Vintage Air installation in a 1968 Satellite

[1 Wild R/T]

The circuit breaker resets automatically....

 

[mopar jack]

The circuit breaker needs to be located at the battery to protect the wires if there is a short.

 

[mopar jack]

If you don't want to relocate the circuit breaker I would recommend a fusible link at the power source.

 

[Kern Dog]

The circuit breaker needs to be located at the battery to protect the wires if there is a short.

The circuit breaker is closer to the interior end of the wiring than the battery end. It could not be installed near the battery without cutting the wires or hogging a 1 1/4" hole in the firewall and using a huge grommet.
The Classic Auto Air setup wasn't like this.

 

[mopar jack]

pull back the rubber cover on the circuit breaker and disconnect the wires. The connectors are small but you could cut them off run the wire and crimp on new ones.

 

[mopar jack]

The Classic Auto Air setup wasn't like this.

Classic Auto Air sources power from a 20 amp circuit so it is protected. Vintage sources from the battery.

 

[Kern Dog]

I even ran mine through relays and an auxiliary fuse panel.
Thanks.

 

[Kern Dog]

Under hood wiring is done, battery is back in.

Backing up a bit…

The battery hold down cross bar is held down by two J bolts. The one on the engine side is easy. The one to the fender apron is shorter but now I have the #8 hard line taking up some space. This battery seems slightly wider than others. It has a sleeve around it too. I slipped a rubber vacuum hose over the J bolt that attaches to the fender.

It is tight.

I put a slight zig zag in the bolt.

I couldn’t risk the J bolt sawing through the hard line after vibration.

 

[Kern Dog]

This project has been very fluid.
The original idea was to use the firewall reinforcement plate that Vintage Air supplied. I planned to paint it body color to blend in.
Dwayne later thought it would be okay to leave it off and just block off the unused holes in the firewall.

There are several of them.
Dwayne changed his mind and wants to go with the original plan.

Clean then Scuff…

Two coats of primer.

Three coats of color and a mist coat to blend the metallic a bit.

 

[Kern Dog]

Dwayne didn’t like the design or functionality of the control panel that VA usually includes in the 1968 B body kit. He heard of reliability issues so he went another way.
This is a nice looking unit.

I looked on the Vintage Air site last night. This looks like one they offer as replacement for a Ford truck from the 60s. It isn’t cheap…todays cost is around $250.
Since it is meant as an OEM fit for something with a flat dash panel:

The back facing screws look like they tighten against the back side of something.
I have to figure some way to mount this. I mentioned this issue a month or more ago. Since then, I’ve had zero ideas on what to use. Dwayne wats it on the lower section of the dash near his right knee. For that I’d need some type of 90 degree bracket.
I am OPEN to suggestions here.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

How about integrating it into the switch panel?

 

[Kern Dog]

The circuit board is so wide, to fit it in there will block view of the radio.
He intends to put two gauges in the radio hole but the control panel would block the top half of them too.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I don't know why you aren't using the panel VA supplies.... Easy, clean, & they work

 

[58belvedere]

Dwayne didn’t like the design or functionality of the control panel that VA usually includes in the 1968 B body kit. He heard of reliability issues so he went another way.
This is a nice looking unit.

View attachment 1623648

I looked on the Vintage Air site last night. This looks like one they offer as replacement for a Ford truck from the 60s. It isn’t cheap…todays cost is around $250.
Since it is meant as an OEM fit for something with a flat dash panel:

View attachment 1623649

The back facing screws look like they tighten against the back side of something.
I have to figure some way to mount this. I mentioned this issue a month or more ago. Since then, I’ve had zero ideas on what to use. Dwayne wats it on the lower section of the dash near his right knee. For that I’d need some type of 90 degree bracket.
I am OPEN to suggestions here.

Will this panel above the steering column come out and have room for this switch unit?An oval hole would have to be cut into it OR maybe 3 smaller shaft holes...

