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Topic: Vintage Air

in Forum: C3 Cooling and Heating Systems

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Vintage Air (1/9)
7/24/15 12:14pm

SSc3-1972
Former Member
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Sarasota, FL - USA

Vette(s):
1972 C3 work in progress

Joined: 7/24/2015
Posts: 2

Has anybody installed the Vintage Air Conditioning in their C3 car?

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Re: Vintage Air (2/9)
7/26/15 9:23pm

OH6A

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Cadiz, KY - USA

Vette(s):
74 Convertible

Joined: 8/26/2002
Posts: 249

I have two C3 cars with Vintage Air. The 73 is an air car; the 74 is non air. Both systems fit very well and work very well. The installation instructions are very thorough. I recommend their systems. I installed both. Not easy.

|UPDATED|7/26/2015 6:23:56 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

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Re: Vintage Air (3/9)
7/27/15 7:13pm

longhorn294

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DeBerry, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1971 383 Stroker- mille miglia red...5 speed

Joined: 2/27/2002
Posts: 1006

I wish I had gone with Vintage Air, but instead I cheaped out and had Classic Auto Air installed in Dallas area for a little less... BIG mistake.. ask Joel..lol still having problems so I rarely use the a/c

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Re: Vintage Air (4/9)
7/27/15 9:09pm

kbrin
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coral springs, FL - USA

Vette(s):
81 beauty all original (not anymore!!) Its more fun now!

Joined: 3/25/2014
Posts: 71

Put Vintage air in my 1981. Living in south florida it gets a workout AND it is perfect. I also have clear/tinted T-TOPS and still the unit cools great. I recommend the system. Also..as a tech note, after the install the glove box will not fit back in(too deep) so i cut 2 inches off all around the back and glued on a new plastic back. looks good and i have a glove box back.

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Re: Vintage Air (5/9)
7/28/15 1:34pm

Adams' Apple

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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas

Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20128

longhorn294 said: I wish I had gone with Vintage Air, but instead I cheaped out and had Classic Auto Air installed in Dallas area for a little less... BIG mistake.. ask Joel..lol still having problems so I rarely use the a/c

Not exactly cheap, if I remember correctly. Just a crappy job, with fairly crappy components. At one point, the A/C compressor was about to fall off....in their parking lot! But yea...that company's stuff just ain't up to snuff. Ouch

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Re: Vintage Air (6/9)
8/16/15 1:25pm

apd 628
Former Member
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Joined: 6/25/2015
Posts: 4

I noticed kbrin from South Florida put a Vintage Air unit in his(or hers) 1981 model.

I too have a 1981 model, and my car is equipped with factory air. I have only had the car since March, and I have finally got the factory air working as well as it is capable of.

I have glass t tops on my car, and on these 100 degree plus days here in the DFW area of Texas, the system just cannot do an adequate job of cooling my car in the heat of the day.

I have installed DEI sound deadening and heat insulation on the interior firewall, floor pan, transmission tunnel, doors, and storage area behind the seats. The car is a lot more quiet and the drivetrain heat generated into the cabin is minimal compared to what it was prior to the DEI material installation. I thought this would do the trick to help the AC cool the car on hot days, but that is not the case.

Will a Vintage Air install cool the car like the AC cools my 2012 Ford F250? Or at least close to that?

I have noticed that the C3 specific kits from Vintage Air stop being available in the 1977 model year.

Is the Universal Kit or the 1977 kit the one to use for an install on the 1981 model?

Finally, can I use any of the factory AC parts like the selector switches, air vents etc. ?

Thanks

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Re: Vintage Air (7/9)
8/16/15 4:05pm

kbrin
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coral springs, FL - USA

Vette(s):
81 beauty all original (not anymore!!) Its more fun now!

Joined: 3/25/2014
Posts: 71

Hi, Let me try to answer some of this for you:

Will a Vintage Air install cool the car like the AC cools my 2012 Ford F250? Or at least close to that? Really nothing will cool lake a newer car BUT Vintage keeps my C3 very cool in 92+ Far superior to the factory air as the core is no longer in the engine compartment. The heat if you need it is marginal.

I have noticed that the C3 specific kits from Vintage Air stop being available in the 1977 model year. I would call vintage and double check, however I installed the complete GEN IV kit. Had 0 problems.

Is the Universal Kit or the 1977 kit the one to use for an install on the 1981 model? as above. Again I would call.

Finally, can I use any of the factory AC parts like the selector switches, air vents etc. ? The kit has every thing BUT you will need to use the 3 knob billet control available from vintage and remove SOME duct as they supply flex to the registers. When I did this they did not have a factory look alike control...check, they may make one now or use the billet. You will need to fabricate a piece if plastic or thin steel to hold the switch in place.

I will try to bend some pics of the install

Personally it was very worth it for me, I would go for it!!

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Re: Vintage Air (8/9)
8/16/15 11:32pm

apd 628
Former Member
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Joined: 6/25/2015
Posts: 4

Thanks for the feedback KBRIN.

I will call Vintage Air. It should be old home week. One of my college friends from many decades ago was the founder/owner of Vintage Air, Jack Chisenhall. He and I were both car nuts back then.

Maybe I can talk him into doing the install at their shop in San Antonio.

I look forward to photos of your install of the Vintage Air Unit in your 81.

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Re: Vintage Air (9/9)
9/19/15 3:00pm

TheyCallMeDave
Former Member
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Crestview (near Pensacola), FL - USA

Vette(s):
1970 built 454 coupe., M21, 336-1 rear, numbers matching . Approx. 550 hp/600 tq. #2 Condition . For Sale : $32,000 very firm . Have a full write up with closeup walk-around video for the serious minded only please.

Joined: 9/16/2015
Posts: 22

I had it installed in my 1970 BB. It is a quality piece of material. The only thing Im upset about is that when I had it done (some 3 years ago) there was a design flaw in it : The discharge temp sensor caused freezeups of the evaporator after about an hour of operation, so, Vintage Air came out with a tech bulletin on relocating the sensor a few inches from its current location --- it meant making a new hole using something hot instead of a drill bit to burn thru the plastic casing. I never got it done because the Mechanic tried ripping me off on other things I had done to the vette at the same time. I should do it myself soon because its a pain to have to defrost the cooling coil every hour of operation. But the system really cools quick and fits perfectly behind the dash.

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1970 built 454 coupe., M21, 336-1 rear, numbers matching . Approx. 550 hp/600 tq. #2 Condition .
For Sale : $32,000 very firm .
Have a full write up with closeup walk-around video for the serious minded only please.

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