Vintage Air or Similar Setup

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dart4forte

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Anyone running a Vintage Air setup in their early A body?
 
About 15 years ago I added underdash A/C in my '66 Barracuda, bought the underdash unit, Sanden compressor with universal bracket and valve from Hot Rod Air in Texas, (I think they closed or were bought out a couple years after), as no one showed a kit for the early style water pump.
I have a 360 in my car, used early water pump and factory 2-groove pulleys, the mechanic at the speed shop I worked at took measurements for the condensor, and he made the lines himself as he had the crimp tool.
Where I live it gets over 100 a couple months a year, it does ok inside, but with that fishbowl back glass, it's tough, it's not going to freeze you out of the car, but it's better than being outside! At the time, I think I had about $1000 in parts.
 
Anyone running a Vintage Air setup in their early A body?

I have the GenV in my 1968 Barracuda Convertible.

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ac.JPG
 
I wish they had an option for removing the stupid logo from their control panels. I can't stand when car accessory companies try to use my vehicle to advertise.
 
LMAO! Advertise to who?
You mean when anybody sits in the car or sticks there head in the window at a car show?
LMAO
 
LMAO! Advertise to who?
You mean when anybody sits in the car or sticks there head in the window at a car show?
LMAO

Can't tell if you're joking or what, yes that's exactly who...anyone who sits in the car or looks at it at a car show, and anyone who view photos of the dash. Do you really think that's not what they're trying to do? I've got some beachfront property real cheap for you if that's the case
 
I guess it's the time of the year or Lord forbid I say climate change...
Anyways this is the third time I've mentioned cold master this week... A company out of Florida and they have full kits on eBay for under dash universal units. It really boils down to making a bracket for the AC compressor or finding a company like CVS racing that makes one. Personally I've made my own for my duster and my power wagon and these are 23,000 BTU units not 13 or 14,000 like vintage area... On a not so hot day this last month I tried my unit out in my truck with my wife in the car and she said that's too cold! But that comment just served warm my heart... Lol...
 
This part is almost every time I've called it's Omar who answers and is very friendly and helpful...
 
I guess it's the time of the year or Lord forbid I say climate change...
Anyways this is the third time I've mentioned cold master this week... A company out of Florida and they have full kits on eBay for under dash universal units. It really boils down to making a bracket for the AC compressor or finding a company like CVS racing that makes one. Personally I've made my own for my duster and my power wagon and these are 23,000 BTU units not 13 or 14,000 like vintage area... On a not so hot day this last month I tried my unit out in my truck with my wife in the car and she said that's too cold! But that comment just served warm my heart... Lol...

They are an interesting option, as their price point is pretty low even on complete systems...but my two main things I don't like are 1) how is their support...seems like a big question mark, and 2) the control knobs look like ***. I mean they have two knobs they use and the typefaces don't even match each other, and the "chrome plating" looks pretty awful. But to each his own
Screen Shot 2022-07-28 at 10.17.48 PM.png
 
Ya just made me laugh, that’s all.
Personally when people stick there head in my car, I’m slightly Annoyed but I do t say nothing because there not getting into it waste deep. Pictures I don’t care.
I don’t care much for the advertisement thing myself, but that’s what they do. Some people machine the maker of the intake off for the same reason.
Can't tell if you're joking or what, yes that's exactly who...anyone who sits in the car or looks at it at a car show, and anyone who view photos of the dash. Do you really think that's not what they're trying to do? I've got some beachfront property real cheap for you if that's the case
 
Ya just made me laugh, that’s all.
Personally when people stick there head in my car, I’m slightly Annoyed but I do t say nothing because there not getting into it waste deep. Pictures I don’t care.
I don’t care much for the advertisement thing myself, but that’s what they do. Some people machine the maker of the intake off for the same reason.

No I hear ya, I'm just super picky about what's going on my dash. I don't want a brand name on my car apart from Dodge, until you lift the hood. My steering wheel will have no branding, and wheels either if I can avoid it.
 
