Maymyvetteliveforevr

Details, 75 Coupe no factory A/C 350 motor.

I've read that it's suggested to "use the Sanden compressor as well as their electric fan kit mounted in front of the condenser. The fan will allow cool air to blow when car is stopped or moving at slow speeds."

Can be purchase with either cable or electronic controls?

For non A/C Vettes, "vintage air provides you with a 'look a like' that has one long vent instead of two"

Anyone had any issues with the recent Vintage A/C non A/C installs.

Anyone have any photos of the Vintage center vents.

Any other photos would be appreciated.

Garys 68

Use the sanden, it's smaller set up for 134 and more efficient than your 40 year old compressor.
Get an electric fan. I added a generic puller to my mechanical fan. Substitute a trinary switch from the original binary. I would suggest a temp and trinary switch to control the fan. Works great for me.
Not sure if VA makes a cable control for vettes. I know Classic Auto Air does. I've installed both. Each has advantages/disadvantages.
You'll be happier with the single vent. The air hoses are tight in there with a single vent, two would be almost impossible.
Issues; stuck heater control valve, system got out of calibration, needed reset.

oldalaskaman

whichever system you decide on , use what they recommend

doorgunner

I bought the Vintage Air unit for my '36 truck with the '92 drivetrain & original pancake compressor.....

The original compressor lasted a year....the "new" replacement lasted a year....

I should have bought a Sanden compressor to begin with....it freezes me out.

(Beware of knock-off Sanden compressors/You want the REAL Sanden unit)

I'll buy a Vintage Air or equivelant brand when I aquire a Corvette that needs an A/C...

Or I'll buy a Sanden compressor to upgrade an existing A/C.

Get a 2,00 CFM or higher PULLER electric fan if you upgrade....Pullers cool better than Pusher fans!

Maymyvetteliveforevr

Thanks for the replies everyone, I still have some questions as I'm unclear on a few points.

I checked Vintage Air's web site and I couldn't see any mention of a "sanden" compressor upgrade. I'm lost in this regard since I don't understand the use of an electric fan, is this in replace of the standard blade (fan belt) fan and clutch used to cool the radiator? The search that mentioned the cable control was several years old. Maybe they discontinued that feature?I believe the reason Vette owners want the dual vent is for stock appearance as well as being able to possibly separate both vent directions?
That doesn't sound like good quality on Vintage Air's part. I'm still not sure where an electric fan is mounted or why it's used. Is this for the rad/ a/c condenser and it replaces the stock metal fan blade and clutch?

tom00799

I installed a vintage a/c kit on my 70 not too long ago. The base kit comes with a sanden compressor. The controls are all electric. My car was an a/c car from the factory so the center vent was already a double vent. Others here have bought original a/c vents in place of the single vintage vent set up. There is a post here on the site about that.

Garys 68

The Sanden is what's supplied with the kit, it's not an upgrade.
Vette cooling systems are marginal. AC adds load and more heat from the condensor. Engines revving at low rpm (in traffic ) don't move much air. An electric fan is added to move more air when needed. The trinary switch will turn the fan on when the AC system is at high pressure, ie, the belt driven fan is not cooling enough. You still keep the mechanical fan.
There is a ton of room behind the radiator for a puller fan. The pullers are more efficient.
You can get the dual vents, I like the single.\ and it fits better.
I think doorgunner was referring to the OEM R4 replacement compressor failed, not a Sanden.

Maymyvetteliveforevr

So when members state "Beware of knock-off Sanden compressors/You want the REAL Sanden unit" or "Use the sanden", I should disregard since the Vintage A/C already comes with the sanden in the Vette Kits?
So it's no longer or was never an option, the kit comes with the oem console control modifications?
Ok, thanks Gary, I kept reading mention of "make sure the Vintage A/C that you purchase comes with the sanden compressor"
So electric fan are in addition, not as a replacement?
Are the electric fans an optional option from Vintage Air and do the electric fan/s mount on the engine side or headlight side?
Do the Single vent that comes with the kit give the option to have dual rotating vents...for driver and passenger.......I assume not?

Garys 68

Others have tried other compressors, I think the consensus is they're less efficient. Use the Sanden that comes with the kit.
Electric is used in addition to the mechanical. Lots of aftermarket fans available. Pullers are more efficient (engine side of radiator) Not sure if VA supplies them, they do supply the trinary switch.
Call VA on the vents. They substituted a lot of parts since mine was an LS conversion.

