Vintage Air evaporator unit vents?

[chevynut]

Paul, after messing with trying to figure out how to hook up hoses to the other two vents with the old unit, I think you may be right. That's why I've been looking at the Gen IV units. I've been trying like hell NOT to re-do a bunch of stuff on this car that I've already done, or I'll never finish it.

I could probably eBay my older cable unit and get most of my money back. It's never been used, just used as mockup and I have all the parts. If anyone here is interested let me know. I think I paid $675 plus shipping for it.

I wonder if they have the option for the orientation of the outlets. Mine might work better with the old setup if the hoses don't hit my radio. I guess I'll have to give them a call and see where I can get the best deal on a new one. Now I have to weld on that finished firewall again and make up all new lines.

[Rick_L]

Wagoncrazy, I know you won't see it in a catalog, but I'm pretty sure I've seen dual air setups done with VA components. In a very coarse sense, it wouldn't be any different from the setup that's been used on Suburbans for 40 years or so. Basically you have two independent evaporator units and one compressor, condenser, and drier. The high pressure is just tee'd after the drier, and the low pressure is tee'd between the evaporators and the compressor. You might want to call the VA tech line, or one of their better installers. Or if you have an a/c tech that works on everything, talk to him. I just don't think it's that hard technically. Your biggest challenge will be plumbing the lines to the rear unit, and placing it where you get good airflow to the passengers.

An alternative is running ducts for cold air through the console area or on the floor under the seat. Lots of high end cars and mini-vans do this to get cold air to the rear seat area. I think that's a bit harder, and there may be a question of whether that's a problem for the VA fan - probably is.

[WagonCrazy]

An alternative is running ducts for cold air through the console area or on the floor under the seat. Lots of high end cars and mini-vans do this to get cold air to the rear seat area. I think that's a bit harder, and there may be a question of whether that's a problem for the VA fan - probably is.

Good comments Rick. I've thought about it alot, and I think I'm going to plumb a duct thru the center console and point it at the rear seat to at least move SOME cold air to the back of the wagon.

In today's Yukon XLs and Suburbans, the air comes out of the cieling vents in the rear. That would be tough to plumb in on a Nomad, althewhile keeping that stock headliner and chrome bow setup looking original. Could be done though, with oblong plastic tubing inside the headliner. It's where the roof sheetmetal seams to the pillar and window frame sheetmetal that the duct would have to pass thru though. Way more work that I want to imagine at this point.

[Rick_L]

Really old Suburbans have the second evaporator mounted just above the liftgate window, with vents right there. Kind of like an underdash unit would have. You don't have as much room as those in a Nomad, but VA probably has some evaporator cases that are smaller height wise than those Suburban units.

Also some mini vans and SUVs have outlets in arm rests, etc. I also see them in the rear of the console as you suggest. You could put the evaporator in the cargo area. If it's on one side, your challenge would be to run a duct to the other side. Perhaps you could mount the evaporator or ducting under a false floor in that area. I think you want the a/c outlets at least medium high or even at the roof since cold air sinks.

Again I think this has been done and VA could help you with the components.

[chevynut]

Paul, I really don't care if the back of my car gets cool or not, as long as I'm cool. lol! I have smoked glass everywhere except the windshield, so that should help some. Also insulating the roof well has to be a big deal on a wagon.