Starting a Huge Mach 1 Project

[LiLMike 42]

I want to install my A/C back in my 69 Mach when I rewire my Mach with the American Auto Wire harness and my dash will be disassembled. It has factory A/C but it looks like I am missing a lot of the original parts. I have just about decided to go with the Classic Auto Air upgrade. I purchased a new Ford Tooling dash pad because the PO put one of those cheap plastic dash covers over the original pad. I peeked under the cover and saw that my dash pad was trashed and is missing the center A/C vent. Not sure what else is missing or broke until I take everything apart. I received my new dash pad and the first thing I need is the center A/C vent. There are a couple of them on ebay but they are either broke, in bad need of restoration or priced higher than a cat’s back! I have found a vent from a 69 Cougar that is in perfect shape and reasonably priced. From what I have researched, it looks like it will fit but I’m still not sure. Not really concerned about date correct or doing a 100 point car. I just want it to look good and function properly. Do any of you have any information on this or maybe where I could pick up one that is for a 69/70 Mustang? I searched the usual places: Mustangs Unlimited, CJ Pony Parts, and Laurel Mountain Mustang….etc and have not seen any. I’m starting this project in a couple of months and will update this thread as I go. I’ll try to post pics during the process but for now I am trying to get some parts ordered. Any help and/or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I just love brain storming ideas with everybody. Can’t get enough information when doing a project. Thanks in advance……Mike

[LiLMike 42]

I want to install my A/C back in my 69 Mach when I rewire my Mach with the American Auto Wire harness and my dash will be disassembled. It has factory A/C but it looks like I am missing a lot of the original parts. I have just about decided to go with the Classic Auto Air upgrade. I purchased a new Ford Tooling dash pad because the PO put one of those cheap plastic dash covers over the original pad. I peeked under the cover and saw that my dash pad was trashed and is missing the center A/C vent. Not sure what else is missing or broke until I take everything apart. I received my new dash pad and the first thing I need is the center A/C vent. There are a couple of them on ebay but they are either broke, in bad need of restoration or priced higher than a cat’s back! I have found a vent from a 69 Cougar that is in perfect shape and reasonably priced. From what I have researched, it looks like it will fit but I’m still not sure. Not really concerned about date correct or doing a 100 point car. I just want it to look good and function properly. Do any of you have any information on this or maybe where I could pick up one that is for a 69/70 Mustang? I searched the usual places: Mustangs Unlimited, CJ Pony Parts, and Laurel Mountain Mustang….etc and have not seen any. I’m starting this project in a couple of months and will update this thread as I go. I’ll try to post pics during the process but for now I am trying to get some parts ordered. Any help and/or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I just love brain storming ideas with everybody. Can’t get enough information when doing a project. Thanks in advance……Mike

[PaleRider 12]

check Classic Aire and I think its called custom air. I order a air conditioning cable thru them they may have the vent. I plan on putting my air back one day also. I will probably go with aftermarket air. Original used a lot of vacuum modules to work and vacuum can. I thinkI would rather go with more modern components. Buy the time I would add all theaparts I need - custom air not that much more expensive.

[PaleRider 12]

check Classic Aire and I think its called custom air. I order a air conditioning cable thru them they may have the vent. I plan on putting my air back one day also. I will probably go with aftermarket air. Original used a lot of vacuum modules to work and vacuum can. I thinkI would rather go with more modern components. Buy the time I would add all theaparts I need - custom air not that much more expensive.

[jmlay 80]

You could also check with the business that rechrome them. I am sure they has a stock pile of some sort.

[jmlay 80]

You could also check with the business that rechrome them. I am sure they has a stock pile of some sort.

[LiLMike 42]

I looked at the Classic Air site again. They have the installation manual online. For cars WO A/C you have to cut a hole in the dash for the vent. If you use their factory air conversion kit with their "Perfect Fit" kit then all you do is attach the hose adapter to your factory vent. They do sell upgraded vents so I probably could get one of theirs unless I can find one online cheaper. They do not have any prices or dimentions listed so I would have to call. They also have custom cable controls if one does not want to use the stock one. They also have a conversion kit for their cable control module to convert to electronic controled, getting rid of thise cables. I like that idea but there are no photos of them on their website. I would still like to know if that Cougar vent would also fit our Mustangs.

[LiLMike 42]

I looked at the Classic Air site again. They have the installation manual online. For cars WO A/C you have to cut a hole in the dash for the vent. If you use their factory air conversion kit with their "Perfect Fit" kit then all you do is attach the hose adapter to your factory vent. They do sell upgraded vents so I probably could get one of theirs unless I can find one online cheaper. They do not have any prices or dimentions listed so I would have to call. They also have custom cable controls if one does not want to use the stock one. They also have a conversion kit for their cable control module to convert to electronic controled, getting rid of thise cables. I like that idea but there are no photos of them on their website. I would still like to know if that Cougar vent would also fit our Mustangs.