DC3

I installed VA in my non-AC '73. I don't have a photo of it but I thought the center vent supplied by VA was cheesy and didn't look right. The vent itself wasn't bad but the plastic bezel was not good. I sourced an original center vent assembly from an AC car and then fabricated an adapter out of fiberglass so I could use the single hose supplied by VA for the non-AC cars.

DC

Maymyvetteliveforevr

Thanks Gary, sounds as they V/A's compressors are good quality.
I'm still unclear on the need for a electric fan on the headlight side. The way I see it, if the mechanical fan/radiator is doing its job in maintaining the proper 160/180/195 degree temperature you've decided on then I don't understand the need for a secondary electric fan. When at idle I do understand that the inside air temperature does rise, but I feel that's due to the lower (650/750) rpm of the motor/a/c compressor clutch speed. If you were to rev the engine up to 1500 rpm (while at a stop) which also increases the engaged a/c compressor clutch then the a/c indoor temperature will also decrease and that has nothing to do with electric fans. Unless the electric fan is cooling the condensor?
Not sure VA has the oem vents but when the time comes I'll check it out.
I've heard the same thing from other member, which is why I brought it up. I would be interested in learning more about the fiberglass adaptor mod.

noonie

The addition of an electric fan has nothing to do with the engine/coolant temperature.
It helps the a/c work to a better efficiency releasing heat thru the condenser. simple as that.
Ideally, it should be running anytime the a/c is on.

Stock oem a/c cars had heavier fan clutches and fans capable of more cfm.

Maymyvetteliveforevr

So the stock clutch fan that runs by way of a fan belt on the engine side cools the rad, while the "electric fan" on the opposite side of the rad, cools the condenser? If so then it's as per my earlier statement.

noonie

To answer your question, yes the electric fans adds more air to both the the condenser and rad as does a better engine driven clutch and fan.

More ambient airflow is the key, no matter how you get it thru the heat exchangers. In these cars, you can't do one without the other.

doorgunner

A mechanical fan by itself does a good job....but a 1600 CFM (or greater) electric pusher fan wired to a fan relay thru the A/C clutch supplies more air when the compressor is working & makes the mechanical fan's job 20% easier by forcing extra air thru the condenser!

or

Eliminating the mechanical fan by installing pusher fans operated by a 190 degree engine temp. switch thru a relay and puller fans operated thru the A/C clutch and relay rated 1600 CFM or better works well...just make sure to include a relay for EACH set of electric fans because the a/c condenser puts out LOTS of heat and needs a pair of fans on it's own relay--the cooler you keep the condenser in traffic/the cooler the interior will be at traffic lights/traffic jams.....

I use two puller fans to cool the engine/radiator operated by an engine temp. switch thru a relay.....and two pusher fans to cool the A/C condenser when the compressor is working (which also benefits the radiator) operated by the A/C clutch connection thru another relay.

Garys 68

Now you got it.
BTW, if you listen to the compressor engagement, it will even shut off at idle because of high pressure. Removing heat from the condenser by revving the engine is what makes the AC work better.
The fan doesn't have to run all the time, only when high side pressure is over a certain level. The trinary switch switch controls this so that it's not running when there's adequate air flow, ie. running on the hiway.
VA cautions not to wire the fan to the AC clutch circuit, use the trinary switch.

noonie

All more modern OT a/c systems including vintage air, cycle the compressor and in most cases it's completely normal for that to happen every 20 seconds.
It's a lot less stressful on the fan and electrical system to have the fan on all the time the a/c is on vs using the comp clutch or trinary pressure switch. The trinary switch (pressure) just lags the clutch signal a bit, so no real gain.
Startup loads for elec fans are huge, best to keep them to a minimum.

Garys 68

Using an AC request signal to activate fans with VA is virtually impossible. The AC request is triggered by voltage through a slider potentiometer.
And if I remember correctly, VA recommended against tapping into the compressor clutch output.

Maymyvetteliveforevr

Thanks for the replies noonies, doorgunner, Gary's 68.

In conclusion, when the time comes I'll keep the stock fan/clutch and upgrade the radiator to a 3 or 4 core/row aluminum fan. Then add a single or dual electric fan on the condensor side of the radiator, althought mounting may have to be modified due to the condensor sticking out.

Also when I'm ready I'll do a search on the schematics for the wiring.

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice.

noonie

The Pots triggers 12vdc relays to control the a/c equipment. that is where additional relays for fan(s) are tapped not on the pc board circuits.
Here is the appropriate wiring diagram.
http://www.vintageair.com/Instructions2013/903171.pdf

To the OP
It's much easier to add a puller similar to the later C3 that to add a pusher. Pullers are much more efficient anyway.