Of Course The A/C Couldn't Be That Easy!

Lots of fun with the Vintage Air SureFit system for 1975 Corvette with factory air conditioning...

So according to Vintage Air, the kit is supposed to go in with only minor modifications to the car for the new duct work... Riiiight!

Alright I didn't have any problems installing the duct work adapters and converting the controls.  Now on to the rest of the kit.  First let me mention one thing.  I ordered the kit directly from Vintage Air instead of buying it through Ecklers or Zip because I was getting the March Performance serpentine kit as well.  I ordered the regular kit with three changes.  First, I had them remove the mounting bracket.  Second, I had them provide a compressor with a serpentine pulley instead of a v-belt.  Finally, I had them polish the compressor so that it would match my polished alternator.  Nothing big right?  Anyway ditching the bracket pretty much paid for the polishing, so it was all good.

The compressor went on the March bracket fine.  I had to get a longer bolt for the adjustment rod, but March provided that for free.  So the next thing after the compressor was the evaporator.

Before you put the evaporator in the car, you have to put some pipes on it and do some bracket prep (including drilling some holes in the firewall using a provided template).  Got everything ready and then went to put the thing in the car.  It didn't fit!  There's a bracket for bracing behind the passenger side dash on convertibles and a couple other models that prevents the evaporator from going in.  The bracing helps reduce cowl shake.  So I gave Vintage Air an email, here's what they said...

I have talked to our R&D tech and to one of our Dealer/Installers in Houston Texas who has done several of the 68-76 Corvette installs. None of the cars we had in-house during the design had the support brackets but my installer stated some of them did and some didn’t. He did have to remove the two lower tabs with the bolts in them for the evaporator to fit. He also stated some of the cowls are formed different than others – he has had to trim insulation back on some for the servo motor to clear and slightly modify/tweak the evaporator bracket for the bolt to go in.

Seriously?  Their research is kinda piss poor then...  The other system out for C3's (which is sold by Corvette America) called Perfect Fit takes the brackets into account.  They point them out in the instructions.  Honestly, wouldn't you think they'd put a note in the instructions and even on the catalog information about the models with install issues?

Ok, so I used a new Dremel and cut off the bracket. Whatever...  The evaporator finally fit in.  Well, on to the cover that goes on the firewall.  The holes they had me drill for that were both 1/2" off (and yes I checked like four times before drilling).  It's not only that, but there's a notch in the cover for around the mounting bolt for the evaporator.  That was off a bit too, so the Dremel came to the rescue again and I made the cut-out bigger.  There was one hole that actually fit though and that was an OEM one...  Now you're probably thinking I just didn't have it line up right.  If I had lined up the cut-out with the mount bolt, it would have been even farther off.

Next was the condenser install.  I had just finished installing a brand new radiator and radiator support.  The support kind of sucked to install by the way...  It's supposed to line up with existing holes in the radiator support and you're supposed to use the OEM bolts.  Well guess what?!  Bolt holes didn't line up and in one case there wasn't even one close so I had to drill a new one.  I also had to go get a longer bolt for one.  It's in now though.

On to my latest call with Vintage Air.  The hose kit they set me is a "mod" kit.  Which means the hose didn't come put together.  Wouldn't be a big deal except that you have to have a $5k tool to crimp the fittings on and at least one of the fittings isn't the right angle!  I double checked all my documentation and it looked like the right kit according to the title and everything.  With the #10 hose fitting on, I wouldn't be able to shut the hood.

This of course prompted me to call Vintage Air and see what was up.  They initially told me that I need to rotate the compressor so the fitting would be pointed toward the passenger side fender wall.  I immediately told him that it wasn't going to work because it would hit the wall.  He said I needed to send him pictures of it.  So I did...  Got a call from him today about it.  He proceeded to tell me again that I just needed to rotate the compressor because the mounting bracket I had wasn't theirs and theirs puts it at a different angle.  He also said they've had this problem a few times in the past and that's what it took to fix it.  I told him that I really didn't think it was going to work and that I still needed to put the radiator overflow tank in and that was going to take up that space.  He insisted that I try changing the mounting and rotating the compressor with the radiator overflow tank in.

I got home, put the overflow tank in, and didn't bother with messing with the mounts.  Instead I got the tape measure out.  The fitting requires over 4-1/2" inches of clearance and that's without a hose installed, so it would be more like 6" or 7".  The distances between the compressor and the fender wall are typically less than 4".  One spot gets to 4-3/4", but surprise!  The overflow tank and hose is there and it reduces clearance back below 4" again!  There is no possible situation where this fitting would have ever worked regardless of the mounting bracket.  The compressor cannot go more toward the engine because of the cylinder head covers, and it cannot be lowered because of the exhaust manifold.  In other words, the tech from Vintage Air appears to be full of it...

 

Here's the odd thing...  I tried to find the hose kit on their website.  It doesn't exist!  And to top it off the two hose kits they have for the 1968-1976 Corvettes with factory air conditioning have the correct angle fittings.  Plus one of the kits is the "standard" kit and the fitting are already crimped on!  My question to the tech was, what the heck is this kit and why did I get it instead of the standard kit that would have worked?  I've asked that twice now...  He seems to be avoiding the question.

So my experience with Vintage Air so far is less than desirable.  Other companies have been better.  Lokar customer support is amazing.  Bowtie Overdrives is pretty good except when their main support guy is gone for a week.  March Performance is good when their support rep is in.  Somehow I always need help when people are on week vacations.

All I can say about the "Surely doesn't Fit System" from Vintage Air is that it better work really well...  Can you tell I'm pissed off?