[LindenBruce 27]

Yes, the Cougar center vent will fit the Mustang center vent. I believe the only difference is the appearance of the vent balls. I seem to have temporarily displaced my shop manual to tell you the exact differences. Bruce

[LindenBruce 27]

Yes, the Cougar center vent will fit the Mustang center vent. I believe the only difference is the appearance of the vent balls. I seem to have temporarily displaced my shop manual to tell you the exact differences. Bruce

[danno 128]

I know the Cougar vent is different than Mustang, but other than that, it still could work. The parts you need should be easy enough to get as used parts on ebay. There also are several salvage yards across the country that have a lot of Mustangs still in invnetory. Do a search for Mustang salvage yards and you should find something. As long as you are getting the correct dash pad, I would also get the correct parts to go with it.

[danno 128]

I know the Cougar vent is different than Mustang, but other than that, it still could work. The parts you need should be easy enough to get as used parts on ebay. There also are several salvage yards across the country that have a lot of Mustangs still in invnetory. Do a search for Mustang salvage yards and you should find something. As long as you are getting the correct dash pad, I would also get the correct parts to go with it.

[TexasEd 191]

Vintage Air also has the complete kits available:

http://www.vintageair.com/6970mustang.asp

 

 

They have a separate pdf file with pricing on their site.

[TexasEd 191]

Vintage Air also has the complete kits available:

http://www.vintageair.com/6970mustang.asp

 

 

They have a separate pdf file with pricing on their site.

[LiLMike 42]

Danno, to tell you the truth, I like the looks of the Cougar vent vers the Mustang one. I'm just worried about the size is all. The parts manual I have for the 69 Mustang shows a Cougar dash but only shows what is particular to the Cougar. All the other parts are interchangable, or so it seems. I'm looking at the 70 Cougar vent, which has little thumb wheels to move the vent left or right unlike the 69 Mustang vent, which I only see as vertical vents W/O the thumb wheel.

[LiLMike 42]

Danno, to tell you the truth, I like the looks of the Cougar vent vers the Mustang one. I'm just worried about the size is all. The parts manual I have for the 69 Mustang shows a Cougar dash but only shows what is particular to the Cougar. All the other parts are interchangable, or so it seems. I'm looking at the 70 Cougar vent, which has little thumb wheels to move the vent left or right unlike the 69 Mustang vent, which I only see as vertical vents W/O the thumb wheel.

[LiLMike 42]

Thanks TexasEd. I like the looks of that. It is somewhat different than Vintage Auto Air. Guess I'll have to sit down and think it through.

[LiLMike 42]

Thanks TexasEd. I like the looks of that. It is somewhat different than Vintage Auto Air. Guess I'll have to sit down and think it through.

[LiLMike 42]

Ok...Finally figured out the difference between the Mustang & Cougar vents. The Cougar vent is a straight flush mount and the Mustang vent is contoured to fit the curve of the dash. I have the measurments of the Cougar vent and it is possible to get it to fit in the dash with some cutting, grinding or filing but it would be flush mounted which would recess the vent back into the dash farther. I don't think I would like the looks of it let alone the restriction on air flow. Here are the vents I have seen.

[LiLMike 42]

Ok...Finally figured out the difference between the Mustang & Cougar vents. The Cougar vent is a straight flush mount and the Mustang vent is contoured to fit the curve of the dash. I have the measurments of the Cougar vent and it is possible to get it to fit in the dash with some cutting, grinding or filing but it would be flush mounted which would recess the vent back into the dash farther. I don't think I would like the looks of it let alone the restriction on air flow. Here are the vents I have seen.

[TexasEd 191]

You have hit on the part of this conversion that catches me up too.

 

My car has a dealer installed Mark IV system in it. I think some people call them under dash systems because the controls mount under the dash and in this configuration my car still has a non-AC dash pad without vent.

 

All the vents I have seen from the gen IV upgrade companies are not close to the factory design.

 

The Vintage air has two eyeball vents that fit in the rectangle and the Classic Auto air is a single rectangular vent instead of the split vents like your second picture.

 

Added to the complication that my dash is nice and I don't want to cut or replace it and I may just try to retrofit the Mark IV controls and vent to work with the system I use. The downside is that the vent is down by the shifter and not up high where it would be more efficient at getting the cold air circulating.

[TexasEd 191]

You have hit on the part of this conversion that catches me up too.

 

My car has a dealer installed Mark IV system in it. I think some people call them under dash systems because the controls mount under the dash and in this configuration my car still has a non-AC dash pad without vent.

 

All the vents I have seen from the gen IV upgrade companies are not close to the factory design.

 

The Vintage air has two eyeball vents that fit in the rectangle and the Classic Auto air is a single rectangular vent instead of the split vents like your second picture.

 

Added to the complication that my dash is nice and I don't want to cut or replace it and I may just try to retrofit the Mark IV controls and vent to work with the system I use. The downside is that the vent is down by the shifter and not up high where it would be more efficient at getting the cold air circulating.