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Aftermarket AC units (complete systems)

Desert_K5

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My 91 Crew Cab never had A/C and it's getting close to that time of year again. Does anyone have experience with Vintage Air or the other brands? Pros & Cons if any? It's too hot to cruise in a vehicle with no A/C for me anymore.

Would gathering OEM parts and building from scratch be a better route?
 
I put a Vintage air unit in my 80. It was fantastic in every way except one. Defrost sucked in the SLC winters. It was ice cold in the blazing summers. Super easy and clean install. Worth every penny in my opinion. Comes with every screw, hose clam, connector needed. replaces all of the factory components with new ones. The electric controls are a lot nicer to use than the old mechanical ones. One thing to note, if you care, is there is no fresh air mode. It draws air from inside the cab.


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@Fastereddie we need to find another with a Dana 60. I have the short bed 77 now in the line up, just have to go get it out of Alamo.....

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I've got vintage air in my 91 crew cab. It does well in Texas summers. I dont have a headliner or any insulation to keep the cold air in so it struggles to bring cab temps down in August but it feels good right at the driver. Just switching one seat to cloth made a difference in the way it feels inside the cab.

Install was fine, with easy to read instructions. I made a stud instead of a bolt to attach the box to the firewall so I could do it by myself.
 
I had vintage air in my '70 back in the late nineties and took it out because of the problem that @TreeFarm stated. It was horrible in the winter, and during rainy summer nights. The recirculation only I believe caused the problem in summer. And adjusting the thermostat for the cycling switch to the winter setting, still didn't deliver much heat. The blower being inside was noisy compared to the factory one. My '95 has the blower under the dash in the factory unit, but is quieter than the vintage air one.
I didn't like how stiff the wiring going to the factory switch transferred movement to the terminals, but I was concerned about vibrating the switch terminals to death.
I didn't like the hose connections being hidden under the dash, inside the cab. A heater hose leak will run down under the flooring, not to mention they are difficult to access after I had sealed the plastic hose cover in place. I put insulation on the included plastic firewall panel.
I pulled it out after I got tired of no heat in a big block truck and found factory parts.
In my '90 Jimmy, I kept the factory stuff, repaired whatever it needed, then added insulation in the floor. I was using the A/C while we were on the trails at BB19 , windows down , in a black truck. It was comfortable when I saw the outside temperature up around 98*. Painting the fiberglass top silver helped some as well!
:saweet:
 
My 91 Crew Cab never had A/C and it's getting close to that time of year again. Does anyone have experience with Vintage Air or the other brands? Pros & Cons if any? It's too hot to cruise in a vehicle with no A/C for me anymore.

Would gathering OEM parts and building from scratch be a better route?

I know the owner(s) and I can try to hook you up with the owners nephew. Best I can do is send your name to him and ask him to respond. I am about to purchase a full kit from him. If your are SERIOUS I'll pass your name along. IM me if interested.
 
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