Tcoco 5 Report post Posted January 2, 2016 So I broke down an got my 69 coupe the Vintage Air Gen VI A/C Kit. Living in florida the summer is brutal I got the kit for my X-mas present to myself and started the install. Along with the kit I upgraded the alternator to a gen3 alternator from a 94-95 gt 130 Amp. and pulled out the wimpy 20in 2 core and replaced it with a 24" 3 core so I started this week I worked on the front end installed the condenser and new radiator and fan. Next I will have to start the evaporator and heater core install under the dash. Not looking forward to wedging my body under there I believe I will be removing seats. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grabber70Mach 107 Report post Posted January 3, 2016 That's looking good, nice job. 1 Tcoco reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zach69grande 25 Report post Posted January 3, 2016 lookin good! my coupe is non factory AC too - are you cutting the interior dash/trim parts, or buying factory AC parts for the vents? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted January 26, 2016 I'm going to be cutting the holes for the vintage air vents sorry for the late response but I got no notification that there was activity on the thread. Anyways I been in a holding pattern since the last update I been having issues trying to figure out how the template fit the center of the dash. You would think it was easy the guys at vintage must of thought I was an idiot. I pulled the dash last night after work to find that I wasn't going crazy the guy who owned the car before me put a hard plastic dash overlay over the original dash that's what's been giving me issues fitting the template. Plus I figured that I'm pulling the dash might as well fix the gauges and lights I replaced the old beat up circuit board and replaced all bulbs to led. I'm not in a hurry and that's the reason I'm doing this in the winter so I can take my time and have it ready for the heat of the summer I'll post progress pics once I figure out how to from the phone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted January 26, 2016 Photos of progress Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted January 26, 2016 Looking gooood! That's a very nice Christmas present. Don't ya just love the "while I'm at it" projects? Is that a Champion radiator using a stock top mount? If so how'd you get it to fit? My stock mount is too narrow for the Champion. Keep up the nice work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted January 26, 2016 Thanks RPM yep the while your at it saves the hassle of pulling it apart again. Its an 3 Core 24" ASI radiator the top mount is an aftermarket chrome repo, and the upper mount was very tight fit I ended up cutting the rubber mounts on the sides off and just leaving the top the thick rubber and for the side I just put some thin foam tape Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midlife 814 Report post Posted January 27, 2016 I saw the dash cluster photo and saw two posts hard-wired together and thought...hmmm...those are the CVR power posts. What's up with that? Then, there's a later picture with a purple wire with a single strand and a black wire and I know what they are: that's the CVR input power to the dash cluster connector. Someone's monkeyed with your wiring for the CVR. Just so you know...the purple wire is a resistor wire, so be careful with that puppy. The black wire is there to reinforce the crimp on the purple wire; without it, the standard pin crimps won't hold the single strand nichrome wire. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted January 27, 2016 Ok CVR stands for? The last owner must have decided that hard wiring those areas instead of replacing the circuit board was a good idea he snipped the wires off of the harness and wired it up this way the gauges worked but the lights would flicker slightly he also used scotch tape to try to put the board back together. I decided to just replace the curcit and fix the wiring the gauges are so much brighter now with the LEDsOn another note I started the first cuts I started on the dash I had a little difficultly the instructions were great up to this part. They were very vague on exactly Where to place the template. And my dash has a hard cover over the original dash which change the dimensions slightly so I had to modify and measure measure measure make sure I was centered and mark the 2 1/2" holes crossed my fingers and began the surgery. It all seemed ok until I realized that the dash speaker will not fit right with the tubing. Yes I could have used the under dash mounts but I did not like the look. So this gives me an excuse to put some 6x9 in the rear deck maybe kick panel speakers and an updated head unit.I'll add pics soon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midlife 814 Report post Posted January 27, 2016 CVR = Constant Voltage Regulator, located on the back of the dash and controls the voltage for the fuel, oil pressure, and water temperature gauges. 1 Tcoco reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted January 30, 2016 Updated the controls no more hard cables now we have updated wires took it apart re greased and cleaned the bulb area Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted February 1, 2016 made one cut in the lower dash today all my nerves could take today I'll try to do the other tomorrow Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted February 1, 2016 made one cut in the lower dash today all my nerves could take today I bet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted February 4, 2016 Ok so the instructions I think needed to be alittle clearer I made that first cut in the lower dash about 4-5 days ago and been fighting to get the register to fit. I had to make the hole a little larger and the register just didn't want get mounted to he dash. After making the hole larger and cutting up the retaining bracket on the back it still didn't want to