Vintage Air Gen 4 AC Worth Doing?

[bronconut73]

Bronconut Is yours a full cab or a Half Cab. Mine being a Half Cab & With all the coatings & insulationI have in mine. I THINK mine should stay cool if I used the Big .. Compressor . & I'M NOT SURE if a guy can get a big condensors added in front of the radiator.
........
... But I'm not above giving mine a try If I can find the dash & under behind dash parts .

Full cab,

My BC condenser is A good bit longer/taller than the core support. It is a few inches narrower than the opening in the core support for the radiator. Maybe wider would help. Can't go any thicker if it stays in the suggested location. It fills that gap beyween the radiator and core support but the condenser could be moved to the other side of the core support.

But Pa I feel like the unit could cool the hell out of a half cab.

.

 

[blubuckaroo]

I took a week off from work to do my BC/VA a/c unit.

I let it take the whole week....it was July and I am in Orlando and well....its hot in that damn garage, lol.

Would I do it again.
Yes.
Give yourself plenty of time and take on one section at a time. Very very DIY.

Is it worth it?

Mine will freeze you out if its not above 90 out.
At that point it is only just comfortable and really begins to struggle at say 97.

Having said that, I have absolutely no insulation.
None. Nada. None on the roof, no head liner, no carpet, no floor insulation, nothing soooo....considering that,....I think it works pretty good. Insulation is coming next year.
Doing some other stuff to the eb right now.

But yes, its worth it.

But have you gone through a winter with that VA unit?
Believe me, you're gonna miss your old Ford defrost.

 

[bronconut73]

But have you gone through a winter with that VA unit?
Believe me, you're gonna miss your old Ford defrost.

Many, many winters,

a mixture of lower vent and window vent with careful adjustment of the temp will keep the windshield clear.

It took me awhile to get the adjustments right. Every season is a little different.

But here in central Florida we really only have two seasons, Summer, and a slightly less hot summer that the rest of you call winter, lol.

We are wet so defrost is important and mine works pretty good.

 

[tedhas7]

I have a 77. Put in the latest vintage air system about 4 years ago. Works fine. Floor and top are insulated. At the time, vintage only had the underdash units, so the knee caps can get a little cold but it keeps the bronco cool here in Alabama. Today it was 95 and it was plenty cool. One thing that helps in having your windows tinted with the tint that blocks the UV. Mine worked fine but could tell a difference after tinted windows.

 

[Pa PITT]

Wonder if we can get a few more thoughts on this subject.
Even anyone who has pieced their together with Used parts.

 

[72Sport]

One thing that helps in having your windows tinted with the tint that blocks the UV. Mine worked fine but could tell a difference after tinted windows.

My glass shop recommended some solar glass used in buildings for the hard top. It is reflective on the outside and has a slight brown tint. You can't see inside unless there is something bright shining on the opposite side of the top. Makes a lot of difference in cooling. The big difference I noticed was insulating the hardtop under the stock headliner. Without the insulation it felt like I had a heat lamp shining on the top of my head.

I have had complaints about plumbing freezing up when the navigator is wearing shorts.

 

[DirtDonk]

Interesting experience with that. My '71's hard top (original with the truck) was the same hot box tin can in the sun thing. I insulated it with some of that blue Ensolite camping foam glued to it and it made a pretty big difference.
Fast forward thirty five years and the hard top on my '68 (not original) is nothing, if not cool to the touch on the hottest days. It's very strange and I noted it almost immediately the first hot days I was driving around in the Bronco.

I get a ton of heat through the floor, just like normal for EB's. But I kept wondering at the lack of shake-n-bake on the top of my head. So on a couple of 100° full sun days I would put my hand directly on the top while driving and parked. I shouldn't say it was "cool" so much as it wasn't hot like I would expect.

The only visual difference is the paint on my '71 was always rather dull, even after a good polish. Whereas the paint on the new one is super glossy, but checked and cracked over most of it's surface. Leading me to believe it's the original paint.

