AC system update

-
TrailBeast

TrailBeast

AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
22,779
Reaction score
12,654
Location
Arizona
Well, the decision has been made.
I will be going with the Classic Auto Air Perfect Fit Smart series system. (Ouch :D)

Apparently the Vintage system has some drawbacks I don’t want to have to deal with.

I will talk to them about a couple of details tomorrow.
Not real happy about mounting vents on the bottom of the dash, but at least they look better than most of the stuff out there.

At least the Classic system comes with everything made to specifically fit the car.
IMG_5226.png


IMG_5227.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Last time I called Classic got put on hold for 40 minutes. Asked about getting original evap core reconditioned they said nope booked indefinitely go away and don't come back.
 
340sFastback said:
Last time I called Classic got put on hold for 40 minutes. Asked about getting original evap core reconditioned they said nope booked indefinitely go away and don't come back.
Click to expand...
Well that sucks.
I’m going to be pretty particular about this, but stuff happens sometimes.

DFX 340 Duster said:
@TrailBeast are you adding this to your car since it doesn’t have a/c or are you replacing the factory system?
Click to expand...
This will be going in my 73 Swinger that never had air.
Apparently they have a workaround for the off/on blower switch that is different between the 72 and 73.
Technically they only show the kits for 72 and back, but that switch is the only difference between 72 and 73 cars as far as everything else about the installation.
 
Can you not use a factory A body AC duct?

They sure look like they could be adapted.
 
...of course the aftermarket ducts have one on the left side of the driver, which can be nice.
 
I bought an entire factory ac salvaged out of a 71 dart for my 69 Cuda. I thought it would be a lot cheaper. It was, it only wound up costing me about $500 when I was done, however I think I had about $5000 in sweat equity. I probably spent way over 100 hours on it. From that vantage point, the two grand seems a lot more reasonable…..
 
Mike69cuda said:
I bought an entire factory ac salvaged out of a 71 dart for my 69 Cuda. I thought it would be a lot cheaper. It was, it only wound up costing me about $500 when I was done, however I think I had about $5000 in sweat equity. I probably spent way over 100 hours on it. From that vantage point, the two grand seems a lot more reasonable…..
Click to expand...
That’s what I was thinking, as I have the resources finally.
Just recently paid off our house and property.
No more monthly payment.


Professor Fate said:
There will be issues, but members have overcome them. Prepare, so you have fewer surprises.
Classic Auto Air Belt alignment fix
Classic Air Glove Box Fix
Classic Auto Air AC- things to look for
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for that.
I appreciate it.
 
If you find a way to successfully route the hose to the vent to the left of the driver let us know. Several of us have been trying to figure this out for a couple years. Above the column there are issues with the moving parts of the wiper system.

Did you buy the system that provides a crank pulley? If so I will be interested in seeing how the belts work. I got the set up that uses a factory AC crank pulley and that was a mess (see link above). I just got all the issues on mine sorted out a few months ago so post here if you have problems. Is the set up in the picture what you received? It seems like an older version. They have done away with cable controls and gone to all electronic stuff (which worked very well).
 
str12-340 said:
If you find a way to successfully route the hose to the vent to the left of the driver let us know. Several of us have been trying to figure this out for a couple years. Above the column there are issues with the moving parts of the wiper system.

Did you buy the system that provides a crank pulley? If so I will be interested in seeing how the belts work. I got the set up that uses a factory AC crank pulley and that was a mess (see link above). I just got all the issues on mine sorted out a few months ago so post here if you have problems. Is the set up in the picture what you received? It seems like an older version. They have done away with cable controls and gone to all electronic stuff (which worked very well).
Click to expand...

I have not ordered it yet, and plan on it this morning.
That’s great news about no more cables, as I really wanted to do away with those.
The crank pulley comes in the kit I am ordering.
I can mod about anything if needed.

I was thinking to ask them if they would throw in the 67 Chevy truck controller, as it’s pretty much exactly the same as my existing controls and would be worth modding to fit if needed, that is if they don’t already have something better and it doesn’t show on their site.
I do plan on posting some information on the install.
I may opt for putting the far left vent to the right of the steering wheel, as the left is fairly crowded, especially since it would pretty much block the fuse box.

This is the controller I could make work in my dash.
IMG_5228.png
 
Last edited:
I would suggest that you look at what shows up first. The kit that I got for my 70 Dart has you reconfigure the stock sliders so that they actuate potentiometers (sp?) that are then on the control mechanism, this goes by wire to and electronic control box. I mounted mine in a modified factory glove box for easy access (their glove box sux).

