Best A/C system for a 66 fastback

[BarnStang]

I have installed the Vintage Air system in a customers 65 FB. Not very impressed. I found a thread in a search that asked about A/C in a 70 and the recomendation was Classic Air. I looked over their site and pulled down the instructions. Looks like an easier and cleaner install than the Vintage system. However...

I spoke with an A/C vender at All Ford Carlisle this year (he sold all the different brands) and he said the Vintage system was the easiest install. Hmmm.

I thought the engineering of the Vintage system was lacking. And the tech help response to a question about hose routing was "no one has ever asked that in 10 years..." Their template shows the hoses going under the battery tray through the core support just under the stone defelcter. I had to raise the battery tray. "Under" the tray is outside the eng compt. They say thats not true? It does work great. Ice cold air, just felt it was a tough install.

So, if you have installed an aftermarket A/C system, please let me know what you liked and didn't like about it.

 

[12sec67]

i have installed Classic Auto Air in customers cars and have really never had a problem. the installation isn't really that tough, just takes time. the front condensor goes in and looks as if it was stock and bolts to the stock location using some lower holes that are already there in the frame. the front lower valance needs to come off to drill the holes in the front core support for the lines to go through.it comes with new lower crank pulley for the added belt, a thin radiator shroud and the belt needed, the brackets for the a/c compressor on a few occasions i've had trouble with, but is fixable. the bolt holes on 2 kits didn't seem to line up so i had to oval out the hole a little (no biggie). the firewall already has the hole ready to be popped out for the lines to go through and the rest is simple.

be sure to put oil on the O rings and a/c Thread Sealant on all the fittings (trust me, sometimes they do leak)

any other questions

the a/c air is really cold

 

[BarnStang]

12sec67, thanks. I think I am going to try the Classic system. I had a bunch of other problems with the Vintage system. The lines attach to the evap inside the blower hole, not outside. Real pain under the dash. The evap box did not line up with the mount at the corner dash. Few other things. And the comp bracket we got we had to severly modify.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[CraigMBA]

I like the stock underdash evaporator.

 

[66Runt]

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[BarnStang]

66runt, thanks! Great info. I think I have my decision.