The Classic Auto Air ac system that I put in my 68 Barracuda reuses the existing non factory AC dash controls to control the Vintage Air ac. So the look of the dash control is absolutely factory OE original.
The kit included a new fan control switch that has four fan speeds, and re uses the OE dash knob and includes the pieces and directions necessary to modify the levers and controls on the oe dash ventilation control.
 
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They are an interesting option, as their price point is pretty low even on complete systems...but my two main things I don't like are 1) how is their support...seems like a big question mark, and 2) the control knobs look like ***. I mean they have two knobs they use and the typefaces don't even match each other, and the "chrome plating" looks pretty awful. But to each his own
View attachment 1715962567
The customer support is the first thing that I research before I spend a dime...
I called them like once a week for 3 weeks or more to see who would answer the phone and if they would answer all my questions and I was coming up with even dumb questions and he was even giving me advice on how to test the air conditioning in my '98 Dodge truck as well... I would say customer support was excellent. And he said if we're doing a special custom installation which I was he has no problem giving 3 ft of extra hose on the number 6 number 8 number 10 hoses. Anything more than that he needs to charge a little bit for him it was only like two bucks a foot or something...
That switch that you have a picture of is a generic on off three-speed switch... For the five or $600 this entire system cost with free shipping to your door you can spend the extra $30 and buy yourself a fancy switch and graft it in... Or have a remote switch and hide it... If I didn't have my MSD and and timing retard for my nitrous stashed inside my glove box I could have put that in my glove box as well...
The funny part is you can go ahead and buy one of those vintage Air units for 16 or $1,700 and you're still going to have to find something to mount the compressor with and you'll only get half the BTUs and the last one a customer of mine ordered it took 3 months to get the parts.. both my cold master setups were there within a week...
 
The Classic Auto Air ac system that I put in my 68 Barracuda reuses the existing non factory AC dash controls to control the Vintage Air ac. So the look of the dash control is absolutely factory OE original.
The kit included a new fan control switch that has four fan speeds, and re uses the OE dash knob and includes the pieces and directions necessary to modify the levers and controls on the oe dash ventilation control.
The vintage Air units I put in my customers cars all had a adaptation to the factory levers. I would take off the analog cables and put electrical sensors on the factory controls and then once everything set up there's a procedure to calibrate The high and low reaches of each lever...
 
The customer support is the first thing that I research before I spend a dime...
I called them like once a week for 3 weeks or more to see who would answer the phone and if they would answer all my questions and I was coming up with even dumb questions and he was even giving me advice on how to test the air conditioning in my '98 Dodge truck as well... I would say customer support was excellent. And he said if we're doing a special custom installation which I was he has no problem giving 3 ft of extra hose on the number 6 number 8 number 10 hoses. Anything more than that he needs to charge a little bit for him it was only like two bucks a foot or something...
That switch that you have a picture of is a generic on off three-speed switch... For the five or $600 this entire system cost with free shipping to your door you can spend the extra $30 and buy yourself a fancy switch and graft it in... Or have a remote switch and hide it... If I didn't have my MSD and and timing retard for my nitrous stashed inside my glove box I could have put that in my glove box as well...
The funny part is you can go ahead and buy one of those vintage Air units for 16 or $1,700 and you're still going to have to find something to mount the compressor with and you'll only get half the BTUs and the last one a customer of mine ordered it took 3 months to get the parts.. both my cold master setups were there within a week...

Thanks for the write-up, I'll have to think about switch options and if I can fine one I agree with I may go that route
 
The vintage Air units I put in my customers cars all had a adaptation to the factory levers. I would take off the analog cables and put electrical sensors on the factory controls and then once everything set up there's a procedure to calibrate The high and low reaches of each lever...

Did you do this or was this something you wanted to do? I have Classic auto Air and I don't care for the factory lever controls. I never could get the mode right.
 
I would like to refine the bracket for the duster when the time comes and also my 6'3 friend has plenty of room in the passenger seat... I think the term knee knocker comes if you get into an accident... As it doesn't come close to anybody's knees...
 
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