Inliners International Forums General Discussion Electrical AC Install is complete!

Well, after a lot of banging my head under the dash, hood and finally realizing that a 6'-3" 60 year old does not bend like he used to ( I already knew that) the A/C system is in, charged and working beautifully. The first shop that crimped my hoses did a terrible job as these fittings need a triple bump crimp. He did a double bump and I could pull the hose right off! I did a lot of minor fabricating as I wanted to make the installation as un-obtrusive as possible. I did not want to drill firewall bulkhead holes after 20 hours of smoothing the firewall. I routed the hoses and power wires together down along the frame through the bottom of the passenger kick panel and up and over the top and under the dash. A new bracket for the electric fan, spacers for the compressor bracket, a lower shield for protecting the hoses that run along the frame, a couple of custom evaporator brackets, and re-configuring the manifold heat system. That took some figuring, cutting and head sratching.

The system works pretty nice. It really cools well and made my left knee pretty cold. It has a powerful 3-speed fan, Floor, Dash, Defrost Heat & A/C. It also has a bi-level switch for dash and floor control. It works as nice as a brand new car system. My compliments to Vintage Air working out all the bugs and the fly-by-wire control panel really helps with the installation.

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1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

Looks good.
I'm jealous.
I was working on installing my Old Air system in my 55 1st series pickup this weekend. I got the condenser installed and then discovered that there was no dryer in my kit. Of course I discovered this on Saturday afternoon, so I couldn't go get one from them. (I live about 10 miles from Old Air Products in Fort Worth). So I'll pick one up this week and hit it again Saturday.

regards,
Leon

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Another GREAT job!!!
Luke

Thanks guys.
I know I'll be using it quite a bit this summer. It's going to be in the 90's and humid this weekend so it will get a real work out!

Just went through an all-nighter with Tornado sirens going off every 45 minutes. I'm pretty bleary eyed this AM. 4 inches of rain in 4 hours, incredible lightning, green swirling sky's, not a fun evening but all is well with us. It was a close call. I know some of our Inliners in the Mid-West this year have had some close calls with devestating weather so all be safe and we'll try to keep it all Inline.

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1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

Chopped 40, A very nice install. A couple of questions if you don't mind. Did you modify the heater water barb on the water pump? I can't see your return hose in the pics. I mounted my A/C compressor very low on the engine, after replacing the distributor with a Mallory with external coil, but had to thread the inside the pump barb and make an adapter (male threads to very short barb). It works but my heater hose runs over the top of the A/C compressor. Tried another adapter made up looking somewhat like an inverted "V" but couldn't get the clearance under the compressor. Did you make your A/C compressor bracket? If not, where did you get it? Thanks.

Thanks for comment.
Yes, I did modify the the return line with a "T". I'll post some additional photos later.If you have a 292 like mine, you can use the driver's side outlet on the water pump to eliminate the hose over the compressor. I purchased the A/C bracket off of the Stovebolt web Classified about 3-4 years ago. An Inliner in southern Calif. made these up and was selling them for about $75.00. Well worth it as it is strong and good looking . I powdercoated the bracket silver. I try to find the name of the person as I normally don't throw anything away.

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1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

This is guy I purchased my A/C system. Good person to work with and I paid less than this auction!

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1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...0243342214&rd=1

I've seen this EBay listing quite a few times,just not with your car. Now,it's good to know from your first hand experience a dealer such as him.

Chopped40, are you saying you eliminated the 292 by-pass hose? I am not sure what you connected the "T" to.
It looks like I set the compressor slightly higher than yours. The by-pass and both heater hoses are as originally located. My main concern was to be able to get the belt on/off with the HEI. The bottom of the compressor travel arc, sits it just on the plug wires.
Forgive the absence of Bling.
Mine is a junkyard special. Two Cadillac pusher fans (the second one should come on at 210, but it hasn't happened yet), Chrysler LHS parallel flow condensor, VW Jetta 508 and a Lincoln Mark VII Climate Control AC unit. It has fly-by-wire as you described it, but with digital readout. OH, the 210 fan thermostat is Honda.



I should tell you that this is a '67 3/4 GMC. A lot more room to play with than you had available.

Richard,

I think I mis-understood what you were talking about. I see your dilema now.
My bracket gives me just enough clearance for the by-pass hoses. I think you might need to weld and extension to lift your compressor from the HEI and hoses. I'm not sure, but I think the stock location for your truck's A/C compressor would be on the driver's side. As your set-up is not stock I believe you will need to raise your assembly to clear the obstructions. The bracket I am using was custom made just for this application. It was designed to be placed on the passenger side and to clear all obstructions. I'll take some photos tonight and post.

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1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

Huh.

A 292 by-pass hose is on the driver side. It connects the water pump to the thermostat housing. The 250 doesn't have one.

I didn't know I had a dilemma.
When the belt is in place and adjusted the AC pump is about an inch above dist/plug wires. The two heater hoses come straight out the side and are not interfered with, by the AC compressor.

I posted to ask you about the "T" you said you used.

The "T" was for the Heater hoses and the return from the manifold heat line. I tried to photograph the "T" fitting but the compressor is in the way. It's tucked in so close to the water pump outlet and radiator, I can't even get the camera in there for a close up. It would involve me removing the compressor to really take a good photo which I'm not willing to do at this time. sorry.

OK, so you're talking about the intake manifold. I drilled and tapped into the thermostat housing for that. The Lincoln unit uses an inline temp sensor at the fire wall to keep the AC pump off, until the coolant temp is 120 degree. I tapped into that for the other manifold line.

RR.........ai need to make (or procure) a compressor bracket like that.....you didn't ,by any chance, put that one to 'CAD' did you? nice job on that install btw, i know you're enjoying in this wx.

Joe,

Unfortunately, it never crossed my mind to put this bracket into the computer. I was concentrating on the install. Since I normally never throw anything away, I will look in my folder of reciepts and see if I have this fellow inliner's address. He used to advertise on the Stovebolt website. Perhaps Langdon might remember him.

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1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

L@@KS NICE CHOPPED 40 U GAVE ME SOME IDEALS FOR THE 39 CHEVY I AM WORKING ON