Hello,

I recently read on here about the Vintage air systems and called a local vendor to get a quote on an install on my 68. He estimated roughly 1400 for the unit and about 40 hours labor which would run probably about 3500. Does this sound right to you? For that much it seems like I could get my car completely rewired and/or rebuild the original engine that came wiht the car...

I just want to make sure this sounds reasonable.

I was blown away when I got a price from a shop to put vintage air on my '69.
It was right around the same price as you stated. I agree it's a lot of work to do one. But really makes you think how bad you need AC for the cost of the labor.
-

Living in the state of Washington shouldn't require AC a whole lot, right?

I was blown away when I got a price from a shop to put vintage air on my '69.
It was right around the same price as you stated. I agree it's a lot of work to do one. But really makes you think how bad you need AC for the cost of the labor.
-

Price quote might include a small mark up, but that's not really over the top. A buddy of mine got one for his '73 Vette a couple of years back and I think he spent about $1200 on the unit and parts right from Vintage Air. He installed the unit himself so he saved $$ there. He basically replace the factory air that wasn't working with the Vintage air setup. He said that is one of the easier things he had to do on his restoration. His analogy was ... If you are mechanically inclined, it's not so too bad to do. If you can replace your raditor ... and know how fix and a gage in your dash .... You should be able to do it. It's certianly easier if the car is already apart.

For the record, he loves it.

I had never installed an AC system before, and I put one in my 69 camaro. I got confused a few times. It was an older sure fit system, & the instructions are poor. (hand drawn, black & white pictures) All went well & I made some changes to a few things that I did not care for the design. It wasnt that bad, but did take some time. If you have any mechanical skills at all, you most likely can do it yourself. I just got a gen IV kit for my current build from BelAir Bob's ebay auction & had a paypal coupon as well. Shop around, you can get one for less than 1400. Scott

Frank at Prodigy Customs has told me he has taken a novice. Told him to read the instructions through twice. Then gave them 20 hrs to get it done. I am presently waiting for my VA GenIV system to come in. It's getting a little late to install it now. so I will probably wait and install it this fall along with doing the body and paint.

Living in the state of Washington shouldn't require AC a whole lot, right?


No you are right, but I am thinking the whole Heat/AC system. When I got the car the heater was in the trunk. I am just starting out so I am trying to just get a handle on what needs to be done.

I had never installed an AC system before, and I put one in my 69 camaro. I got confused a few times. It was an older sure fit system, & the instructions are poor. (hand drawn, black & white pictures) All went well & I made some changes to a few things that I did not care for the design. It wasnt that bad, but did take some time. If you have any mechanical skills at all, you most likely can do it yourself. I just got a gen IV kit for my current build from BelAir Bob's ebay auction & had a paypal coupon as well. Shop around, you can get one for less than 1400. Scott


Thanks for the info. I am a big believer in doings things myself and learn very fast, but something like this I would probably need help with. My stepdad is an amazing mechanic so maybe I can bribe him with a few steaks :)

Do it yourself. It is time consuming but it is as far from rocket science as you can get. It took me less than 20 hours to install but the engine and trans were out of the car at the same time so it went a little quicker. No hood and all I had to do was loosen fender bolts in the firewall and on top of the cowl, remove the inner fender bolts and rotate the heater cover and fan out.

The system is $1299 and the installation is 20 hours with a 4 hour over run allowance if the inner fender removal gives us a lot of trouble. So you maximum hors here is 24 hours.

As tgifford mantioned, i did a 20 hour challenge with a new young guy straight out of school, and made him read the instructions a couple timers BEFORE he even opened the box. This makes it easy to remember this paragraph later when you are doing a particular procedure.

Long story short, this kid (not the sharpest knife in the drawer) did it. Believe me, if this kid could do it, anyone can, LOL! We did not have any problems out of the system, but that kid is no longer here!

X4 on doing it yourself. Installed the Classic Auto Air system into my 70 Corvette. Very tight fit, but instructions were easy to follow and I was able to do everything myself except the freon purge/fill. I cant imagine spending $3500.00 on a job I could do with a little time and patience. Installed the entire system in 1 weekend totally devoted to just doing that project. AC is a must have for those hot cruise's. Keep focusing on that and you'll get through it.

I had vintage air in my 67 - cant remember what I paid - but it was way less than your quote. They claim someone with average skills can do the install - get some more quotes.

Frank, do they make a R-12 kit for a 67 that did not come with factory air? I want the R-12 system, but have only been able to find it for a factory air car. I have the license which allows me to purchase R-12 freon and I have access to the pump required to evac the system.

