What are the pros/cons to installing vintage air? Anyone here have it? Would you buy a car that had vintage air installed? Any insight is greatly appreciated.

David

 

If I wanted an A/C car and the job was done to standard, I'd have no problem with a Vintage Air installation.

I look at it this way. Hang-on airconditioning units were the norm for many years, both factory and aftermarket installed, and they did the job nicely. The biggest advantage to a factory in-dash unit is that it conditions outside air unless set to recirc, where the hang-ons are constant recirc- efficient, yes, but doesn't remove smoke and odors from the car. Many Vintage Air units are designed to blend inside and outside air.

 

If it was installed in a non A/C car, maybe. But I would never replace factory air with Vintage Air. A factory air set up, with properly rebuilt components, a POA adjusted for 134a cools fine. I also replaced my original condenser with a crossflow condenser and it cools great. I get 32 degree air from my vents and it hardly changes at traffic lights or in traffic. The weak point in 134a conversions has always been the condenser, whose job it is to cool the refrigerant back to liquid form. A crossflow condenser has different tubes and fins and works much better. It is the exact same size and mounts exactly the same as the factory unit.

 

I replaced my factory AC with Vintage Air and I love it. It makes the car feel like a fridge on a 100+ day. With no r12 available here in Cali, problems and cost of conversions, I thought it was an excellent choice. It looks nice and clean under the hood too.

 

Could you post a pic of what the interior install looks like?

 

No problem, it will take me a few days. I am in Philipines now but I will be going home next week, I can take a picture and post it then.

 

Thanks!

 

Really! My wife is from the Philippines and been over there about 6 times. Vacation or other? Nice place if you are down to earth type person. I always stay low rent and don't like anything fancy. Plane tickets alone for 1 person cost more than I can spend in a month with my daughter and wife if they were to ride the plane for free!

 

Installed one on my 71 Skylark, charcoal colored car in FL and it worked great. Little bitty Sanden compressor, small condensor, fairly easy under-dash install with a little bit of fab work, but not much. Getting it tucked up high seemed to be the main issue, IIRC. Had to make a plate for the fan switch, little stuff like that.

 

I installed one on my Vette a year ago. It makes it bearable to drive in the summer now but it dosent get as cold as i had hoped it would. Just recently the heater control valve failed i guess. It was blowing HOT air, the VA tech told me if any hot water was getting through it would over ride the cold air. So I just bypassed the heater completely and its cool again. Colder than cool but not COLD. Theres another company Classic Auto Air, I almost wish I had gone with them. I dont have an electric fan, just my aluminum flex fan, but on a hot day the Vette runs 180 degrees straight up so im happy with that. And the VA looks good. Maybe with an electric fan it would run alittle colder, I might try one and see. So not an Olds but my only experience with Vingage Air.

 

I plan on buying the Vintage air set up myself. My friend has one in his 72 chevelle and it blows too cold..lol I was impressed

 

I installed a Vintage Air system in a 1963 Riviera driver about 8 years ago to replace a non-functional factory system. The experience was all good for me and I highly recommend.


Advantages:


* surprisingly easy install but some fabrication needed.
* major appearance cleanup underhood.
* small compressor less of a load on your engine.
* great company and dealer support, parts availability.
* very good performance in Texas heat.


Disadvantages:


* too many changes for a purist / points restorer.
* only operates in recirculation mode, fine for hot climates, not sure about other areas.

 

Business trip, barely have any time to see the countryside, I do get to see enjoy plenty of night life. The city completely changes when the night falls. It's my 4th time visiting Philippines, last 3 times in Manila now in Davao City, which is beautiful.

I traveled throughout Asia, Philippines and Malaysia are my 2 favorite destinations.

 

I installed under Dash Air on my '55 six years ago and have not had any problems.The unit was from "Southern Air" out of Florida.I chose a mustang type unit because it matched all the chrome on my dash.It uses a Sanden compressor and will cool the whole interior in very hot weather and I have never ran the fan on high.No problems with engine heating with stock radiator and standard 4 blade fan. There's pictures on my albums if you care to look. Look in the section "All Albums". Larry

 

I installed 100's of these aftermarket air units back in the 70's while working at an air conditioning shop, they worked great and where easier to repair than factory units.
I'd have no problem buy a non air car with a hang on air unit as long as it was done right.

 

Myself, I don't care for Manila at all. Can't wait to get out of there! I am a smaller town guy. Haven't been to Davao. My wife is from Olongapo on Subic bay. The old US navel base. About 3 hour drive northwest. If you ever get a chance, visit Baguio up in the high elevations of Luzon. Cooler and beautiful also. The Presidents mansion is there.
Anyways, back to staying with the thread. I purchased my Vintage air system 18 Months ago, and it is still sitting in boxes waiting for me to install it! Wow. I just haven't had the time or motivation after work to do it. I have only used a half a tank of gas on the 455 this year so far. That's not a lot of miles.

 

Interesting Rocketowner. I am going to put the reproduction Mark IV underdash air from Vintage Air in my 54. I have been gathering parts to beef up the cooling system. I have a fan shroud and water pump for an AC car. I have already added a 6 blade fan. I purchased the harmonic balancer and water pump pulley for an AC car. It actually had two belts for the old A5 compressor. I believe the Sanden compressor is available with two belts although I doubt they are needed. I may try it with my original radiator at first but am prepared to have it re-cored to a 4 core if I need to. It will need all the help it can get in this Texas heat. I know I will have to do some fab work for the compressor but Vintage makes a universal mount for the Sanden compressor.

 

Hey Redoldsman, I've driven 100miles one way in 98 degree Weather and the temp gauge was barely past half even when idling. I lined mine up And used one 63" Belt ! Larry

 

 

Redoldsman,Nostalgic Air has the York to Sanden mounting plate that you will need to make your application much easier,(listed online for $39.95). May be cheaper than from Vintage Air.I know I have seen the same plate for as high as $89.95 at times. I easily fabricated my Braces from flat aluminum straps about 1-1&1/4".I will be more than willing to help answer any other questions,if you have any problems.Larry

 

Thanks Rocketowner. At this point in the year it is probably going to be a winter project. I have to do a detail job on my engine next. It does not match the rest of the car. I want to finish that before I install the AC.