Alright, this post will get us pretty much up to speed as the truck sits. Last weekend, I started the install of the Gen 5 Vintage Air unit. I was faced with the dilemma of rebuilding the factory system or going aftermarket. I decided to go with the newer unit which is a bit more straightforward (I think) than the older system with all of the vacuum operated diaphragms and cables. With the new Gen 5, Vintage Air doesn't supply the cable conversion kit to use with the stock A/C controls. Maintaining that stock look is fairly important to me, as I like the look of the factory controls more than any other available pieces. They supply their own control panel with the Gen 5 as they have said they have clearance issues with the converted controls. I could've have tried to find a nos Gen 4 system that supposedly is more friendly with the converted controls, but I like a good challenge. They were able to substitute the cable converters in lieu of the VA control panel. More to come on the controls later, still a work in progress.
Everyone by now is familiar with the flat panels that come with aftermarket A/C units, that help "clean up" the firewall and facilitate the hose routing, whether they've done it to their own truck or have seen them at car shows. I'm going to be attempting something a little different, that I've only seen on a few other builds. I want to retain the original "suitcase" housing, if for no other reason than to maintain a little originality. I really do like the trucks with nice shaved firewalls and the foresight to fill all the unused firewall opens and unused screw holes. I however did not have the time to do so with the timeline I was working with last fall. To add to that, that was never my plan anyways. The idea will be to at first glance appear to a factory appearing system, but in reality, it will be a hollow hose chase and a place for the VA heater valve. Being in the middle of winter here, it is also basically impossible to tool up to prime, base coat, and clear coat one part.
I started by lining up the factory holes that both pieces did share and drilled the remainder from the factory box through the VA plate, I trimmed any outlying material from the plate to match the factory box shape. Once that was done, I siliconed the back of the plate as directed by VA as if it was being installed per instructions and bolted it to the truck overnight along with the factory box to help clamp it into place. The next day I was able to remove the factory box and continue working on the system. Some new sealing foam on the factory suitcase and a new blower motor seal and I was able to finalize the left portion of the box that you see here. A few rivnuts here and there are required as well. The VA wiring grommet luckily ends up between the evaporator core and the blower motor compartment and was easy to feed wires through. Since the right half of the suitcase just bolts together, it will be able to act as an easy access to the hose connections and heater valve. I still have to make some sort of plug to block the air passage from the cowl into the suitcase. A dummy blower motor will be installed as well.