 

[Kern Dog]

I don't know why you aren't using the panel VA supplies.... Easy, clean, & they work

It would be a direct bolt in with no fabrication. Dwayne actually has it at his place, he seems to want the knob design. I'll admit, the Ford one does look nice.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

That ford panel does look nice, but it honestly looks like a snazzied up mini van control panel. I don’t see any good place to put that control panel other than in the glove box which would be completely inconvenient.

These cars were built with such elegance and beauty, everything was put in a place with care and attention to detail. The factory control panel and it’s placement is dare I say perfect.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

Under hood wiring is done, battery is back in.

View attachment 1623576

Backing up a bit…

View attachment 1623577

The battery hold down cross bar is held down by two J bolts. The one on the engine side is easy. The one to the fender apron is shorter but now I have the #8 hard line taking up some space. This battery seems slightly wider than others. It has a sleeve around it too. I slipped a rubber vacuum hose over the J bolt that attaches to the fender.

View attachment 1623580

It is tight.

View attachment 1623581

I put a slight zig zag in the bolt.

View attachment 1623582

I couldn’t risk the J bolt sawing through the hard line after vibration.

Not sure, but I think you have the apron side j-bolt in the wrong upper hole. Try the other one for better alignment? I might be wrong.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I don't know why you aren't using the panel VA supplies.... Easy, clean, & they work

Similar reason I didn't order their condenser and went with a larger unit. I was advised by another well respected classic mopar owner friend as well as several shops to install the biggest condenser that would fit in front of the radiator for maximum cooling. I've read that sometimes people with larger cabins like our b-bodies complain about inadequate cooling with the stock condenser as compared to smaller cabin classics like a pickup truck.

Tell me more about why you like the stock looking solid state slider style compared to the rotary control. I'm open to suggestions, BUT...
I was advised by the pro interior shop who did my interior when I had them quote this A/C install - that whatever you do - try to use a rotary knob control because the slider controls are a bitch to calibrate. I trust this guy. He's straight up, I've known him for 15 years and he and his crew have a ton of experience doing high end jobs for people like Tim Allen.

The other 2 things that turns me off about the stock looking slider layout -
1) when my stock slider was working for my heater control, I always felt the control function visibility was poor and not intuitive. Unfortunately, in my past classic car which was a Chevy Impala, I got so used to the front facing horizontal slider controls so it's hard for me to get used to the 2 sliders back and 1 slider sidewise deal - even though I've owned and driven the car since 2010.
2) my stock slider was operated by cables not solid state like the Vintage Air solid state unit. One of the plastic slider buttons was broken at the neck. So I ordered a repop from Classic Auto Air. It worked over a 6 mo period for a total of 10 drives...and then it broke. Just like the original. So even though the new solid state deal has no cables to go against, due to the flimsy plastic nature of the construction and the orientation of the sliders - I really question the longevity of the control. It's just soured me on the whole design.

So Yes, it would fit and be easy to install. BUT - will it still be working trouble-free in 10 years time or will it piss me off?
That interior shop said they've installed a lot of the 3 knob rotary units and mount it to a 90-degree plate arrangement with a hinge at the 90-edge so that it can fold down or fold up out of view and be hidden. Sounds cool. Don't know if it would be easy to mount or if I would like it. No, I'm not taking the car to their shop to have them finish it. Too expensive and too long of a wait queue. Greg will get it working fine.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

That ford panel does look nice, but it honestly looks like a snazzied up mini van control panel. I don’t see any good place to put that control panel other than in the glove box which would be completely inconvenient.

These cars were built with such elegance and beauty, everything was put in a place with care and attention to detail. The factory control panel and it’s placement is dare I say perfec

elegance and beauty? Are we talking about the same automotive dash? I've always thought it looked spartan and not that great. Have wished for a rally round gauge arrangement like the Dodge R/T's, but then again, those are not easy to read.

 

[mopar jack]

I used the 3 knob control in my car so I wouldn't have to cut the instrument bezel. The markings are hard to see being mounted so low with my 73 year old eyes.