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The winter projects include blueprinting my steering gear, gear is out of the car as of today and will be off to Gary this week. Second up is prepping to install a Vintage Air unit. Part of this requires draining and removing the radiator. The novice question at hand is are there any adverse consequences to draining off most of my antifreeze and leaving her (327) like that for what may be several cold months. Am I inviting corrosion within the motor, things like that.
Why are you removing the radiator? I simply drained what ever came out of the heater hoses and then once the evaporator was installed topped the radiator off.
well you guys just saved me some time, thanks much.
Well . . . there are tons of guys who have completed this mod, and lots of threads about it. I completed my install earlier this year and can offer a few tips in this post:
Also, if you haven't considered it, and it's not too late, you may want to consider the new expansion tank from DeWitts - the benefits are detailed in this thread:
I will read those Tom thanks. So while I have your ear what are your thoughts on jumping to a Hayden fan clutch and as large a 6-blade fan as I can fit to my stock shroud (327 motor).. i live on upstate NY but plan on traveling down to the Tail of the Dragon next spring/summer. Hot humid weather is to be expected. I am running a Harrison aluminum radiator that has functioned well without the ac. I have read that some have needed to run a electric pusher to keep temps inline. So many variables between our rides but am curious what your opinion is. Appreciate the advice.
Knowing that I planned on eventually upgrading to VA, I replaced my stock radiator 4 years ago with a Dewitts aluminum radiator - I'm told the aluminum radiator cools @ 30% better than the original one. I'm running that new radiator with the stock fan - no pusher fans for me so far, so good!
Well then I might go the route of retaining my Harrison, make the fan and clutch upgrade and see how she performs. If I do need to go Dewitt, I can always swap that out next year.
Next question is again basic. Sounds like you pulled the heater hoses, drained off what you could. Did you then remove the hoses at the heater core and plug them in some fashion so as not to contaminate the cockpit while removing it? I'll lay down blankets but am curious if I should be expecting a dribble or gusher inside.
The winter projects include blueprinting my steering gear, gear is out of the car as of today and will be off to Gary this week. Second up is prepping to install a Vintage Air unit. Part of this requires draining and removing the radiator. The novice question at hand is are there any adverse consequences to draining off most of my antifreeze and leaving her (327) like that for what may be several cold months. Am I inviting corrosion within the motor, things like that.
Are you gonna document, photograph, and post the installation? I'm planning this (VA) for next year in my C3 roadster. Any extra advice will help!
Well then I might go the route of retaining my Harrison, make the fan and clutch upgrade and see how she performs. If I do need to go Dewitt, I can always swap that out next year. Next question is again basic. Sounds like you pulled the heater hoses, drained off what you could. Did you then remove the hoses at the heater core and plug them in some fashion so as not to contaminate the cockpit while removing it? I'll lay down blankets but am curious if I should be expecting a dribble or gusher inside.
I drained the radiator and then cut the heater hoses on the engine side of the firewall. I took the carpet out on the passenger side to make things easier. I had barely a dribble when I pulled the heater core!
I usually write down step by step what I disassembly so I have half a chance of being able to put it back together, take relevant pictures as well. Just did this pulling the steering column and steering box and am currently doing it while pulling the instrument panel. Always happy to share as forum members have with me.
Have you downloaded the Vintage Air Instructions? . . . if not, please go to their website and print out all of the instructions that releate to your specific year/model!
You will need to remove the hood, but installing the condenser was the easiest part of the whole project. My heater core also didn’t leak much.
This is the hard part! I replaced my dash harness while I was in there. I also cut and crimped my hoses. Tom figured out how to crimp them in the car, but he has mad skills! I needed the vice.
Yes Tom, I downloaded those this morning. Thanks for the pictures Mark, that's one hell of a crimping tool, piece of jewelry (expensive jewelry). If the hoses provided are not ideal, there is one of those "while you wait" aeroquip/ hydraulic hose builders near me, they can fabricate anything I need. Tom had some good tips regarding worrying that unit in behind the Z bar but if it's been done, it's doable. Turned the drivers side cockpit into this today.
Yes Tom, I downloaded those this morning. Thanks for the pictures Mark, that's one hell of a crimping tool, piece of jewelry (expensive jewelry). If the hoses provided are not ideal, there is one of those "while you wait" aeroquip/ hydraulic hose builders near me, they can fabricate anything I need. Tom had some good tips regarding worrying that unit in behind the Z bar but if it's been done, it's doable. Turned the drivers side cockpit into this today.
Part of the problem, is that you won't find out that the hoses are too long, until you actually begin the installation of the hoses - and usually by then, it's too late to take them back out! Here's another thread that may help - lots of guys saying the hoses are too long. I cut and re-crimped the # 10 hose after it was installed - something that most guys said was impossible. I never listened to them!!!
Well that was an education, thanks. The crimp-er from Amazon is not a deal breaker at 150 bucks. One other poster had made mention of leaving the crimps for the AC shop to do when he went in for evac and charging, that may be an option.
I cut the lower heater core hose as I wrapped up today so as to let it drain tonight. I had installed shut of valves in those hoses to keep heat out of the cockpit. If that is no longer an issue with the VA system I can eliminate them. What do you think? (Yeh I'm apparently going to keep asking questions).
I will be putting VA in my daughters 72 LT-1 and then into a 64 and I'm wondering why no one seems to be considering moving the battery into the storage area behind the seats like the C3 cars? It would seem to simplify the VA install and certainly make it easier to replace the battery.
Gary
Well that was an education, thanks. The crimp-er from Amazon is not a deal breaker at 150 bucks. One other poster had made mention of leaving the crimps for the AC shop to do when he went in for evac and charging, that may be an option.
I cut the lower heater core hose as I wrapped up today so as to let it drain tonight. I had installed shut of valves in those hoses to keep heat out of the cockpit. If that is no longer an issue with the VA system I can eliminatethem. What do you think? (Yeh I'm apparently going to keep asking questions).
No need to install a shut off valve as the kit includes a heater control valve! Keep the questions coming!
The day started out easy enough, pulled the heater hoses, exp tank, battery and fan motor. The fan motor shroud was loose enough to wiggle but with all the speed nuts off it remained caged by the core supply/return fittings on one side and what turned out to be some king of long riv-nut post that attaches the fender emblem. It extended just far enough inside the engine compartment to trap the flange of the assembly (not that you could see any of this without an inspection mirror). Screwed with it for about an hour and finally, using braille, got a long straight blade screw driver between the flange and the bonding strip and worried the thing out. Now for the inside core/air distribution assembly. I know you all say that installing the VA unit will be a test of ones patience but removing the OE unit ain't no walk in the park. Pull the "Y" fitting and don't forget the speed nut over on the drivers side. Don't be surprised if you back the assembly up against the Z-bar and it's still stuck. It's a nebulous combination of twists, tilts, pulling the carpet down and getting the heater core bracket around the fresh air vent assembly but suddenly it drops out and your done.
So the steering gear box, steering column, dash board, and heater are out. I'll send the gear box out next week to Gary. Tomorrow I'll dissemble and make up a parts list for the steering column, begin the R&R on that. Instrument panel comes apart for gauge repair and modification. The VA unit is not due to arrive until sometime in November.
VA Install
