1967 Satellite - rebuild or replace with after market A/C?

[Max440]

I had my factory AC unit under the dash for my 67 GTX rebuilt by Classic Air and bought a new under hood kit from them. I was close enough I could drive it to them and pick it up in Tampa. I think all the new under hood components plus box refurbishment cost about $2,200 and I still needed to install. If I had it to do over again, I would just buy the ClassicAir conversion for a non A/C and call it good. All new parts, cheaper in total, no old school A/C vacuum lines and matched to new under hood kit. Only thing is it requires new holes cut in the firewall and the old AC holes plugged. They are not the same spot. I am not sure I will ever get my system running consistently. I had it cooling at 60 degrees twice, and 48 degrees once all briefly before losing a charge. I am not sure the 67 A/C will ever cool as efficiently as a all new matched unit. Classic replaced the heater core but refurbished the evaporator core, but it is leaking months after reinstall. Classic thinks I probably tweaked a weld on the evaporator lines reinstalling the evaporator core. Could be, I was trying to line it up from the dash side by myself. Removal and replacement of the heat and A/C under dash box is a PITA!

I am replacing the evaporator core for $300 and trying again this week.

 

[Max440]

thank you - I am debating the same thing - go for new technology or refurb the original unit which is full of expensive parts and some you cannot find - I probably could part the original out ad get 1/2 the cost of the new unit back. What i do not want is a bunch of money in the AC and not work. I have used several aftermarket systems in other projects and they worked fine. so sitting on the fence here at the moment> I do not want to do this twice for sure let alone the teardown once the car is finished

 

[67GTX440]

thank you - I am debating the same thing - go for new technology or refurb the original unit which is full of expensive parts and some you cannot find - I probably could part the original out ad get 1/2 the cost of the new unit back. What i do not want is a bunch of money in the AC and not work. I have used several aftermarket systems in other projects and they worked fine. so sitting on the fence here at the moment> I do not want to do this twice for sure let alone the teardown once the car is finished

 

[67GTX440]

Here is what it cost me in 2013 at Classic Air to restore the original under dash unit and to buy a new under hood component kit.

Evaporator/Heater Plenum Rebuild (steel housing) W/Blower Motor, Vac Lines, 3 Vac Actuators Install Thermostat - $525
Heater Valve Rebuild - $155
Control Rebuild - $105
Duel Heater Coil - $270
H- Valve - $70
A/C Box Seal Kit - $73
Engine Compartment Kit - $800 (Now $825 plus shipping)
Tax - $140
Total - $2138

This all sat in my garage after I got it back from Classic Air for over two years while my car was hung up in "paint jail". I installed the under dash unit myself while the dash was out and probably did cause the refurbished evaporator leak as putting the unit in by myself was a PITA getting everything to line up with the holes in the firewall with no visual reference from inside the car. In retrospect, I should have had another person on the firewall side.

The evaporator was refurbished as a part of the rebuild rather than replaced and I am now in the process of removing the under dash unit to install a new one that was $300 plus shipping from Classic Air.

I had no packing or shipping charges since I drown the under dash unit to them in Tampa and picked it up when done. I picked up the engine compartment kit at the same time.

Compare my costs of $2438 with the new evaporator to the entire perfect fit kit at $1,399 (that provides a new evaporator) plus shipping.

If you had to crate and ship the under dash unit back to them, it would probably cost you $100 or more in freight each way. If you just replace the seals in the under dash unit, that is one thing, but they actually test the actuators, control functions, clearances etc., plus clean and paint it all up pretty. If I had needed to replace the vacuum lines, that would have been additional and the set of lines that plug into the back of the control are pricey. The perfect fit kit is, again, a perfectly matched system of all new parts.

Having spent a lot of time and money on this and still not having a working A/C is frustrating, but I really can't blame Classic Air for anything on their end. I just think I chose the wrong path when I chose to restore the old unit. My car is more a nice driver than an original show piece, and the cheaper, all new and more efficient unit makes more sense to me in retrospect. Anyone point judging my car would find plenty of things that have been changed over 50 years to criticize.