No idea what's up with that, and I'm certainly not going to complain. Still gonna insulate the top too (when I get around to it) but for now can enjoy the fact that the A/C does not have to work as hard as it would in my other Bronco.

Original "ceramic coat" paint maybe?%)
Now that there's a good service to offer. Get 'yer Bronco painted and we'll send the top off to JetHot for some insulation!
Or just Lizard Skin it if you don't want that $5000 top paint.

Paul

 

[surfer-b]

One thing that helps in having your windows tinted with the tint that blocks the UV. Mine worked fine but could tell a difference after tinted windows.

Agree, The 2 best things you can do to a Bronco as far as keeping it comfy inside is insulate the floors and top and tint the windows. I had Kevin at 2A auto glass tint my windows, he is a member on here, he recommended the Ceramic tint, it made a big difference, and the ceramic works better than the regular tint. I can park my 74 with no tint and the 76 with the Ceramic outside in the sun, get in both and feel the difference immediately, also the 74 will heat up much faster than the 76.
I also insulated the exterior firewall and the tranny tunnel with a reflective type sound deadening/insulator on my 76 when I did my motor/tranny swap, this also made a big diff, it kept the metal from getting heat soaked. The 76 is really nice to ride in now even without AC, the only time I wish I really had it was when it rains in summer or sitting in traffic.

 

[Boss Hugg]

I’m gonna have a hard time with tinting windows...

I spent some time this week looking for seat cushions that would allow air flow so I can run some perforated ducting thru them from and ac unit. Just need to buy some material and try it on some spare seats I’ve got.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JaxLax]

Wonder if we can get a few more thoughts on this subject.
Even anyone who has pieced their together with Used parts.

Sup.
ARA A/C Rebuild.
I did my own rebuild of a dealer installed version.
It works well enough for me to be comfortable in August in FL.

 

[Nuke]

I've been following this thread b/c I was interested in the answer to the OP's question about AC performance without a top. I haven't seen any response to that.

 

[DirtDonk]

Good point. Thanks for bringing it back around.
I'd have to say noticeable, but minimal effect.

I'm a fan of A/C even in convertibles, and have had some good luck there. But the performance of the Bronco A/C units that I'm experienced with (just a couple, including my own now) I would have to say that while it would certainly still feel good to have some cool air blowing around your knees and face, it's not going to make all the difference in the world.
It might save a life however, so there's that.

The semi-wimpy A/C in a '66 Corvette worked amazingly well with the top down. Made all the difference on the hot summer days cruising around. You still knew it was hot out, but you really could feel the well of cool air floating around you.
In a Bronco with the top off, you might get a few whiffs of that cool air now and then as it gets blown out of the passenger compartment and into the great outdoors.%)

That's with my experiences. If the others here using them have used some that blow a lot of cold air, your results may vary.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

I should add though, that having the top off with the A/C is another HUGE argument in favor of insulating the crap out of the floor, cowl and firewall areas.
Not having that constant barrier of heat rising up and fighting with the A/C attempting to keep that same area cool enough for you to feel it would be all the difference I would think.
Same goes for insulating the doors too when it comes right down to it. But the tub (cowl, firewall and floors, wheel wells, back floor and sides) is really going to save the day.

Paul

 

[hyghlndr]

Pretty worthless without at top.

 

[Pa PITT]

...
OK Guys any more thoughts. I too think try anything you have for insulation . My Bronco has everything I could think of to put down for Insulation .. As I said .. Spray bed liner on the floors 1st . Then 3M SPRAY CAN INSULATION. then even bubble pack under the seat. THen any thing else you think might stop dust or noise. I used the 3M spray undercoating to stick the insulations down. Or between insulations coats.
............
... MAybe since I live in the country I WANTED TO stop the dust .So I felt the undercoating seals off the DUST.
...... I'D LIKE TO TRY A Unit that would bolt under the dash. But my NP435 SHIFTER Won't let me use the old ARA UNDER DASH UNIT.
But I think My Bronco will cool If I can add a compressor & a Big condenser across the radiator.

