TA-LOW
July 16, 2023
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
PERFORMING ARTS
Certain cars are stars. The ’57 Chevrolet Bel Air found itself in starring roles since the first car rolled off the assembly line. From its art deco fins and side trim to its potent 283, the car was an instant hit. Fans of the 1957 continue to follow the car, and the number of fans seems endless. Who could blame them? After all, here is a car that can play the role of a custom with ease, then turn around and be the baddest car on the dragstrip. Oval racing was a role in the early years, and today a ’57 Chevrolet in flawless original condition will draw rave reviews. The ’57 Chevrolet is so flexible, it is at home in any automotive role or costume. As a matter of fact, there are precious few configurations that haven’t been applied to this all-time favorite. Some ’57 Chevrolets have done more than one stint in the theater of the go-fast, and it seems there are no limits for these cars.
GET IT HANDLED
Before the advent of the “smoothie look,” people were slicking down the lines of their cars and trucks in numerous ways, and shaving door handles was one of the more popular mods. Today the trend is to fit later-model door handles rather than no door handles at all. This still provides a simple way to clean up your vehicle with very little effort, yet retains the convenience of manually opening the door. If you have the patience, talent and imagination, you can borrow the parts from a donor car or truck and fit them to your own project, thereby achieving a cool, smooth look that will be unique to your vehicle.
AMERICAN BEAUTY
From a distance, this roadster appears to be from another place, far from American shores, as much as from another era. On closer approach, the Borrani wire wheels conjure thoughts of European heritage, although the shape borrows as much from past Indy roadsters and Sprinters as it does from the great design houses of Italy. Then there’s the engine, a flat giveaway to the true nature of this amazing crossbreed.
Spotlighter
AIR SUPPLY
How to Install Heat/Air Conditioning in a 1955-’59 Chevy Truck
Author
Warren Boughn
Story & Photography
Air conditioning is a luxury that most early truckers agree they can’t be without, especially when they reside in a hot part of the country. But those big, clunky compressors, huge receivers hanging below the dash, bulky hoses running all over the place and extra wires showing are some of the reasons why air conditioning has deterred hardcore rodders for years. Of course, Vintage Air has eliminated those concerns with an excellent add-on system that not only works well, but also coexists with your engine compartment and interior aesthetics.
Vintage Air has kits that are designed for specific applications as well as universal kits. Its kits provide all of the required mounting hardware, brackets, vents, hoses, fittings, ducting, electrical wiring and switches needed to get you through your project. If you have any problems, Vintage Air has a tech support line that is second to none. You have a choice of either the internet or telephone (weekdays only).
In addition to its basic kits, Vintage Air has a vast selection of optional items and/or upgrades. It offers condensers, engine pulleys, hard-line systems, vents (in ashtrays, door panels and kick panels), air compressors, air compressor mounting brackets, high-tech controllers, electric fans, billet accessories and so much more.
In this story, we’ll be installing Vintage Air’s “Super Cool” unit in a truck that’s under construction. This doesn’t mean that you can’t install the kit in a finished car or truck; we have done it many times without a hitch.
If you have basic automotive skills, basic hand and electrical tools and can follow instructions, you can install one of Vintage Air’s heat/defrost/air conditioning units in a weekend. Follow along as we show you step by step how Precision Street Rods & Machines installed heat and air conditioning in this ’55 Chevrolet truck.
The kit we received from Vintage Air consists of almost everything you will need for the install. Some parts you won’t find in the kit are the water hose fittings, refrigerant and belts. Order these separately; because each vehicle is different, you may need to exchange a fitting or two once you lay out your system.
Here are some optional parts we ordered: A billet aluminum bulkhead fitting (to pass the hoses through the firewall), round billet aluminum vents and billet aluminum rotary knobs.
We started the project by drilling the dash for the two round billet vents.
This was followed by drilling the dash for the four rotary control switches.
This is how our dash layout looked when we were finished.
Now on to the engine. We installed the compressor pump, mounting brackets and fan belt. Make sure that the pump port fittings are above the oil level of the compressor; this way the oil won’t leak out of the pump.
We followed this by installing No. 8 and No. 10 hose fittings to the pump.
For easier access, we removed the front core support sheetmetal.
The radiator has to be removed in order to install the condenser. It will be installed between the radiator and the core support.
