Non-A/C to A/C Dash

[GoodysGotaCuda]

I am planning on buying and Ultimate Rides/Dash Pad Pros dash pad for my Barracuda. I am also adding Vintage Air to the car and would like to entertain the idea of installing factory in-dash vents.

Assuming I can just buy an "A/C" dash from Ultimate Rides, what else will I need to do to the dash and frame to run factory vents? From what I understand, the center vents are not reproduced and I will need to find an original set.

Anything more complicated than installing a dash pad with the hole for the center vent and finding a set of vents?

[brads70]

I've read ( but don't know for sure?) that other B and C body's will work for the vents? 

[lulurocks]

As long as you get :

Driver side vent housing  ( the one with the vent and  and the hole for ac control)

Center vent housing  and louvers

Passenger vent housing and louvers


Vintage air gives you the rest .... The only thing I'm not sure about is  the driver side louver setup on a cuda. I've done 2 rallye challenger installs never a cuda.

[Mickm]

GoodysGotaCuda
I am doing one right now. You will need an original center (double) vent setup and a passenger side vent for the dash. The vintage air control panel and vent for the drivers side will come in their kit. When ordering, be sure to order the kit for an originally a/c equipped car. This way you will receive the vent adapters and mounting clips to attach VA's hoses to the back of the original vents. IF you order the non-original air kit you won't get these and you must have them.
Everything else you need will come in the Vintage Air Kit.

The real trick is finding a nice set of original center and passenger side vents for less than the cost of a lung or limb.

Good luck,

Mickm

[GoodysGotaCuda]

GoodysGotaCuda
I am doing one right now. You will need an original center (double) vent setup and a passenger side vent for the dash. The vintage air control panel and vent for the drivers side will come in their kit. When ordering, be sure to order the kit for an originally a/c equipped car. This way you will receive the vent adapters and mounting clips to attach VA's hoses to the back of the original vents. IF you order the non-original air kit you won't get these and you must have them.
Everything else you need will come in the Vintage Air Kit.

The real trick is finding a nice set of original center and passenger side vents for less than the cost of a lung or limb.

Good luck,

Mickm

Thanks Mickm,

Have you had luck finding the vents? Did you go E-body or B-body? The price for the two E-body sets on eBay seems pretty staggering!

[Mickm]

GoodysGotaCuda,
I found a set (middle and pass side) on ebay for $150. All the parts looked good but they were just a bunch of parts.
All of the tiny tits that fit into the slides were worn down or broken off so I removed all traces of the tits then used a micro drill to put a tiny hole where the tit was.
Then I pressed in a tiny aluminum rivet I had from when I used to build large scale radio control models years ago. Finally, I crimped the end and now all are tight and work perfectly.
A dab of black paint on the rivet head and they look like brand new.
Shortly after I bought my set there was a better set on ebay for $500. Too rich for me.
Good luck.

Mickm

[ragtopdodge]

Just remember, if you care at all, there were TWO diff vents:  thick and thin-style.

I believe either will work/fit, but if you care about correctness, pays to pay attention.

These are the "thick" ones (note the silver paint edge, how thick it is):


I believe this one is the later "thin" version w/o the close/open rod:

[Mickm]

I knew there was a difference and I was told the thinner models were used in the later years as you say so I think I have the correct version for my '72. To tell the truth it didn't make me any difference if the ones I found were the correct year but I like the looks of the thinner version best.
Here is what mine look like.

When you get to the point of putting in the defroster ducts you will find they don't fit per the instructions. I came up with what I think was a great solution so let me know and I'll show you what I did.

Cheers!
Mickms

[EV2RTSE]

1970 used the thicker chrome edge vents, and the passenger vent had a push/pull lever to open & close a flapper door to regulate the air flow.  Some of the thick edged vents may have found their way onto early 71 cars, but for the rest of 71 the thin edge vents were used. The passenger vent still had the lever in 71 also, maybe that faded out at the end of the year?. 72-74 also had the thin edges, but the lever in the passenger vent went away altogether.  The plastic housings themselves are E-body only and all the same from 70-74. 71-74 B-Bodies used the same thin edged vents as 71-74 E-Body, and make good donors (cheaper to find) if needed.