I've been reading a lot and have spent some time in an AC forum as well as a hotrodders forum and I've came up with the following plan:

I'm going to go with a polished Sanden 508, the VIR eliminator kit, and eventually a parallel flow condenser. I'm going to swap the blower motor out for a new one from a late model C4. I'll need to look at the different models at the GM counter. No matter which blower/fan unit I choose, I'll probably have to add a spacer. I'll also put in a vacuum switch to shut off the flow through the heater core unless heat is selected. The access door in the cowl for outside air will be sealed shut and I'll make sure I'm always in recirculate mode. Finally, I'll plug all holes, place a layer of foil faced insulation and install new carpet. I hope to have everything completed in time to join the last leg of the Hot Rod Power Tour which will end in Fort Worth (my home).

As I get into the details, I share my experience/frustration. Now it's time to purchase a Sanden Compressor, mounting bracket and a VIR eliminator kit.

I already have a name of someone local who can make custom hoses for me. Any tips on the hoses? Also, should I get the compressor with the fittings off the back? Should I install service ports at the compressor?

Hopefully I'll be gutting an interior sometime next weekend . . . Sunday, Feb 9th. This will be the longest I've had my car off the road. :cry

 

As you may know, I have 508 installed in my car. It should be big improvement over the stock unit. It certainly looks zillion times better and it's lot smaller. I have the fitting in the back and the hose routing looks better that way IMO.

Sounds like you're going to do lot of work on this one, so why not convert to Vintage Air A/C systme at once? That is what I've got and I wouldn't have it any other way.

As for the hoses, I'd say wait till you have everything in place, then drive to your local A/C shop and have them do it. :yesnod: :cheers:

 

Sounds like a good plan. I'll be looking forward to your progress, as a Sanden compressor is somewhere on my list of things to do.

I do think you want the ports on the rear of the Sanden. It will be the closest compared to the A6.

 

 

Please explain your thoughts of converting to Vintage Air. If I go with a vintage air evaporator, will the ducts still connect easily? And what about controls? The stock controls don't look like they'll work with Vintage Air's stuff and their controls aren't very nice looking for a car I want to modernize.

The guy I'm purchasing the compressor and mount from will handle the hose fabrication for me. And yes, I'll have everything installed before we start fabing up hoses. I'm going with the steel mount for now since an engine swap will occur down the road. No desire to spend lots of $$ on fancy bracketry I may not use.

While I have my interior gutted (while I'm at it . . . :lol: ) I'm going to see if I can't get my C5 seats installed. My original plans were to cut and rebuild my floorboards to provide room for the power motors and keep the seats from sitting too high. I hope to come up with an interim solution so I can start using them now. :cool:

Nice pic of your set up Jay, thanks. I was leaning towards the compressor with the connections on the back.


[Modified by 74-Roadster, 12:02 PM 1/31/2003]

 

74, sounds like you are replicating alllmost what I did along the years with this car....everything sounds fine to me....I would do the same, given the VIR system you have....I stayed with the POA/expansion setup I have as it was about the only option at that time....so be it....

As you can see from my pix site there, I have my own controll James Bond style in the console....;-)))....and so the entire system is done another way from stock...I used modern vacuum/soleniod/relays/electrical interface parts from the new cars....only about 4 of them.....one for heater vacuum water switch/valve....3 others for airflow.....a/c, heat, defrost settings....two speed blower, stuck on permanent recirculate....hate listening to it,...but well do what is necessary sometimes.....not louder than the car, anyway....

sounds like you'r on it....

GENE

 

I'd say get their evaporator, the GEN II MINI kit is the smallest and since it's servo motor operated system you can get rid of that big ugly bulge in the engine compartment and just fill up the hole to get nice clean look. I used universal flexing hose to connect the evaporator to my stock ducts and it was very easy task to do.

VA sells a control panel that will fitt in the stock location. There's various different models available. I have the oval proline panel fitted in my custom center panel. It looks pretty darn cool beein polished billet aluminum piece. So IMO the VA controls can modernize the look of the whole interior a lot!


The brackets I have came within the serpentine conversion kit I got from March perf and I absolutely love it. The brackets weight actually the same as stock steel ones, but these are so much more stiffer and solid, not to mention the look.

One of my friends just did the C5 electric seats conversion to his 78. I haven't seen the finished thing yet, but what he told me is that you need to cut out the floor pan and lower the piece approx.2.5" to get the extra room. I can try take some pics some time closer to April when I'll be heading back to Finland again.

Thanks man, I'm staying tuned to see how yours turns out. :cheers:

Here's some pics of my installation:

http://www.vintageair.com/images/Str...Panel%20KO.GIF
This is the Proline control panel I'm using, it's got neat internal light too.


Here's how the controls are mounted in my center console.


The evaporator in place. This is not the mini kit, the mini kit is even smaller than this. Too bad it wasn't available when I was looking.


And here's the difference it makes in the engine compartment.

:cheers:

 

I don't know if 255 is a good or bad price, but that is what the Polished Sanden costs at Old Air products
http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalo...anden+polished
I am trying this company out... I have ordered the entire retrofit kit for $930. I beleive it to be the same kit that Ecklers sells for $1449, but I am not sure of that.

 

Nice pics Jay!

The controls you selected look good with all the aluimum in your interior. I'm planning on recovering most of my interior with more modern leather and I'm even considering building my own custom center console, no aluminum in my plans. For now I'm going to stay with the stock evaporator. The improvments to the firewall are the most tempting to me since I'm planning on smoothing everything out and painting everything to match the car. Down the road, I may look into swapping evaporators.

A fellow club member is customizing a 61 Vette. Right now they are putting a C5 interior into the old Vette. I need to see what they are doing for AC. I'd love to be able to look over a C5's AC and evaporator.

I paid $259 for a polished Sanden 508.

I ended up not going with the connections on the back. I'm going to use service ports right on the back side of the compressor and they are 90 degree fittings. So if I went with fittings on the back, then my lines would not head straight back after connecting to the service ports. Have you solved that problem some how?

 

Quote:

I ended up not going with the connections on the back. I'm going to use service ports right on the back side of the compressor and they are 90 degree fittings. So if I went with fittings on the back, then my lines would not head straight back after connecting to the service ports. Have you solved that problem some how?

JAY????


[Modified by 74-Roadster, 9:46 AM 2/2/2003]

 

Thanks!

Are you going to fabricate it from fiberclass? I'd like to do full custom interior, door cards, center console and dash using fiberclass to mold it into desired shape, maybe in my next project.

Have you seen 69MyWay's firewall, BIIIG inspiration for me!

Sounds like a nice project, is he a forum member? Sure would like to know more about that project, all custom stuff intrests me!

I can't find the invoice for mine, I bought it from VA.

I'm using 45 degree fittings. I have the bulk head plate mounted on passenger side close to the fender and I do have the drier mounted behind the pass. side inner wheel well, so the 45 degree fittiing gave the best hose routing for my application. :cheers:

PS: Sorry, it took so long to get back to you, I was offline all weekend :cheers: