New or old A/C

[dan juhasz]

My 67 GTX came with factory air. Current the heater and a/c both have issues. No hot water circulation through the heater shut valve and the previous owner suggested the a/c has a freon leak and may need a compressor. I'm worried if I start investing in the 50 year old hvac it will be one component failure after the next.
Do you feel it hurts the value of the car to store all the original and install a Vintage Air sure fit kit. Only thing I'm not crazy about their kit is it requires drilling 4 new holes in the firewall that is under the fender. The hard piping then goes along the frame and enters forward the shock tower through the alignment access plate.
What's your thoughts?

 

[Beekeeper]

you could rebuild the original ac components.

 

[dan juhasz]

you could rebuild the original ac components.

I could, but most 67 components àre tough to come by and or expensive to restore. I wonder if anything is good after 50 years, I'm concerned about opening pandoras box.

 

[RobP]

I went through the same thought process on my factory a/c car. My car only had the interior components installed when I bought it which made my decision a little easier. I went with the classic auto air system and only had to drill one small hole in the firewall. I installed it over the winter and I'm really glad I did. I can't answer the value part of your question, but I sure like knowing I have a brand new system.

 

[Beekeeper]

I could, but most 67 components àre tough to come by and or expensive to restore. I wonder if anything is good after 50 years, I'm concerned about opening pandoras box.

I see where your coming from but if you have all the original components they can be replaced
or rebuilt to like new again. comes down to how much money you want to put in it. We see original systems restored and they work fine. The mopar compressors from that era are some of the best made. If originality isn't important just go with the vintage air set up.

 

[dan juhasz]

I went through the same thought process on my factory a/c car. My car only had the interior components installed when I bought it which made my decision a little easier. I went with the classic auto air system and only had to drill one small hole in the firewall. I installed it over the winter and I'm really glad I did. I can't answer the value part of your question, but I sure like knowing I have a brand new system.

Classic for my car only makes a system if it was a no air car. If vintage designed their system to pass through the existing firewall openings I wouldn't hesitate. I just hate making holes.

 

[JimKueneman]

Rebuild it. The Chrysler AC compressor is easy to work on and bullet proof. Here is what I did. Note keep reading I struggled to understand the front seal and had to buy another one but finally figured it out. I can't recall what page it is on but it is later on in the build after I got it all together and started.

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...net-500-project.114333/page-17#post-910553124

Also in that build thread is the AC box restoration.

BTW I have to turn it off sometimes in Tucson 90 degree weather as I get too cold even with the R134A conversion.


EDIT: Here is how to aftermarket R134a front seal is installed. Note the photos are wrong read the bold text and follow that.

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...net-500-project.114333/page-39#post-910641729

 

[dieseldazzle]

Rebuild it. I've been down this road. Keep it Chrysler.

 

[snakeoil24]

I would use the original air box, replace guts with new coil for ac and heater. Update to a modern rotary compressor. Internally it will be new externally except the compressor will look original. The new rotary compressors use such a little bit of power it's almost a crime not to use new technology. If you need help I am local and can help you with rebuild process.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Definitely, definitely keep the original A/C system. They work great. They're simple. They're factory. The only expensive part is the compressor and you haven't even tested yours. You're worried about what some other guy is guessing at. A can of Freon with leak detector is about $20....worth the investment I'd say.

 

[Max440]

My 67 GTX came with factory air. Current the heater and a/c both have issues. No hot water circulation through the heater shut valve and the previous owner suggested the a/c has a freon leak and may need a compressor. I'm worried if I start investing in the 50 year old hvac it will be one component failure after the next.
Do you feel it hurts the value of the car to store all the original and install a Vintage Air sure fit kit. Only thing I'm not crazy about their kit is it requires drilling 4 new holes in the firewall that is under the fender. The hard piping then goes along the frame and enters forward the shock tower through the alignment access plate.
What's your thoughts?

I have the same car with factory air.. I just rebuilt my entire box. IT REALLY WAS NOT HARD JUST TAKES TIME to do the job. I put in a new heater core, evaporator, gasket and insulation kit, new H valve and 2 cans of spray paint. I have about $750 in it. It will work much better than aftermatket. Yes to use vintage air kit you drill 4 holes but also have allot of holes to weld shut . The hole the blower fits thru will need to get plugged up and welded and well as others. What led me to rebuilding it was I did not want weld up the firewall. I have to reinstall it back into the car yet but will soon
Most parts were found on ebay and or Classic auto air.