 

[dieseldazzle]

I install them for folks.

I've had my hands on it. Frankly it's cheap.

The micro switches all arrived busted so I found good ones at grainger

The box itself is made of the same thickness plastic as a red solo cup.


I put them in. Done a few now. Personally if my car had ac to begin with I'd just upgrade it to 134a and maybe dump the rv2 compressor and other than that roll with it.

For non ac cars I think you are kinda stuck with classic auto air tho

 

[Max440]

View attachment 386739 Here is what it cost me in 2013 at Classic Air to restore the original under dash unit and to buy a new under hood component kit.

Evaporator/Heater Plenum Rebuild (steel housing) W/Blower Motor, Vac Lines, 3 Vac Actuators Install Thermostat - $525
Heater Valve Rebuild - $155
Control Rebuild - $105
Duel Heater Coil - $270
H- Valve - $70
A/C Box Seal Kit - $73
Engine Compartment Kit - $800 (Now $825 plus shipping)
Tax - $140
Total - $2138

This all sat in my garage after I got it back from Classic Air for over two years while my car was hung up in "paint jail". I installed the under dash unit myself while the dash was out and probably did cause the refurbished evaporator leak as putting the unit in by myself was a PITA getting everything to line up with the holes in the firewall with no visual reference from inside the car. In retrospect, I should have had another person on the firewall side.

The evaporator was refurbished as a part of the rebuild rather than replaced and I am now in the process of removing the under dash unit to install a new one that was $300 plus shipping from Classic Air.

I had no packing or shipping charges since I drown the under dash unit to them in Tampa and picked it up when done. I picked up the engine compartment kit at the same time.

Compare my costs of $2438 with the new evaporator to the entire perfect fit kit at $1,399 (that provides a new evaporator) plus shipping.

If you had to crate and ship the under dash unit back to them, it would probably cost you $100 or more in freight each way. If you just replace the seals in the under dash unit, that is one thing, but they actually test the actuators, control functions, clearances etc., plus clean and paint it all up pretty. If I had needed to replace the vacuum lines, that would have been additional and the set of lines that plug into the back of the control are pricey. The perfect fit kit is, again, a perfectly matched system of all new parts.

Having spent a lot of time and money on this and still not having a working A/C is frustrating, but I really can't blame Classic Air for anything on their end. I just think I chose the wrong path when I chose to restore the old unit. My car is more a nice driver than an original show piece, and the cheaper, all new and more efficient unit makes more sense to me in retrospect. Anyone point judging my car would find plenty of things that have been changed over 50 years to criticize.

View attachment 386740
View attachment 386742

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View attachment 386739 Here is what it cost me in 2013 at Classic Air to restore the original under dash unit and to buy a new under hood component kit.

Evaporator/Heater Plenum Rebuild (steel housing) W/Blower Motor, Vac Lines, 3 Vac Actuators Install Thermostat - $525
Heater Valve Rebuild - $155
Control Rebuild - $105
Duel Heater Coil - $270
H- Valve - $70
A/C Box Seal Kit - $73
Engine Compartment Kit - $800 (Now $825 plus shipping)
Tax - $140
Total - $2138

This all sat in my garage after I got it back from Classic Air for over two years while my car was hung up in "paint jail". I installed the under dash unit myself while the dash was out and probably did cause the refurbished evaporator leak as putting the unit in by myself was a PITA getting everything to line up with the holes in the firewall with no visual reference from inside the car. In retrospect, I should have had another person on the firewall side.

The evaporator was refurbished as a part of the rebuild rather than replaced and I am now in the process of removing the under dash unit to install a new one that was $300 plus shipping from Classic Air.

I had no packing or shipping charges since I drown the under dash unit to them in Tampa and picked it up when done. I picked up the engine compartment kit at the same time.

Compare my costs of $2438 with the new evaporator to the entire perfect fit kit at $1,399 (that provides a new evaporator) plus shipping.

