AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?

Author Topic: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?  (Read 4693 times)

Offline mrcuda

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AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« on: February 09, 2005 - 08:35:35 PM »
JUST LOCATED A COMPLETE FACTORY A/C SETUP WITH A 3 SPEAKERDASH  FOR MY 70 GRAN COUPE CONVERTIBLE.  DEBATING TO LEAVE IT STOCK WITHOUTH THE AIR CONDITIONING, USE THE  FACTORY SETUP, OR GO WITH CLASSIC AIR'S UNIT. THE AFTERMARKET SETUP IS MORE EFFICIENT AND COMPACT, BUT I LIKE THE THOUGHT OF THE FACTORY UNIT. ANY ADVISE APPRECIATED.   :dontknow:




Offline MAXcuda

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2005 - 10:03:47 PM »
My vote is to go aftermarket.  I have a factory A/C car and 80% of the factory parts (not on it now).  I will be putting an aftermarket system on it in a few years (when that becomes top priority).  The factory system is heavier, less efficient, sucks more HP, and uglier.  I've seen a Cuda with the sanden compressor on it and it looks really good, but I'm not worried about originality either.  Depends on how strictly stock looking you want to keep it.

Oh yeah remember, parenthetical phrases are (almost) never necessary.

Offline Steve

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2005 - 07:33:26 AM »
If you go the conversion route, make sure that you get the control unit and the cowl section where the A/C comes through the firewall. Also make sure to get all of the underhood lines and brackets. If your car has the 22" radiator, you'll need to swap over to a 26" radiiator. To do that and make it look stock, you'll need to replace the two radiator core support panels. Don't replace the top cross member as that should have you VIN stamped into it. Vintage makes a retrofit under-hood kit for those using the stock box and controls. It consists of a Sanden compressor, brackets, and hoses. Their kit for heater cars is very nice and very complete and you can even use dash vents. Scoring the 3-speaker A/C dash is nice, but for those who want to do the conversion from a heater car, Just Dashes will restore your dash with A/C vent provisions. I also assume that they can put in the holes for the outboard speakers. As far as I know, the metal sub-frames are all the same.

From someone who is doing a factory A/C conversion and used to work on cars (including A/C systems for a living), I would only go the factory route if you REALY want the complete look of a factory setup. Remember, you don't have to use underdash vents with the aftermarket systems. They look great and work great. Also, don't tackle the project if you don't know how to weld or if you think that going the factory route will save you money, because it won't.

Offline Mopar73340

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2005 - 08:18:23 AM »
I'm planning on possibly using the sanden compressor with new lines but leaving whats inside the car stock. I had planned on doing this last time around a few years back but they didn't make brackets to work on a factory A/C car so I would have had to swap pulleys to do it. I unded up leaving it stock and using 134a which seems to work ok. Hopefully by this summer I'll have it figured out.
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Offline miketyler

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2005 - 05:39:33 PM »
FYI - Just yesterday, Antique Auto Air quoted me $800 for all the new under-hood components including Sanden compressor, liquid lines, condensor, dryer, etc. Their guy made it sound like I could retain all my original vents, controls, etc using their parts. I'm game for the Sanden setup - newer, lighter, more efficient. I just have to do like Steve and go thru my airbox and make sure all of it is checked out
72' Cuda restomod
70 Mustang Mach 1
07' Toyota Tacoma Prerunner Dbl cab in Speedway Blue!
01' Honda 1100 Shadow Sabre
96' Seadoo Challenger

Offline 72Chall77Doba

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2005 - 08:31:13 PM »
My chally came without air.
I recently had a Vintage Air, Generation 2 A/C unit installed and it works unbelievable.
I'm not using the orig outlets, they installed 4 cool looking chrome ones and the unit itself is chrome.
Cost me 2500, ouch.

Offline Rev-It-Up

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2005 - 08:50:24 PM »
72Chall77Doba, do you have some pics of your firewall.  We're installing our Vintage Air unit now and are at the stage of working on the firewall.  Any pics you have would be of great help!  Thanks!
Rev-It-Up                                                             Yes, I'm a girl!
                         


Offline 72Chall77Doba

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2005 - 09:07:50 PM »
Rev, I will be glad to take some for ya.
The next 4 days I'm working 7:30AM till 10:30PM, I run a restaurant on a golf course.
Fri, Sat, & Sun are huge for us and Monday is Valentine's Day so we're slammed again.
I'll try to take some tomorrow  morning, but I won't get home tomorrow till 11PM.

Then I can download em for ya.

In the meantime there are some pix at the bottom of page 2 of my car domain site
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/502765
« Last Edit: February 10, 2005 - 09:15:55 PM by 72Chall77Doba »

Offline mrcuda

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2005 - 09:21:17 PM »
I WAS ABLE TO GET THE FIREWALL ALSO. I FIGURED I WOULD GET THE SHEETMETAL WELDED IN. CHANGE THE HEATER CORE AND USE AS MANY "STOCK LOOKING" COMPONENTS AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE THE FACTORY CONTROL PANEL AND ALL THE DUCTS.

Offline 72Chall77Doba

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2005 - 09:34:08 PM »
Cant promise about taking pix in the am, I'm always running late, lol

So I just went out in the garage & took some flash pix.
They are a little washed out looking but they might help.

Offline Rev-It-Up

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2005 - 09:47:31 PM »
You are wonderful!! Thank you!
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Offline miketyler

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2005 - 06:33:19 AM »
Looks very nice, how is your engine temp on a nice hot 100 degree day? That is a 26" radiator right? I couldnt make out a shroud inyour pics; a lot of guys say that it does make a difference when you are trying to pull air across all the effective radiator sufaces. I was even considering electric fans in anticipation of cooling issues. Texas summers have really killer temperatures and A/C is an accepted fact-of-life here

appreciate the great photos!

MRT   
72' Cuda restomod
70 Mustang Mach 1
07' Toyota Tacoma Prerunner Dbl cab in Speedway Blue!
01' Honda 1100 Shadow Sabre
96' Seadoo Challenger

Offline Mopar73340

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2005 - 09:31:42 AM »
FYI - Just yesterday, Antique Auto Air quoted me $800 for all the new under-hood components including Sanden compressor, liquid lines, condensor, dryer, etc. Their guy made it sound like I could retain all my original vents, controls, etc using their parts. I'm game for the Sanden setup - newer, lighter, more efficient. I just have to do like Steve and go thru my airbox and make sure all of it is checked out

I have a new A/c heater box just restored by SMS. I probably will go the new sanden lines route. Thanks for the info.
73-Challenger 340 727/GearVendors Auto
73-Challenger 408 Pistol-Grip 5-speed

Offline miketyler

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2005 - 07:27:23 PM »
SMS does VERY nice work. I found this on the tech section of Mopar Muscle and thought I'd link to it here. They visited with Classic Air and went thru the rebuild of a heater plenum. Very cool the way they bead blast the fiberglass case, then clear it to bring back the gloss and restore the color. I would have never thought of that.



Ck it out:
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/34500/index.html
72' Cuda restomod
70 Mustang Mach 1
07' Toyota Tacoma Prerunner Dbl cab in Speedway Blue!
01' Honda 1100 Shadow Sabre
96' Seadoo Challenger

Offline Mopar73340

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Re: AFTERMARKET A/C OR FACTORY UNIT?
« Reply #14 on: March 04, 2005 - 08:46:05 AM »
SMS does good work but I hope your not in a hurry.. It took them 10 months to get mine back to me   :dontknow:   :spank:
73-Challenger 340 727/GearVendors Auto
73-Challenger 408 Pistol-Grip 5-speed