One other thing. Since my car didn't come with A/C, my vent/heat selector doesn't have the A/C selection. They system is designed to use your original controls, but I want the controls to look like it has A/C, so can I buy a new control panel meant for a car with A/C and then use a kit made for factory A/C or would I still have to use a non A/C car? Thanks.

Thanks again for all the information guys, I think I have enough resources from what you guys are saying around me to do this myself when I can afford the unit. Going forward, I want to be able to do everything myself and I am not going to learn if I pay someone else to do it.

I agree on doing this yourself after you have read the directions 3 times, laid out all part and above all, find out what other work you wish to do in this area such as new fire wall pad , under dash wiring , right duct vent work, etc. or additional firewall insulation.

You might want to look at how much better you can run hoses as the kit I got , long ago, had hoses running in odd angles when simple elbow fittings could be used.

This also applies to heater hoses. I did not use regular heater hose but found at parts stores, heater hoses that had the molded 90° bend in them, thus makeing a neater look.

You might look at running the longer suc & discharge hoses low along the cross member if you compressor is on the driver side. A compressor on the pass side makes a clean set up too.

Hope this helps.

wow..... glad i did mine!!!

The units are not hard to do, but a guy can tie up 3 days doing it. 8 hours a day/ 3 days.

The $3500 quoted -$1400 for the unit ($1300 + shipping maybe misc item like belts, pulleys) leaves $2100 labor, at 40 hours is $52.5 an hour, cheap shop rate. $2100 labor ÷ 24 hr = $87.50 an hour, about what many shops charge.

I had never installed an AC system before, and I put one in my 69 camaro. I got confused a few times. It was an older sure fit system, & the instructions are poor. (hand drawn, black & white pictures) All went well & I made some changes to a few things that I did not care for the design. It wasnt that bad, but did take some time. If you have any mechanical skills at all, you most likely can do it yourself. I just got a gen IV kit for my current build from BelAir Bob's ebay auction & had a paypal coupon as well. Shop around, you can get one for less than 1400. Scott

Sounds almost identical to my experience. You say you made changes...was one of them the vents? I thought the Sure Fit ones were very cheap-looking.

I have installed most of my GenIV kit myself for my 69. I had to have help on the underdash section but the rest has been easy. I agree with the others, read the instructions and look at the individual parts before you begin. I am installing a new wiring harness at the same time so I am wiring my AC different than the VA instructions call for, mostly to aid in hiding the wires.


Good luck

Dan 69 Lemans Blue 454 PS PDB AC :beers:

I just got into my first VA install, Surefit on a 67 Nova. Some of the stuff doesn't fit very well, and condenser mounting instructions were just flat wrong (wasn't too difficult to figure out how it was supposed to go). The mods needed weren't anything too major, just more of an annoyance.

I think the quote is probably not that bad but I wouldn't pay $1400 dollars to install this. It's just not that complicated or difficult. I think it can be done in a day. Restoring a car requires a little mechanical appititude or you got to suck it up and pay the dollars. They have instructions. Just follow them. I think you can learn this for $1400 dollars. Once installed, bring it to the guy who quoted $1400 and ask him to evac and charge it.

X2, but I think a weekend would be a good estimate on the time it would take to do the install without having to hurry.

I did a blog of my GEN4 install, and took lots of pics:

blog: http://www.blown.net/cars/camaro68/ac/va_install_blog.html

pic: http://www.blown.net/cars/camaro68/ac/

I did a blog of my GEN4 install, and took lots of pics:

blog: http://www.blown.net/cars/camaro68/ac/va_install_blog.html

pic: http://www.blown.net/cars/camaro68/ac/

awesome job! :beers:

I did a blog of my GEN4 install, and took lots of pics:

blog: http://www.blown.net/cars/camaro68/ac/va_install_blog.html

pic: http://www.blown.net/cars/camaro68/ac/


Wow great resource! thanks so much!

I just got into my first VA install, Surefit on a 67 Nova. Some of the stuff doesn't fit very well, and condenser mounting instructions were just flat wrong (wasn't too difficult to figure out how it was supposed to go). The mods needed weren't anything too major, just more of an annoyance.
Just installed one in my 66 Nova wagon and i know where you are coming from with the Condensor.I used a cutoff wheel to notch the radiator support for the 2 condensor line and it went easy from there.
Did you use their compressor bracket and where did this place your lines(up or to the side) coming out of compressor?Do you have some pics of install?