How is '68 factory chrome Center Air Vent installed ?

1277 Views 9 Replies 6 Participants Last post by ggkeller, Mar 22, 2005

ggkeller

Discussion Starter · Mar 2, 2005

I am installing a Vintage Air system, but I have purchased the repro factory chrome center air vent for it. All you get is the chrome housing and chrome roller vent. The roller does not stay in the housing. Others have said felt pads are used to hold it together. Can anyone explain exactly how this works? Do you cut felt with a hole in it and glue it to housing sides and have the roller spin in the holes in the felt? Will that hold it in? Do you put any felt or anything horizontally on the housing above and/or below the roller to seal it and/or help hold it from spinning by itself? Any help here would be appreciated. I don't see any install kits from restoration parts suppliers, does anyone know of such a kit? Also, it looks like I also need a duct for it. Does anyone have a source for a duct, or am I going to have to make one out of something??
Thanks.

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gene_sc

· #2 · Mar 2, 2005

On my buddies 68 car with vint air I used the stock center duct and modified it to fit the Vintage kit that way the dash looks correct. An a/c seal kit repo should have felt seals for the center duct ... felt goes top and bottom and there is a bushing(i think) for the side pivots

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sicsD8

· #3 · Mar 2, 2005

If you can't find the bushings, you could get by with a short piece of clear rubber tubing slid over the nubs on the vent piece. It will then hold in place in the housing.

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CJ

· #4 · Mar 2, 2005

There are two triangle shape pieces of rubber that get sandwiched between the duct and the vent.

Cris

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ggkeller

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 3, 2005

Chris,
Thanks for the information. Can you describe how big the rubber pieces are and where they sandwich. Are thy small 1/4 inch and jam into the slot the roller goes in and just keep the roller from being able to come back out? Or are they larger, like 1 inch and press the ends of the roller against the housing with a hole in them so the fit over the ends of the roller? Also, do any of the restoration parts suppliers sell these? I got the Vintage Air parts out tonight and looked at them. *I also don't have the duct that goes behind vent.) But it looks like with the use of sealer foam strips, I can probably mate their duct up with it, without too much trouble. Has anyone done that?
Thanks,
Gregg

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ORENCH

· #6 · Mar 3, 2005

When I instaled a/c to my 68, Ricks sold me a good used center vent duct. You'll need that to instal the chromed center vent piece.

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CJ

· #7 · Mar 4, 2005

ggkeller- I suggest finding the duct that the vent attaches to. It'll make your life alot easier. The rubber pieces that sandwich between the duct and the vent pivot is fairly small and triangle shape.

Cris

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ggkeller

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 19, 2005

Update. I purchased a used center duct and I agree with CJ above. The chrome vent really needs to mount against a duct behind it. I made some small rubber wedges out of a 3M rubber applicator used to apply spot putty. I think I'll glue them in to try insure they don't work their way out. I'm not sure about the felt pads people refer too. I thought I would cut a couple of pieces of felt with a hole in the center to try and put on the ends of the roller to see if that helps hold the roller from moving on its own once you rotate it into the position you want. The rubber pieces seem to serve that purpose but they may loosen over time.

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Rons68

· #9 · Mar 22, 2005

I'll be dealing with this very soon; how much did you guys have to pay for a used center duct ? Is this a hard to find part ? Thanks, Ron.

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ggkeller

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 22, 2005

I paid $50 from D&R Camaro. They had a used one.

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