DVal, I checked out your online album of the 64 Panel. (Very nice project BTW) I was wondering where you found or how you made the center vent control. As a non smoker that looks the perfect replacement for an ash trya.
Howdie ! The center vent, believe it or not, is the factory air conditioning vent that came with so equipted trucks. The ash try that came with that factory option was located under the dash. I pieced together the internal components from e-Bay & swap meets. The hardest part to find was the ash tray with the mounting bracket. That one took two years to find ! My plan was to install aftermarket AC, probably from Old Air so I could use the factory AC controls and get that humongous heater/blower box out of the engine compartment. What I've found out since is that no aftermarket AC unit can accomidate that cool center vent. I'll need to fabricate a colletor box and route the AC air tubes to that center vent,,,, somehow. DVal
DVal, I missed the link to see your vent, but I've wondered about running the AC through there myself. You say the aftermarket units don't accomodate that center vent. Would a unit designed for the 67-72 models come close?
Funny you should ask this. I just wrote up something on how to adapt the center vent to aftermarket A/C for the new owner of my panel. The procedure uses parts available from Vintage Air. Directions for adapting Aftermarket Air Conditioning to Factory A/C Center dash Cold Air Vent I have prepared this truck to install an aftermarket under dash A/C Heater. The motor already has the necessary crank pulley, and I have included the Chevrolet Factory block-off plates needed to cover the holes in the firewall after the old heater box is removed. The factory block off plates will add a finished look to firewall after installation. The 64 – 66 Chevrolet trucks offered a Factory Air option that included a center of dash cold air vent and moved the ash tray to an under dash location. The following is a list of parts needed to connect the center of dash cold air vent to an aftermarket supplied air conditioner; Vintage Air # 62415-VUE 2” to 2 ½” hose adapter ( 2 needed ) Vintage Air # 49592-VUI 2 ½” Y Connector Vintage Air # 06250-VUE 2 ½” Duct Hose Start by attaching the hose adapters ( # 62415-VUE ) to the back of the Chevrolet Truck factory center dash vent using super glue or another maximum bond adhesive of your choice. Connect two short lengths of the 2 ½” hose ( # 06250-VUE ) to the Y connector ( # 49592-VUE) Connect the Y Connector using the 2 ½” hose to the center vent output of the aftermarket under-dash air conditioning unit. Two more dash vents will be needed on either side of the dash. There are a number of ways to go there using either under-dash mounted, or round or square shaped louvers that would be cut into the dash face. I had planned on adapting the Chevrolet Factory a/c knobs to an aftermarket controller. There are two vendors that I found, Vintage Air (http://www.vintageair.com/) Sure Fit system and Old Air Products ( http://www.oldairproducts.com/shop/index.php ) that manufacture under dash A/C heat systems for this truck. Of the two, Old Air products claims that their controller can use the factory knobs. If retaining the factory knobs is something you wish, then Old Air would be a good choice. If that is not a priority, then either vendor would supply a kit that will go right in when installed by a competent installer. DVal
>DVal, > >I missed the link to see your vent, but I've wondered about >running the AC through there myself. You say the >aftermarket units don't accomodate that center vent. Would >a unit designed for the 67-72 models come close? I missed that question completly !! When I said it won't accomidate the center vent, I meant hooking up the duct work to the Factory center vent. They all come with their own vent that mounts to the center UNDER the dash. The parts list above will allow you to connect the Factory center vent to the output of the aftermarket A/c - heater unit. DVal
