AC or not to Ac is the question

[roundeyed sqbdy]

So my suburban has no ac. I just picked up a suburban with factory air. I live in Canada and it gets warm but not crazy at least for the most part. I want to keep the truck as simple as possible.

Is it worth the while carving up the firewall and moving everything. The ac suburban is rough under the hood but the under dash stuff seams to be ok.

Or just go with vintage air down the road if I need it?

Or lol sorry. Is it possible to make the ac work with out all the vacuum stuff?

Vintage Air! Have done it on 69 and a 78.

 

[Originalthor]

Vintage Air! Have done it on 69 and a 78.

How does it fit in the cab. I was reading its quite large and lose some glovebox space.

 

[Doppleganger]

How does it fit in the cab. I was reading its quite large and lose some glovebox space.

Some units are but compared to the original, I think they're more compact.

I asked this question awhile ago (to have AC or not have AC) and my wife said the real question is "would she ever ride in it or not." I have an opinion on that as well......but know better. Vintage Air it is.

 

[roundeyed sqbdy]

You will have an abreviated glove compartment. About half the size of original. The gain is clean firewall, which means easy access to engine. You also get electronic controls instead of vacuum. And hey, the appearance is worth it. I chose to relocate the ac to passenger side as it just looks better without hoses all over the engine. I buy thru Summit and get excellent support if needed.

 

[Originalthor]

Ahh you guys are killing me. Lol. The factory stuff is big and bulky under the hood and I do have a nice clean ls to go under the hood one day.

You will have an abreviated glove compartment. About half the size of original. The gain is clean firewall, which means easy access to engine. You also get electronic controls instead of vacuum. And hey, the appearance is worth it. I chose to relocate the ac to passenger side as it just looks better without hoses all over the engine. I buy thru Summit and get excellent support if needed.

Do you have any pictures of what it looks like on the inside. Losing some of the glovebox isn't really the end of the world at the end of the day cause my glove box is just full of relays.

Also does one get to keep the floor pull vents with it? I always injoyed them.

 

[roundeyed sqbdy]

Pardon the missing dashpad.. waiting for new clips to complete the install. Plenty if room for the fresh air vent. My truck was prev. Factory air and no pull rod to open the door. I sealed it. But on my 69 without factory air plenty of room and i used the available rod to open the door. VA has the room; you need the mechanism.

Hope you can see my mini compartment. You cut it and “s” clip it back together. Plenty if room behind the seat.. and under too!

 

[roundeyed sqbdy]

Pardon the missing dashpad.. waiting for new clips to complete the install. Plenty if room for the fresh air vent. My truck was prev. Factory air and no pull rod to open the door. I sealed it. But on my 69 without factory air plenty of room and i used the available rod to open the door. VA has the room; you need the mechanism.

Hope you can see my mini compartment. You cut it and “s” clip it back together. Plenty if room behind the seat.. and under too!

Btw.. here is what the factory air looked like a few weeks ago.

 

[SquareRoot]

Im not wild about the size and looks of the factory ac on a c-10, but they work better than the vintage air units, the Vintage looks great as you really cant even see it! But that means they dont blow as cold and hard because the components are much smaller. I’m sure in Canada you’ll be just fine, if you lived in the south with tons of humidity and heat yeah you’d want the factory one I think.

I replaced the factory system in my 85 with Vintage Air. I totally disagree with you. BTW, my summer temps often exceed 120 degrees here in the south.

 

[RecklessWOT]

I replaced the factory system in my 85 with Vintage Air. I totally disagree with you. BTW, my summer temps often exceed 120 degrees here in the south.

Arizona might be south and well over 100deg, but it's not humid. 110 degree dry heat is easier to deal with than 80 degreed with 80% humidity. A/C is all about humidity controll IMO. Hot weather is no fun, but hot and humid straight up makes it hard to breathe.

On the east coast we consider anything under like 30% to be extremely dry, I get nosebleeds and cracked hands every time I visit my father in Colorado no matter the season.


And while we're on the topic, I could never imagine trading half my glove box for a little bit of cool air, it's freaking tiny as it is. Make it any smaller I doubt my registration would even fit in there...

 

[roundeyed sqbdy]

VA cools just fine; my second truck with it, I did it both times and will do it again. But its your call.. just keep it true.,

 

[SquareRoot]

Arizona might be south and well over 100deg, but it's not humid. 110 degree dry heat is easier to deal with than 80 degreed with 80% humidity. A/C is all about humidity controll IMO. Hot weather is no fun, but hot and humid straight up makes it hard to breathe.

On the east coast we consider anything under like 30% to be extremely dry, I get nosebleeds and cracked hands every time I visit my father in Colorado no matter the season.


And while we're on the topic, I could never imagine trading half my glove box for a little bit of cool air, it's freaking tiny as it is. Make it any smaller I doubt my registration would even fit in there...

I hear what you're saying. We have this thing called "monsoon season". Happens every year about this time and lasts thru September. The winds come off the Gulf of Mexico and dump nice humid air on us. Add the 30-60% humidity to the regular 100+ temps and it's miserable. I'll agree that the moment I turn the AC on it's instant relief. I'll stand by my statement that my Vintage Air is still better than the factory system.

As far as the glove box, you're correct, you do lose about 50% capacity in depth. It still holds my 9mm and paperwork just fine.
Nothing says you couldn't mount the evaporator box on the outside of the firewall like the factory if you wanted the best of both.

 

[Originalthor]

Just going on a whim here does anyone own a gmt400? I do like the look of a clean fire wall especially since I just bondo mine up and is ready for paint but I wonder if one of those heater ac boxes would fit in our trucks. I just know my wife would shoot me if I went and spent 1500 plus on a ac system. Lol.

I was trying to find some pictures of one last night but couldn't really get anything good. This is my fire wall now.

 

[Doppleganger]

My 85 had AC but not factory - was something the dealer installed. Hacked the dash up and although it didn't work when I got it, from what I have read it was pathetic when it did.

But my firewall didn't have that large growth on the passenger side, which I'm very happy about. The VA setup is more compact and allows a clean open firewall - where I'll install a later style overflow tank that doesn't leak like the original.

If you can wait a few months, buy the AC setup in late Fall. I saved about $300-400 on mine that way.

 

[Joshua Keith]

A/C rebuild list. May help someone

1985 K10 SBC 350 This is the list I’ve come up with, but there may be some better deals out there. Prices are with taxes. I will have to get some lines made from a shop once I get it all together. Total price is 523.45 and still needs lines.I know Original Air makes a complete...

www.gmsquarebody.com

 

[StickyLifter]

It sounds like you've already made your decision, but I'll throw in my two cent worth too. I live in WI, which might be a little warmer than where you live, but not much. I like to have A/C on my daily driver more to help with window fogging than actual cooling. I have A/C on my Nova, but am going to take it out when I rebuild it. I also have A/C on my Sierra, but doubt I'll use it much.