The condenser mounts to two of the existing holes holding the core support sheetmetal and two of the radiator mounting holes.
Now the radiator can be reinstalled using 5/8-inch spacers to space it away from the condenser/core support. Temporarily install all the radiator bolts without the spacers, and then install them one by one. It’s easier.
With the condenser in place we can continue laying out our system.
There is a factory hole in the core support that works well for mounting the Vintage Air bulkhead fitting from the condenser to the drier.
We installed the 90-degree bulkhead fitting with the jam nut on the engine side. To this we added a 90-degree hose fitting to take us to the drier.
Next we installed a 90-degree fitting to the “in” side of the drier, aligning it with the core support hose fitting we just installed. Mark the mounting location of the drier onto the inner fender.
We used the paper template provided by Vintage Air for the mounting-hole spacing for the drier bracket and then centerpunched and drilled the mounting holes through the template.
With the drier mounted, we can go ahead and continue installing the rest of the hose fittings. We chose a 45-degree fitting to exit the drier (“out” side).
The heater hose fittings are the next items to be installed. There is one at the cylinder head and another at the water pump.
Here’s the right side of the firewall where we will install our Vintage Air bulkhead fitting. We will mount ours on a diagonal instead of level (square). It looks and functions better for our application.
As with the drier bracket, Vintage Air provides a drilling template for the bulkhead. We taped it to the firewall and checked the location for interference on the inside of the cab before continuing.
Next we centerpunched and drilled pilot holes for a 1-1/4-inch hole saw to drill the bulkhead fitting corners. Then we used a pneumatic saw to cut between the four holes, creating a diamond hole with radioed corners.
This is how the bulkhead fitting mounts to the firewall. It attaches from the rear (inside compartment) using two threaded studs with U-brackets.
Now it’s time to make and install the hoses. We started at the firewall bulkhead and worked forward through the drier to the condenser, and then to the compressor. We installed the optional tri-nary switch inline between the bulkhead and the drier. It controls the high/low line pressure (shutting down the compressor if needed) and turns on an electric fan if you have one. We cut the proper size and length of hose between the fittings. The hose slips onto the fitting’s barbed end. A hose clamp or beadlock collar secures the hose to the fitting.
If you choose to use a beadlock fastener, you will need a tool such as this one. Vintage Air has them for sale. If not, your local fitting shop or A/C repair shop should be able to do this for you.
Rubber O-rings go on the ends of the fittings. Make sure to use them, otherwise the hoses will leak. Make sure you use the provided assembly oil to lubricate the O-rings so they don’t get pinched (cut) during assembly.
The last A/C hose to be connected is the one from the condenser to the compressor. Drill an access hole in the radiator side strap for the hose to pass through. A bulkhead fitting won’t work here, as the tolerances are too tight. With the A/C portion done we can concentrate on the heat side. We ran one heater hose from the cylinder head to the firewall, while the other one ran parallel with the A/C hoses to the firewall.
Here is a look at the finished engine compartment.
The firewall has two stock mounting areas where the receiver can be mounted.
There are several threaded bungs to affix the supplied mounting brackets to the Vintage Air receiver. This is the next step.
The receiver is bolted to the firewall with the two rear brackets
Now it’s time to install the front mounting bracket. You will need to drill a mounting hole in the dash lip.
Here are the A/C and heater hoses hooked up. Bulkhead placement is important—you do not want to kink a hose by placing it too close to the receiver. A heater control valve is installed inline between the heater core and the intake manifold. Its purpose is to shut down water flow from entering the receiver when the A/C is turned on. That way only cold air is being blown through the vents.
The next step is to start installing the ducting hoses to the vents. We used small screws to secure the ducting hoses to the vents.
After the kick panel and the defroster vents were installed, we ran the ducting hoses from the receiver unit to the vents. Hooking up the switches, the blower motor and the heater control valve wiring is the last step before installing the refrigerant and the water.
Here’s a peek inside of the cab to see the finished product after it was installed.
The last thing to be installed after the system has been worked and checked for leaks is the front core support sheetmetal.
It’s finished!
ARTICLE SOURCES
Precision Street Rods & Machines
19158 Roscoe Blvd.
Northridge, CA. 91324
818/886-5018
Vintage Air
10305 I.H. 35 N.
San Antonio, TX 78233
800/TO-COOL