 

[72Sport]

I purchased my insulation from a local shop that supplies material to the local auto upholstery shops.

I got a samples from several places. I only wanted to insulate my Bronco once. I got a sample of each insulation placed it between the heating element of my coffee maker. Filled the pot with cold water. Put a thermocouple in the water and timed how long it took to get the water to (140f??). The longest time was the sample from the upholstery supply shop. The insulation looked like a blanked of loose fibers about 3/8 of an inch thick with foil on one side. I did this sixteen years ago so I don't have any info on it. I put it most everywhere on the interior of the Bronco.

 

[DirtDonk]

Might have been a product called "Quality Heat Shield" out of southern CA (Riverside area maybe?) and it's nifty stuff..
I've got a couple of rolls of it. Interestingly enough, they told me when I was there that the version with the double layers of foil (one on each side) was for more sound deadening, rather than heat rejection. Seemed counter-intuitive, but hey, they were the experts.

Haven't checked to see if they're still around, but they'd been doing it for awhile already and a very well known upholstery shop just down the street had been using it with good results too.
If I can remember the name of the upholstery shop, I bet many of you have heard of them too. Seen them featured on several car shows over the years, but have not heard from them lately.
Anyway, good stuff. Could be the same stuff (or similar) to what you're using.

Paul

 

[Uncut1970]

We are in the final stages of the VA Perfect Fit Gen 4 system

First my negatives:

The motor and housing are made out of more plastic than you’d expect for something that is nearly $2000 on the shelf

The vents and housings are made out of the cheapest plastic they could source

The stock defrost ducts need to be used but modified for your ashtray to function

The instructions are all over the place

The instructions for mounting the condenser are all screwed up. Unless my Bronco has an aftermarket core support (which it doesn’t); there is no way their instructions are correct.

Better buy an A/C hose fitting crimping tool or a buddy close by with one; otherwise your project will constantly stall

It would be nice if the compressor mount could go on the passenger side of engine

Need to obtain a 3 groove crank pulley

The passenger side return fitting comes through the core support and hits the edge of the radiator where there is a 90* elbow

I have no clue how you could do this install without pulling the dash. The instructions show doing the install with the dash in place and I kept thinking to myself; there is no freakin way...


All of that to say... some positives

Once installed, it fits nicely under dash

It’s fairly “easy” to install; just time consuming as hell

My kit came with all the necessary parts you will need

I have called their customer service twice and was pleasantly surprised with the helpful responses I received




Still have yet to fire everything up, so stay tuned!

 

[bronconut73]

I struggled similarly with the BC version.

Back then I think Jason was still not around the shop much so he gave me his mobile number to reach him when I ran into a problem.

I hear folks complain about BC's customer service, but I have spoken to Jason and Chuck on a Sunday afternoon with tech questions.
Roxanne is always super helpful. I haven't bought too much from them in the last decade simply because I am getting close to having moved beyond what they sell.

Installing A/C in an eb ain't no f'n joke.
Kudos to you for getting it knocked out. You have increased the comfort and especially the value of your eb.

 

[72Sport]

I should add though, that having the top off with the A/C is another HUGE argument in favor of insulating the crap out of the floor, cowl and firewall areas.
Not having that constant barrier of heat rising up and fighting with the A/C attempting to keep that same area cool enough for you to feel it would be all the difference I would think.
Same goes for insulating the doors too when it comes right down to it. But the tub (cowl, firewall and floors, wheel wells, back floor and sides) is really going to save the day.

Paul

Insulating the floors and not running a top sounds like a bad idea. Wet insulation from a summer thunder storm and a little bit of salt in the air suggests to me that you won't have a floor for very long. Same goes for the doors if you use any insulation that can absorb water. I did use sound mat in my doors.