[sherr20]

Well, I test fit my underdash evap/heater unit today and actually bolted it in, now I will finish my firewall smoothing and I have all my brackets bent and made.In the first pic I held the unit up with wood while I leveled and started bolting in. It was not as easy as the instructions say. I have made some new brackets of my own, theirs dont seem sturdy enough. Heres the pics so far...sorry for the bandwith challenged..
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0WwAAAIIcei8t97M*nOQpoEZMcfiMcGged1JxGtkObOk9tEZ8g I3qCgMObInMxauEy9uk8*lZHyW8ny2ImbpMFKKEl!5U5kSSNIE 7kRvziL!iT6veloeg0R!xfjPBf9mSZkSq6xok*SU/vintage%20air%20016.jpg?dc=4675444874533777670[/img]
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0WwDKAoUcTzAt97M*nOQpoEZMcfiMcGge3pyA6HkluIXPm!c6x 5vDNN9CJI6hKaa*r19464HdRuixWqCH7QY54IAkr*IUDm8FxXb cOB26BfA6RDOrGF0W33aSZtRh*ccSgtE4ftbPN8I/vintage%20air%20019.jpg?dc=4675444874539070024[/img]
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0WwBNGH0cGC4t97M*nOQpoEZMcfiMcGgeN5Yh8famr5jj26Tab Zb2N10BqR4AW8mRs8eBp7Bkwqm8IJ6Dz5GJBicvZa!EVIelzm9 *tYFn0L1ZRf2TydhLwhJnhdRc0xToFS8vGcKPjwY/vintage%20air%20020.jpg?dc=4675444874541779035[/img]
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0WwDWAn8cpi4t97M*nOQpoEZMcfiMcGgeMSheYAe7QapK2N1*P 1IVW8KRKgob3WVKv*thyE5jdmqp6qjXyo13I8RBHhS130HqsNh wVpHspegaxuJ5hqNGK!h89cZDrxHMoikoemroh6E/vintage%20air%20022.jpg?dc=4675444874547271821[/img]
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0WwAAAIAc7S4t97M*nOQpoEZMcfiMcGge3Hrygt8jJhYj1fKnb T4kOHMG8DhAvFekuOcbDKBRb7BsbLzHIJmzHDFas1HrEu7n9Qc V0Bmwhm82pNXyhcXpX6ica20DQ3C4khx**3UG8Jc/vintage%20air%20023.jpg?dc=4675444874549509976[/img]
[img]http://www.msnusers.com/_Secure/0WwCz*4Icey8t97M*nOQpoEZMcfiMcGgeehA6HZK!4G48qt19t e5S9cCImuyJGlbiSwn2wKN69dRC1ZPvQqfF*72!qNZkKsrAn2r aq5LkYKO*BDKzW1apYrEG6GNnIOYPKn5Jn!Blc6s/vintage%20air%20025.jpg?dc=4675444874551869027[/img]
Hope these help some people figure out some of the install, the key to getting it in is getting the jack bolt through the firewall cover, that was hard for me because I welded a plate in where VA plastic piece goes so I had to mess with it alot.
Jerry

[choptop]

Looks good Jerry! You will likely be done before I will due to the floor pan repairs! Did you route the hoses yet? I'm thinking to reach the fittings you may have to drop the unit or connect the hoses first and route them from the inside.

[sherr20]

No hoses routed yet, I am in the process of making the holes for them, and yes I think the hoses will have to be put on first then the unit bolted up in plcae. I have so much going on It will be another month atleast, new engine, suspension, I have stripped the subframe, control arms, inner fenders and shot them all with POR-15 and Chassis Black. I will be shooting the firewall this weekend, it looks great being smooth with no holes or seams where the old AC was. I'll keep you posted.
Jerry

[Tire Smoke 69]

Nice job getting it in there. I just finished installing mine and running duct work and hooking up the control cables. I mounted my hoses by dropping the unit down and screwing them on to the evaporator. I will be able to put the heater hoses on with the unit installed in place.

It really takes some planning and trial and error to get the ducts and cables run so they will work. Hooking up the cables to the control panel and then mounting the control panel in place was a real "challenge" for me. The instructions so far are not very good. Pictures would be worth a thousand words and many hours saved. I still have to finish from the firewall forward and still have to finish my motor and install it.

Man...I hope the darn thing works

Dan.

[choptop]

Dan, I agree completely about the Vintage Air instructions not being very good. I am very suprised at how vague some of the installation procedures are. I'm also learning, as with all aftermarket stuff, there is substantial tweaking and modification involved with the install. You'd think that with this being a 1st Gen specific kit that the parts would bolt up properly. Not!

Maybe we should rewrite their installation intructions and submit it to Vintage?

[Tire Smoke 69]

Yes, it is a real challange but it can be done. I think they did a good job naming the system "Sure Fit" because I sure had several fits along the way! [img]graemlins/clonk.gif[/img]

But... if it were easy anybody could do it! I'm just looking forward to the time I can flip that sucker on and drive in comfort.

Dan.

[DRJDVM]

Yeah my install was a PITA too...... mine is a '69 and in my opinion, the way the hoses come off the evap and are expected to exit the firewall is ridiculous.... why not just have the connectors point forward so the hose is a straight shot through the firewall to the evap ????

One thing I didnt think about until about a month ago......

With the evap in place, you cant get the kick panel installed on the pass side !!!!!! There isnt enough room to get the vent into the hole in the body......

Luckily I havent fully connected and filled mine yet, so when the time comes, I'm hoping I can just remove the brackets and swing the evap over towards the driver side and get the kick panel installed....

[quikchevy]

Thats the thing about the Classic auto air setup we are selling now. The unit has a bulkhaed with 4 connections instead of having the hook the hoses up first and try to get it all thru the firewall. I installed a vintage air a long time ago and I couldnt believe the bind it puts on the hoses once its all installed, I figured they would break for sure. I have started a thread over in Bench racing if you guys are curious about the systems im selling. They also use 6 diffrent units so they are more car specific. Vintage air only uses one. So its not REALLY a surefit system...U do have to modify ALOT!! Check it out. We are selling them for less than most vintage air systems and there are over a dozen improvements over Vintage!

MAtt

[Tire Smoke 69]

When I started to install mine I could see right away that it was going to be difficult, so I just kind of "tacked" everything together so I could remove stuff as problems came up. As I was struggling through it I had to keep reminding myself that I was smarter than the parts I'm trying to install. Anyway, It can be done and I'm sure it will work beautifully when its finished.

Dan.

[Tire Smoke 69]

But wait... there's more. I got to thinking about the installation difficulties and I can't say it is all Vintage Airs fault that its a hard project. Yes, the instructions could be better and it would be nice if it was easier to hook up the hoses, BUT no matter what brand of air you use you still have to rip your car apart and lay on your back and mount evaporaters and run wire and control cables and duct work in very tight places and that is just the way it is if you want air in your car.

Easy for me to say now 'cause I'm done with the hard part.

Dan.

[sherr20]

Actually, while it was tough to get it in square, it is going easy, do to I already have my car stripped from under the dash and the firewall foreward. I dont know what is in store for me as far as hoses and cables but I think it will all come out ok.