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Street Rod HVAC

3K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  ogre 
#1 ·
Hot Rod HVAC
I'm putting a Heat, Defrost, AC unit in my '48 Austin. I'm leaning towards the Vintage Air Gen II Mini # 66005-VUZ-A with all mechanical controls. Space is tight. Is this the smallest unit out there? Also which is the smallest compressor out there? Thanks for your input.
 
#2 ·
Their mini is only an inch or so smaller in length than their compact. Whether it's the smallest out there I can't tell you. But.... I've seen some mods made that make it just a bit smaller yet. The blower was relocated and piped into the works. Just remember to leave the drip pan intact to drain condensation.

Also, you can make your own plenums to handle air if hoses don't fit.

I made one for the 2 central dash vents to cancel the hoses between the unit and the dash. I made it out of card stock, hotglue and then covered in speaker grill fabric and fiberglass resin. Custom-made to fit and much less bulk than those 2 hoses. Also, the dash just snugs against it so removing it is a snap. The third vent gets a hose and the defrosts get hoses as usual.
 

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#3 ·
i have the genII compac, it is not small by any means, takes up all the under dash space in my 58 truk (which i thought was big)
you say mechanical controls? all genII systems that i know of have servo motors for controls and potentiometer wire controls.

genII is a good system and vintage air has some of the best tech support around, i believe the owner is tech support.
they have a surefit system for my truck, but i chose the genII instead for the newest technology
not going to get a smaller compressor than the sanden that va sell with their kits
make your own bracket to keep it tight to the motor in the spot you have available
 
#4 ·
The smallest Vintage would not fit behind the dash in my 41Willys. I used the under dash unit instead. I used copper tubing and fittings for the heat section to make it fit better. I also used EZ Loc ac fittings and hose. Much smaller and more flexible. With $40 crimp tool you can do all the fittings yourself.

There is a slightly smaller Sanden comp that may help. My system will either freeze you or toast you. No leaks in 3 yr.
 
#5 ·
I plan to move the dash panel further rearward from the fire wall to make room for the HVAC unit. This will also make more room for the Defrost Ducts, Windshield Wiper mechanisms, Gages, and wiring harnesses. Then modify the dash panel as needed to clean things up. The unit will go in the place of the glove compartment. The unit will end up extending below the lower edge of the dash, making it slightly visible when you're sitting in the car. When standing outside the car looking thru the window, you would probably not see it at all or very little. The things we go thru to build Hot Rods. But that's part of the fun. Thanks guys for your input. :welcome:
 
#6 ·
'48.....

Keep in mind that there will be 4 cumbersome hoses to/from this thing plus the heat valve, trinary switch and possibly the A/C drier, so plan on those too. They need at least 4" to the side so they don't take too much of a bend. Also, you'll need a 1 1/8 wrench for the bigger of the A/C hose connections, it will need to be fitted before wedging the unit in place.

Last night was 'plumb the A/C unit' night. A small box of curse words has been emptied. The '34 is about the same size as your project...

One man's solution:
 

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