Author Topic: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?  (Read 9272 times)

Offline 75chevybakers

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 69
I was wondering if anyone had put a/c in a heat only cab? I bought all the parts from a buddy and came to find out the firewall is way different... ::). Anyway, I sold all the stuff and am now considering Vintage air. Wondering if anyone has tried this in these trucks or what other solutions are there? Thanks again guys!

Offline Got Smoke?

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 71
Re: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2010, 09:04:01 pm »
Subscribed, been wondering this myself as my 79 is heat only and I would like to install a/c when I restore it.
97 Dodge Cummins modded 12V
02 VW Golf TDI 40+ MPG
79 Chevy K20 350 4spd 5" lift 37 MT OZ's
88 Chevy V3500 / 88 GMC R3500 combo going 3+3 SRW 350/400/205

Offline Captkaos

  • OWNER and Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18454
    • http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com
Re: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2010, 03:42:49 pm »
The only differences in the firewall is where the holes are. You could have templated his, welded yours up and transfered the template and then put the factory stuff back on it.

I know of a couple people with Vintage systems though.  The like it. There is an article in one of the magazines that did a how to on it.

Offline 75chevybakers

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 69
Re: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2010, 07:06:21 pm »
I would feel better with the vintage air anyway, then all the components are new, no worries... Any pics would be great.

Offline Gregzz4

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 27
Re: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2010, 11:20:16 pm »
Why spend the money on vintage air? That system is Huge money
Get a heater/ac box and vents/ducting from the boneyard..... buy the condenser, evap, receiver/dryer, lines and compressor from a parts store....install it all, get an ac dash pad and whatever is missing, like an orifice tube/filter and so on and have a shop retrofit it for 134A.

I looked into it last month and it would cost me less than $500 for all new parts mentioned, including a re-man Comp. So just buy the boneyard Comp with the whole system and use it as a core.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2010, 11:23:51 pm by Gregzz4 »
'78 1/2 Ton
GMPP ZZ4 Q-Jet
700R4 Race Internals
3:42 Eaton

Offline Skunksmash

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1398
Re: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2010, 09:46:58 pm »
Yeah I agree with the post above mine. However, I would do one thing different. Get a system off a much newer model truck. They are much more efficient than the ones that came one these old trucks, and that will save you lots of money at the gas pump. In the long run. It's what I'm planning on doing, when my stock AC system finally decides to bite the dust.

Offline fitz

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2085
Re: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?
« Reply #6 on: April 18, 2010, 07:12:12 pm »
If you can find a working AC system off of 1 of our trucks it is possible to remove it from 1 truck and install in into another truck as a complete unit without unbolting the lines or evacuating the freon from the system. It may require an extra set of hands but it can be done.

Offline hhott71

  • New Users
  • Posts: 1
  • Newbie
Re: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2013, 06:45:40 pm »
I do not agree that you can get a reman comp, an evaporator, accumulator, condenser, orifice tube new at a parts store for $500 pus by the lines, the evaporator housing, the factory fresh air and recirculation doors, the heater and HVAC housing, duct work, dashpad vents, Trim bezel with vents, control head with cables, vacuum ball and lines for LESS than buying a NEW system from an aftermarket AC Kit dealer like (removed) I know they offer AC kits for the Military Blazer and many more models.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2013, 07:05:15 pm by VileZambonie »

Offline VileZambonie

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 19167
Re: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2013, 07:04:50 pm »
I do not agree that you can get a reman comp, an evaporator, accumulator, condenser, orifice tube new at a parts store for $500 pus by the lines, the evaporator housing, the factory fresh air and recirculation doors, the heater and HVAC housing, duct work, dashpad vents, Trim bezel with vents, control head with cables, vacuum ball and lines for LESS than buying a NEW system from an aftermarket AC Kit dealer like *********** I know they offer AC kits for the Military Blazer and many more models.

So your first post here is to disagree with a post that is 3 years old and promote someones product?
,                           ___ 
                         /  _ _ _\_
              ⌠ŻŻŻŻŻ'   [☼===☼]
              `()_);-;()_)--o--)_)

74 GMC, 75 K5, 84 GMC, 85 K20, 86 k20, 79 K10

Offline mrnapolean1

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 12
  • Newbie
Re: Vintage Air or what? Anyone have a truck with factory heat only?
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2013, 10:16:04 am »
My 87 Chevy R10 is factory heat only.
I would like to put an AC system in it.