DSC04619.JPG


IMG_4579.JPG


They suggest that you put your system together on a bench, hook up all the wires and test everything using a 12 v battery. This was good advice that leads you to solve issues before you have to fix them while it's under the dash. In my 70 I found that you had to fix one of the potentiometers so that the slider moved the whole range (others have reported this too and the adapters for the defrost vents were unworkable. I'm sure that you (like me and others here) will find the problems and solve them one by one, since I am familiar with your other projects over the years.
Perfect Fit - HHAAAHHHAAHHHAAAHHHAAAHHAAA:rofl:
 
Lets see if they give him an AC bracket setup where the belt doesn't slip and squeal.
 
What is the price of comfort? I say if it will get you in the car more often then go for it, let's keep these old girls on the road
 
str12-340 said:
If you find a way to successfully route the hose to the vent to the left of the driver let us know. Several of us have been trying to figure this out for a couple years. Above the column there are issues with the moving parts of the wiper system.

Did you buy the system that provides a crank pulley? If so I will be interested in seeing how the belts work. I got the set up that uses a factory AC crank pulley and that was a mess (see link above). I just got all the issues on mine sorted out a few months ago so post here if you have problems. Is the set up in the picture what you received? It seems like an older version. They have done away with cable controls and gone to all electronic stuff (which worked very well).
Click to expand...

I had the Classic Auto Air i my 70 and I ran the hose over the steering column mount (it has a little recess, behind the cluster) and then down to the left of the driver.
 
str12-340 said:
I would suggest that you look at what shows up first. The kit that I got for my 70 Dart has you reconfigure the stock sliders so that they actuate potentiometers (sp?) that are then on the control mechanism, this goes by wire to and electronic control box. I mounted mine in a modified factory glove box for easy access (their glove box sux).

View attachment 1716209212

View attachment 1716209213

They suggest that you put your system together on a bench, hook up all the wires and test everything using a 12 v battery. This was good advice that leads you to solve issues before you have to fix them while it's under the dash. In my 70 I found that you had to fix one of the potentiometers so that the slider moved the whole range (others have reported this too and the adapters for the defrost vents were unworkable. I'm sure that you (like me and others here) will find the problems and solve them one by one, since I am familiar with your other projects over the years.
Perfect Fit - HHAAAHHHAAHHHAAAHHHAAAHHAAA:rofl:
Click to expand...

We are doing away with the sliding controls and replacing them with black knobs.
I’ll make a new plate where the controls are now.

They couldn’t/wouldn’t substitute the controller I posted about earlier.
Something about having a mismatch between a unit with different amounts of servos.
But they could supply just the knobs with the pots on them.

My car is a restomod anyway, so I’m ok with it.
And I don’t care if the face doesn’t say “Classic Auto Air” on it.

I actually like the idea of bench testing everything before it goes in.
Makes sense.
 
I'm fuzzy on a bodies particularly, but what's the advantage of an aftermarket system vs retrofitting your car with parts from a car originally equipped with factory AC?
I've never dealt with an aftermarket ac system besides a couple of "dealer installed" retrofits that were already in place before I encountered the vehicle.
 
volaredon said:
I'm fuzzy on a bodies particularly, but what's the advantage of an aftermarket system vs retrofitting your car with parts from a car originally equipped with factory AC?
I've never dealt with an aftermarket ac system besides a couple of "dealer installed" retrofits that were already in place before I encountered the vehicle.
Click to expand...
I did the retrofit with parts from another car. I like how it turned out, but it was a lot of work.

If you have a 70 up car, it isn’t as bad as 69 back. The 70 up belt system is pretty simple and parts are available. The 69 back ac engine set up is complicated and parts are really hard to find.

The firewall is a lot different between ac cars and non ac cars. Drilling new holes and cutting out fan hole is required.

On barracudas and darts with a rally dash, the whole dash bezel needs to be changed for ac.

Better get every part if you are doing a factory ac swap, parts are hard to find.

I would think the aftermarket ac is an easier swap, but probably a lot more expensive.

Just my 0.02 cents after doing the factory ac swap……
 
volaredon said:
I'm fuzzy on a bodies particularly, but what's the advantage of an aftermarket system vs retrofitting your car with parts from a car originally equipped with factory AC?
I've never dealt with an aftermarket ac system besides a couple of "dealer installed" retrofits that were already in place before I encountered the vehicle.
Click to expand...

Let me add that apparently the new kits heat and cool better, plus the three year warranty with Classic Air is nice to have.
 
YY1 said:
Can you not use a factory A body AC duct?

They sure look like they could be adapted.
Click to expand...

I adapted the factory ‘69 A/C vent box to my Classic Auto air system.

It wasn’t too difficult. Just had to cut the hose ends off the supplied ducts and manufacture an aluminum plate with 3 oval holes to bolt the supplied duct hose ends to then to the factory A/C vents after they were removed from the factory vent box.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top