add-on AC units, Vintage air or others? :confused:

achapman

The latest issue of Vette magazine has an install in a 64 convert with a new Classic Air setup. It doesn't give the $$$... and I have tried to call them but the line is always busy.... could be good or bad depending.... The article didn't say whether or not you could control the flow between hot and cold. As soon as I get some more info I will pass it on to the forum. The only noted objection is that you loose half of the glove box to the "central" unit...


[Modified by achapman, 3:24 PM 6/4/2002]

Kid_Again

"The only noted objection is that you loose half of the glove box to the "central" unit... "
:nonod:

...but then again, how often do i use the glove compartment?

ajtorsiello

I have never put a VA unit in a mid year but have put units in a 55 chevy and a 32 ford. As everyone else stated the install is pretty simple and the unit will cool you off. The problem I see from talking to people with mid years is engine temp. I liked having the A/C in my other cars and am considering putting a VA unit in my 66 convertible. I had no problems with the installs in the two cars mentioned above, but I think there is a lot more room under the dash in both of those. I also agree that the teck help from VA is good. Just my .02

LouieM

Every $0.02 helps, in my case. I've owned midyear factory air coupes and convertibles and none overheated. They were 300 or 350hp cars, mostly 4-speeds and one slush box. The midyear 427 A/C Vettes are notorious for overheating even in California, unless you upgrade the cooling system (bigger radiator, hi-po water pump, coolant recovery system). The slush box big blocks are worst of all, since the tranny cooler just adds more heat to the system and blocks radiator air.

I'll probably go with a VA air unit, since nobody seems to mention any other brand. I did see the Corvette Fever or Vette magazine install of another brand AC unit in a midyear, but didn't like their losing half the already-small glovebox and the exposed fan unit by the driver's feet. I guess I can live with using just the fan speed to change the air temp, since I'd just leave it on High most of the time anyhow. Installing the unit does look like a tight fit, but removing the passenger set will free up some elbow, head, knee and butt room.

Kid_Again

...i would disagree on only one point...whether one lives in california or the northeast, the bb cars have a reputation of overheating....i only have experience with a few big block cars but it's my opinion that the engines that are fairly stock overheat because the owners don't have a clue about attending to basics - first, flush the system thoroughly (includes pulling the block drains)...recore the radiator (you DO NOT need an aluminum radiator but it is more efficient)...make sure that water pump is not a POS re-manufactured product....use the correct radiator hoses.....seal the gaping holes in the radiator shroud...go to a direct drive fan of your choosing as added insurance.......

...as has been noted many times on this forum, the bb cars did not have an overheating problem when they were new


[Modified by Kid_Again, 7:41 AM 6/5/2002]

3Vettes@Home

I installed the VA unit in my wife's 67 coupe ( she gets too hot ). The system fit very well, the only modification they didn't tell me about ( & I didn't think of) was drilling a 5/8" hole in the floorboard for the drain hose. I also ordered their aux. cooling fan, bought the OEM crank pully from Chev.( still avail.) & bought a two groove pulley at Carlisle ( car also has P/S ), system fit the 67 very well (no drilling of the core supt.) as for the adjustable temp. setting, if we get too cold, we just barely open the cowl vents, lets in a little warm air to mix with the cold, YES! it cools a Marlboro Maroon coupe very nice! VA recommends using a 100amp altenator, I can't see why the car would need any more than 63 amp. factory a/c cars used a 63 amp., & even with everything running at once, a 63 amp should do fine, even with the cooling fan (not on all the time), I posted this altenator ??, hopefully an altenator expert will chime in. Also went with their Sanborn compressor & R134a, works nicely, blows out of two side dash vents, & two replacement radio side panels. :D :cheers:

7vettes

Since you brought it up, I'll mention Chissenhall AC which is in my 64 Coupe. It uses the Sanden Comp, R134A, has 2 side vents, 2 Radio Panel vents, uses the stock defrost vents and has a reostat for controlling temp. My car is an original Factory AC car and this unit also would use the center console vent if I had so chosen. You give up probably 2/3 of the glove box, but like someone else said.......so what. You also reuse the original heater **** location, but the switch is new.

One interesting aspect of this product, it is made by the brother of VA's Chissenhall and is also based in San Antonio, but it is definately not the same identical unit.

I didn't install the unit myself because the work was being done along with some other major stuff I was having done, but it installed with no major problems or mods. I did change some of the venting around to give better air flow and direction, but nothing that was major. I'm happy with the unit, it cools in this brutal Florida heat, quickly defogs all the windows following a downpour and the car runs "normal" temps. I've got a Be-Cool radiator (one of the best things I ever did to the car) with a Spal fan set to come on @ 195 and off @ 185. In slow/stopped city traffic with the AC running it routinely does its thing, but once I'm in clean air it never gets called in.......this on a Powerglide, Power Steering car. My only beef with the unit, I don't feel the blower is strong enough and I usually have to run it on High........but then again, I'm comparing it to my wife's Honda Odyssey AC blower which is like a hurricane.

One more interesting thing about it, we originally ordered Vintage Air but they shipped a Chevelle unit. Then there was going to be a delay of several weeks for the correct unit, so the change was made to Chissenhall. I'm not recommending that unit for you, just mentioning that there are others that work well also.




[Modified by 7vettes, 10:32 PM 6/5/2002]

LouieM

Kid Again: I wasn't too clear that AC big blocks didn't seem to overheat (but did run hot in the summer, esp. in traffic) when new, but they often seem to today. Yup, poor maintenance, substandard parts, and not paying attention to the details are probably to blame. Same as with everything else in old cars. :lol:

7Vettes: Thanks for passing on your experiences. I was wondering if I needed to upgrade the alternator or not, and it looks like I don't. Interesting to know that two brothers are selling the same things out of different businesses. I'll likely still go with the VA unit just because they will probably be in business for a long time, and units seem to work basically OK. How great to see that you drive your 64 more miles each year than most people put on their Accords. Way to go! :flag

Kid_Again

...i've heard good stories about Chissenhall also and a shop called something like "air-tique" and a few others (i formed my opinions talking to the local rodders)....if memory serves me correctly, i saw a comparison test of add-on AC systems a few years ago and VA did not wind up being the best performer or most efficient - i went with them mainly because they'll be in business for a while, but upon reflection, as long as you buy from a reseller that's using standard parts (like sanden), you can get anything else fabricated - and i DO hate those VA microswitches........

btw...i use a 63A alternator, 750 CCA battery, solid state voltage regulator for about 4 years with no problems...good point, forgot to mention that


[Modified by Kid_Again, 7:07 AM 6/6/2002]