AC in 57 Fairlane 500

[maddog350gt]

Hi all!

I have been trying to install a Vintage Air Gen II W/Def into my 57 Fairlane 500 Hardtop. Has anyone done this? Any suggestions on bracket design for mounting the evaporator under the dash? Dose anyone have any suggestions on how much of the original 57 under dash parts (ducting etc.) needs to be removed to do the installation?  So far I have removed the right hand fresh air duct and the glove box, but it looks like I need to take out the defroster duct as well. Any help would be appreciated.

I called Vintage Air's technical help line and they gave me no help at all. I was very disappointed in their attitude, "you bought a universal kit so you?re on your own, we don't have any help to offer, "we can't suggest any mounting points, bracket designs, hints on the best ways to develop a mounting design, do's or don'ts for the system, or any suggestions at all". Have others had the same kind of response from Vintage Air? When I bought the system I was very impressed with the sales staff and they lead me to believe that they could and would provide some technical help with the installation. I guess its shame on me for believing the sales guys when I bought the system.

Anyone have any experience with other manufactures, I do plan to do another system for my convertible, but at this point I am thinking I don't want to give any more business to Vintage Air.

Thanks,
Bob M.

[JimNolan]

Bob,
   I really appreciate you posting this. Not that I can be of any help to you but your information is worth a bunch. I've installed air conditioning in my 57 but it was the early 60's type where everything was self contained like the originals. I've often wondered about the Vintage Air units. With the old style AC systems you just had to make a bracket to hang the evaporator, install a condenser, put a dryer on the fender and use a compressor of choice. I'm running the system I've got in my 63 right now. It's hard to beat a system that was designed by the manufactor of the car. Jim

[Ford Blue blood]

Bob your installation will be a "custom" job.  The universal kit is just that, not designed to fit in any particular automobile.  The box should have mount points on it, use those to fabricate brackets to the fire wall.  Yes the defrost duct will be modified as well.  It is in the way.  One of the fellows here on the board used exhaust tube to mate the ducts to the vent, very nice job.  Block off the right hand fresh air vent and position the unit as far to the left as possible and as high as possible.  You of course need to be mindful of the radio and the throttle pedal.

Vintage Air makes very good stuff, they do provide excellent tech support in the line of A/C problems but can not help with instalation issues such as fitment on the phone.  I doubt seriously if the tech you talked to could tell what the underside of a 57 Ford dash looked like so it would be fool hardy for him to try to give hints or help.  Sit back, relax and look the situation over, think and plan ahead and then go for it.  If it goes badly, sit back, relax, look the situation over and figure out what went wrong and then get a new plan and go for it again.

[RICH MUISE]

I second what Ford blue blood said...I got the mock up unit for the gen IV model and altered the defrost ducts and made the brackets while my dash was out and sitting on my bench. The only thing I differ with on Bill's post was that I mounted mine as far to the right as I could because my new wiper motor is accesable from under the dash and I had to split my defrost duct into 2 sections removing about 8" of the center where the original defrost duct hooked up so I could get to the wiper motor, and of course I had to keep the air unit as far to the right for the same reason. The Gen IV is a larger unit, but shaped differently so my installation prep work will probably be different from yours.
Also, all of my brackets come off the dash...the 3 front ones attach to the lower lip of the dash and the two rears attach between and right beside the mounting studs for the defrost duct....made them from 1/8 x 5/8 crs bar stock form home depot. Look on page 5 of the "general tech discussion" for a post called "Modified defrost ducts.." I've got some pics posted of the defrost ducts...I don't think you have to split yours in 2 as I had to, but you will need to figure something to adapt the plenum ( I keep calling them ducts) to the (2) 2" ducts...somewhere I've got pics of the brackets I made..I'll try to find them...my computer crashed last week, but the service tech guy was able to save all our files..it's just now I have about 2000 pics all in one folder not tagged...may take a while to find.
Rich
p.s. this is my 1000th post!! James do I win the new ford crate engine for first member to 1000? LOL

[maddog350gt]

Jim, Rich, and Bill;

Thanks for the replies. I know that Vintage Air can't do the install for me, but I expected a little more from them and a better attitude. When I told him I was having problems with the install he didn't even mention that VA had mockups for the units that might help with designing brackets and identifying mounting points. It was just, you bought a universal system and I can't help you. It really went from bad to worse when the tech guy told me that if I had a 57 Chevy he could help!

I talked to the sales guys this morning and ordered the gen II super mockup, a couple of fire wall headers and the "new" compressor bracket for the FE engines. They are not making the one I got back in 07 anymore. I think the new one will work better for me. The biggest challenge will be getting brackets for the Evaporator designed and fabricated and working out all of the hose and vent routing. I will be taking out most of what I already put in and starting over. I expect I will have to modify the defroster ducting more than I had expected. Does anyone have a plan for this or is it just seat of the pants as you go along? I was also wondering about the air intake for the evaporator; does this need a fresh air intake. Or would it work better with one? I don't like running my modern system in recirculate mode, so I would like to have the new system have a choice as well. I might be able to rig something up that uses the Right Air duct and cable that's in the 57 to turn on outside or inside air to the system; has anyone done this?

Thanks for your help;
Bob M.

[RICH MUISE]

I was told the Vintage air units do not have a provision for changing the cabin/or fresh air...It's just recirculating the cabin air.
Where I put my plenum 2" intakes were done before I got the mock up unit. They will work where they are at for the Gen IV, just would have been easier in a different location had I known where the Vintage Air defrost duct outlets were located..in the front on mine..but I don't know where they're at on the Gen II that you're using. Once you get your mock up unit you can easily hold it up there to see where your new intakes on the defrost plenum will be best located...weighs about 2 lbs...
You're mock up unit will come with some generic brackets..I found it easier to just make them from scratch. If they didn't tell you..when you are done with the mock up unit you can return it to them for a refund.Making mounting provisions for mine is as far as I've gotten on mine, so I won't be much help beyond that.  Rich

[wildhog]

Rich, You do not get a reward for being the first member to 1000 posts. Your reward is  that if you would have spent this much time on your car and not on this web site. Your car would be done and running. So your reward is all the gas money ,you are saving!!!!   Tom