 

[dan juhasz]

I have the same car with factory air.. I just rebuilt my entire box. IT REALLY WAS NOT HARD JUST TAKES TIME to do the job. I put in a new heater core, evaporator, gasket and insulation kit, new H valve and 2 cans of spray paint. I have about $750 in it. It will work much better than aftermatket. Yes to use vintage air kit you drill 4 holes but also have allot of holes to weld shut . The hole the blower fits thru will need to get plugged up and welded and well as others. What led me to rebuilding it was I did not want weld up the firewall. I have to reinstall it back into the car yet but will soon
Most parts were found on ebay and or Classic auto air.

Hi, as I haven't taken the case out or apart yet you can answer a bunch of questions I have.
1. Is the case removable from under the dash without taking the dash out of the car?
2. Is the H valve an actual valve that is hooked up to a cable or is it mearly tubing to hook up both sides of the core?
3. Are both the heater core and evaporator readily available in the aftermarket?
Thanks so much
Dan

 

[JimKueneman]

Hi, as I haven't taken the case out or apart yet you can answer a bunch of questions I have.
1. Is the case removable from under the dash without taking the dash out of the car?
2. Is the H valve an actual valve that is hooked up to a cable or is it mearly tubing to hook up both sides of the core?
3. Are both the heater core and evaporator readily available in the aftermarket?
Thanks so much
Dan

1. I had the dash out so I am not sure. The service manual will tell you.
2. No there is another valve that diverts coolant mounted to the face of the heater core itself.
3. Yes but I would personally send the core to GlenRay radiator for re-core. $250 + shipping is more expensive (barely) but it is much better quality.

I had the Ranco temperature value rebuilt by Jim Tucker (http://www.heatercontrolvalve.com) and NOS H-valve from a guy in Wisconsin (ask Bob at GlenRay for his number). I just bead blasted my condenser and reused it as I could not see any signs of oil and I put it in a garbage can full of water and pressure tested it with my air compressor (the heater core bubbled like crazy!).

Classic Industries has the Detroit Muscle Technology seal/insulation kit plus the steel RV-2 gasket kit and the R134a front seal. I also bought a new dryer from Classic Industries. The hoses are original that I bead blasted. The mineral oil soaked into the old hose will keep the finer molecules of the R134a from seeping out to first order. I will have the hoses rebuild as I need to as they start to leak/fail.

 

[dan juhasz]

I have decided to undertake restoring the original system. I'm in the process of securing a service manual but in the meantime does anyone have a manual? Need some instruction on removing the case from the car.

 

[JimKueneman]

I have decided to undertake restoring the original system. I'm in the process of securing a service manual but in the meantime does anyone have a manual? Need some instruction on removing the case from the car.

Try
www.mymopar.com

 

[YY1]

Agree the factory RV-2 system is super dependable and relatively easily serviced.

Those Airtemp/Fedders systems literally coined the term "ice cold a/c".

You do have a point about the 67 system specifically having some oddball parts, though.

 

[MarPar]

 

[dan juhasz]

Mothers day duties all finished, lawn cut ready to put the gtx in the driveway to get the hvac case out and it starts raining :-(, keep chewing the popcorn I'll keep you informed.

 

[MarPar]

Mothers day duties all finished, lawn cut ready to put the gtx in the driveway to get the hvac case out and it starts raining :-(, keep chewing the popcorn I'll keep you informed.

aw that sucks. thank you, Dan. I will be watching intently as I am diving into my Newport's RV-2 soon...

 

[dan juhasz]

Had a window in the weather and I found out you can indeed get the case out from under the dash. I already had the radio and Clock out for repair, console had to be slide back also. No wonder these cars weight 3700 lbs, that case has to be 40 or 50 lbs by itself. The heat control valve is frozen, several nipple are broken off the vacuum switch, also on that switch ,I believe the ones that supply current to the compressor clutch look burnt. I'm assuming when I take the case apart I'll find the H valve frozen also. Hopefully the vacuum actuators aren't bad.