If you had to crate and ship the under dash unit back to them, it would probably cost you $100 or more in freight each way. If you just replace the seals in the under dash unit, that is one thing, but they actually test the actuators, control functions, clearances etc., plus clean and paint it all up pretty. If I had needed to replace the vacuum lines, that would have been additional and the set of lines that plug into the back of the control are pricey. The perfect fit kit is, again, a perfectly matched system of all new parts.

Having spent a lot of time and money on this and still not having a working A/C is frustrating, but I really can't blame Classic Air for anything on their end. I just think I chose the wrong path when I chose to restore the old unit. My car is more a nice driver than an original show piece, and the cheaper, all new and more efficient unit makes more sense to me in retrospect. Anyone point judging my car would find plenty of things that have been changed over 50 years to criticize.

View attachment 386740
View attachment 386742

 

[Max440]

View attachment 386739 Here is what it cost me in 2013 at Classic Air to restore the original under dash unit and to buy a new under hood component kit.

Evaporator/Heater Plenum Rebuild (steel housing) W/Blower Motor, Vac Lines, 3 Vac Actuators Install Thermostat - $525
Heater Valve Rebuild - $155
Control Rebuild - $105
Duel Heater Coil - $270
H- Valve - $70
A/C Box Seal Kit - $73
Engine Compartment Kit - $800 (Now $825 plus shipping)
Tax - $140
Total - $2138

This all sat in my garage after I got it back from Classic Air for over two years while my car was hung up in "paint jail". I installed the under dash unit myself while the dash was out and probably did cause the refurbished evaporator leak as putting the unit in by myself was a PITA getting everything to line up with the holes in the firewall with no visual reference from inside the car. In retrospect, I should have had another person on the firewall side.

The evaporator was refurbished as a part of the rebuild rather than replaced and I am now in the process of removing the under dash unit to install a new one that was $300 plus shipping from Classic Air.

I had no packing or shipping charges since I drown the under dash unit to them in Tampa and picked it up when done. I picked up the engine compartment kit at the same time.

Compare my costs of $2438 with the new evaporator to the entire perfect fit kit at $1,399 (that provides a new evaporator) plus shipping.

If you had to crate and ship the under dash unit back to them, it would probably cost you $100 or more in freight each way. If you just replace the seals in the under dash unit, that is one thing, but they actually test the actuators, control functions, clearances etc., plus clean and paint it all up pretty. If I had needed to replace the vacuum lines, that would have been additional and the set of lines that plug into the back of the control are pricey. The perfect fit kit is, again, a perfectly matched system of all new parts.

Having spent a lot of time and money on this and still not having a working A/C is frustrating, but I really can't blame Classic Air for anything on their end. I just think I chose the wrong path when I chose to restore the old unit. My car is more a nice driver than an original show piece, and the cheaper, all new and more efficient unit makes more sense to me in retrospect. Anyone point judging my car would find plenty of things that have been changed over 50 years to criticize.

View attachment 386740
View attachment 386742

Thanks for the pics - I am not building a show car but a darn nice driver. I appreciate the list of details and costs . My concern is what you described.
pur in a bunch of bucks and not work right - v get a kit for 1/2 and it works. I will have allot of welding on the firewall patching in all the factory aiir AC holes plus the inside return air openings too. Nothing I cannot handle tho. based on what I see I can sell off a bunch of heater parts and ge some bucks - Not sure what to do but getting close to knowing what I want to do - Almost all sheet metal is repaired (quite allot done) so next is heater ac box then dash then I can get class back in etc.

 

[Moparfiend]

Thanks for the pics - I am not building a show car but a darn nice driver. I appreciate the list of details and costs . My concern is what you described.
pur in a bunch of bucks and not work right - v get a kit for 1/2 and it works. I will have allot of welding on the firewall patching in all the factory aiir AC holes plus the inside return air openings too. Nothing I cannot handle tho. based on what I see I can sell off a bunch of heater parts and ge some bucks - Not sure what to do but getting close to knowing what I want to do - Almost all sheet metal is repaired (quite allot done) so next is heater ac box then dash then I can get class back in etc. View attachment 386940

Sorry to revive such an old post but wondering what you ended up doing and how it worked out for you?