mysixtynine

Hey Guys

Have any of you guys had difficulties when trying to re-install your converted heater/ac controls with the vintage air cable converters? Mine are hitting the power window relay on the trans tunnel shifter console support brace thats riveted to the trans tunnel. In particular its hitting the power window relay on the left side? So the shifter plate will not reinstall as the heater controls are now tilted up?

Ive been working on my vintage air install, windshield and trim re-install and complete dash install with autometer gauges since the begining of the year. Its allot to do at once but having certain things out like the windshield helped with the other installs. I have had the drivers dash out so many times I cannot tell you...Anyway....

Curious how you guys have made out with these long converters? They just seem so long and it doesnt seem that I should tilt them up as the plastic rods will now have to bend?

jnb5101

I had to hack the brace that holds the relays and the front of the console.

mysixtynine

Oh man ur kidding me!!

Do you have any pictures? I'm guessing other guys are just jamming the stupid thing in there and bending the cable converters? I'm not doing that.

Thanks for responding at least it's not just me. I'm gona take pics and post the "interference fit".

The power window relay adds to the issue but even if it wasn't there I feel it would hit the tunnel brace for the console anyway.

Roadster71

Keep the information flowing on this install. Adding a vintage air system in my 71 vert is going to be my winter project this year.

Garys 68

There may be some issues with regards to the controls, brackets, etc.
I recently had issues with my old (8 years old?) version of the VA setup with open sliders. The slider pots were giving me issues, VA sent the new enclosed slider pots free.
Their installation instructions didn't work because of length of the bracket it bolts to. I had to modify moving the sliders pots to the rear. No interference issues that way.

mysixtynine

Gary txs for posting do u have any pics of your modification?

I'll try to post pics of my issues.

The camera option from the phone client isn't working.

fleming23

I had to move my relay slightly over to a new location as I was having the same issue.

Aumie

My 74 relay was bolted to the bracket. I just took the bolt out and laid the relay on the tunnel out of the way. Didn't have to do any mod to the bracket. Good luck getting all the duct work crammed in behind the instrument panel,what a pita.

mysixtynine

Guys

Here are some pics of the issue with the vintage air cable converters and the pwr window relay in my 69.

Id like to see what guys like gary68,jnb5101, fleming23 and Aumie did to make theirs work.

Nothing on this install was easy or worked as stated (i kinda figured it wouldnt why would it ... its a vette.) but every single thing was a pain and NOW this.....

vintage air control converters hitting the power window relay.
view from firewall showing how close the control is on its own without the cable converters

View through fiber optic bezel opening showing how close the control is by default to the pwr window relay

View from drivers side back edge of console cable converters laying on relay not allowing the control to fully seat.

mysixtynine

You should have a slightly easier time than us convertible guys due to all the dash braces. The 69 in particular had a bunch since 68 had none. I made and then had to remake one of my braces when I went to put the passenger dash back in.

Ive got allot of pic i put out on this install already. I can send you a bunch as well. I would suggest a condensor fan and a trianry switch and adaptor on your dryer. Vintage air sent me their latest drivers AC duct and it still did not work on my car due to the braces on the column mount. I made my own with flexible tube and 2 1/2 slim duct from another manufacturer.

Garys 68

Just a note on the sliders. The system was probably designed with the old non-enclosed slider pots. The new ones with the plastic case around them are probably an inch longer. Guessing you'll have to just move the relay.
A note on mine where VA sent the new enclosed sliders to replace the old ones.
Cutting the perforated end of the rod as directed results in the slider interfering with the forward mount. This means it would have to sit at an angle. If the cut on the perforated rod was farther out, it would work as directed but the slider would be farther forward. The one on the right is slightly offset, but the left is at an extreme angle.



If you turn the slider 90 degrees and mount the perforated hole on the side tab, it allows the slider to be mounted square and farther forward. Shown in the bottom position in this pic.

Aumie

Sorry, I lost all my pics when my phone got smashed.

mysixtynine

Ok.. it appears that vintageair has not run into a car with a pwr window relay and the vacuum controls.

So I tried moving the cable converters to different spots on the control but since the ends have been trimmed (as in the directions )I am limited as to where I can move them.

I moved the relay for the pwr windows and will run a ground wire to it. Instead of letting is lay on the tunnel unsecured I found that the wires will allow me to use one of the shifter boot screws in the tunnel to secure it. The wires are now more under the control wheels so i will have to see how this works.

I will have to either trim or bend down the console support brace on the tunnel so that the ends of the cable converters are still NOT pushed up when the shifter plate screws are tightened. I don't like plastic items being bent... you just know they will crack after a while.

The red lines on the console support brace are where the cable converters are hitting and where I will either cut and push that section down or trim it off. The ground screw and wires are where the relay used to be secured to the brace. The relay seems to call for a ground so I will run a separate wire to the shifter boot screw as well.

mysixtynine

Ok so I have moved my pwr window relay in the previous post to a screw on the shifter boot and ran a dedicated ground just for the relay body itself as seen in that post.

I then slit the tunnel brace as indicated by the red lines I put on the previous picture and then bent the portion between the slits down so that now the cable converters do not hit at all when the shifter plate is screwed down tight

tunnel brace mod


image from firewall facing the controls with the tunnel brace modified


another from the side showing how much of the brace was bent down to allow the cable converters to settle down and NOT be bent up when the shifter console plate is screwed down

ndmick

overall are you happy with this upgrade?

Aumie

I am.

mysixtynine

The unit works very well and I like that the firewall is clean in the engine compartment.

Overall I am happy .... Just seems that the C3 vettes changed allot in the early years especially convertibles under the dash as far as braces. I made the kit work as opposed to it simply fitting on its own. It's a good kit but guys installing it should know it may not fit as simply as the instructions and throwing away cowl braces is not something I would recommend. My control install was an issue and nothing in the instructions mentioned issues with the power window relay or cutting up the console floor mount to get the control converters to work.

Again, it can be done but it seems easier in some years than in others.