lock in place. I feared is screwed up the dash bad. I wish they made the threaded part like a quarter inch longer. Like I thought I was SOL and just screwed the dash up and couldn't figure out where I went wrong I remounted the template and still could figure out where the error was.So if you are getting ready to get to this part this is where I messed up the instructions said to line it up on the side on the dash and the bottom but they didn't say to leave the side trim on and set the template off of the molding and not the edge of the dash it self so if you pull the dash like I did remount the bottom dash trim before lining up the template.A freind stopped by and so glad he did because I was starting to lose my mind and thought all was lost I had this big hole and with the curve in the dash there was no way to mount the register without it coming apart in my hands. So my friend suggested to wrap the threads with Teflon tape I went one set thicker and wrapped it with electrical tape and low and behold the threads caught and like magic it work deep sigh of relief now to cut the other side correctly this time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mauleta 10 Report post Posted February 4, 2016 I'm following your progress with interest as I'll be installing the same system. It sounds as if the instructions assume the lower dash is still installed in the car when lining up the template and drilling the holes. Is that your impression? Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted February 4, 2016 @mauleta yes exactly they assume the lower dash is installed still with the side trim I unfortunately had the trim piece off and my cut was off by about almost a 1/2in which took it further into the curve of the dash which made it a bit*h to get the vent in place properly. I took a break from drilling and will do the passenger side next maybe tonight or tomorrow right now I pulled the old heater box out and I think I will gain 5-10HP LOL it is huge compared to the new more compact unit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted February 5, 2016 With the old heater unit out I pulled back the carpet and insulation and cleaned the firewall. The kit comes with a cap to close off the fresh air from the cowl I lined the cowl and firewall with poor mans Dynomat from the Home Depot its in the roofing section and is called peel and seal stuff is $15 dollars a roll and goes on just like Dynomat I then fitted all the hard lines off of the new evaporator and heater unit Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted February 5, 2016 Very nice! So if I understand the workings of this unit, it uses no outside air? The only setting is recirculating air, no fresh air? If so, that seems odd. But I'm not an hvac guy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted February 5, 2016 Yes only recirculated air but these old girls are not air tight like newer cars you still have the kick panel vents and even though my doors are tight there is still a little gap on the door Windows Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted February 5, 2016 found another area that wasn't described in the instructions was when trying to mount the unit under the dash there is a oval area on the firewall passenger side top it has a knock out plate on it after fighting trying to find the mounting hole for the bracket i found this took a screwdriver and a hammer and knocked out the little plate and lined up perfectly. You can do this by yourself like I did but if you can get someone to help at this part do it so someone can hold the unit in place and the other can catch the bolts on the other side. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted February 6, 2016 The evaporator is mounted finally wiring is started to be run the large blue wire is not for the AC i figured since the dash is gutted I am installing an upgraded radio with an amp These are the lines coming out of the firewall the OEM heater line holes are used for the new heater lines and the plate is installed with the AC lines (blue caps) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sixt9stang 36 Report post Posted February 6, 2016 This is definitely something I need! Nice pictures and info. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted February 6, 2016 This is definitely something I need! Nice pictures and info.It's definitely a nice kit if I had help it would go faster with an extra set of hands and if I had one suggestion for vintage air would be to make the vent threads alittle longer it would be so much easier if they where I ran the duct work today and wiring and was able to fire it up and calibrate the controls pics to follow later tonight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mauleta 10 Report post Posted February 7, 2016 How did the vent install go on the passenger side? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tcoco 5 Report post Posted February 7, 2016 as promised pics from todays venture The instructions want you to run directly off of the battery so I needed to use a keyed 12v connection so I used the original wiring harness put a spade connector on the purple wire that was supplied and inserted into the wiring harness I didn't want to hack up the old wires deforest ducts installed center ducts and side ducts after the hassle of the other hole I drilled I bit the bullet and tackled the passenger vent this time I lined the template up with the trim installed and it went alot easier very minimal trimming with the Dremel to make it fit perfect still wish the vent threads were about 1/4in longer would have made the install so much faster and easier ran the engine compartment wiring and secured it to the side walls and wrapped them with some split wire looms. Tomorrow I plan on tackling the compressor mount and I have to change out the P/S mount to the new one so the compressor and P/S lines up and finish running the AC lines Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
