Vintage Air Heat/Defrost Install

[mrbones]

Does anyone have a pic. or two that you could E- Mail me, or post showing how the Vintage Air unit is supposed to mount to the firewall in my CR? There are a couple of brackets in the box, but don't seem to reach anywhere. Thanks, mrbones@peoplepc.com

[petek]

mrbones,

Is the Vintage Air heater that you have like this one:


This is the one I used in my CR Cobra. To install I just fabricated a couple of brackets out of bar stock, bending the ends of the stock to match the top of the tranny tunnel and the fiberglass in the upper part of the cowel area.

Here are a couple of (poor) pictures showing the unit mounted. Sorry I don't have any pictures of the brackets themselves (the brackets are behind the heater).

[brandonF]

Mrbones,

I ended up making my own bracket, I'll send you some pictures tonight when I get home from work.

Brandon

[Jack21]

You don't have a lot of real estate to work with back there. The center mounted position, as shown, might interfere with your gauge placement, and deluxe dash if you're using one.

I positioned the heater core and blower on passenger side, water in/out doesn't interfere with anything on firewall, and small air distribution box with heat/def hoses in center. Had to build some of it with plywood. Have shots if interested.

[petek]

Jack21,

I dunno but the tiny heater I used has all sorts of clearance. Note the defroster plumbing connected to the plenum and to the heater core, the core sits behind the plumbing.

Then again my dash is not the standard CR piece.

[mrbones]

Very Good!! yes the unit I have is the one that Petek posted, and the brackets were bent on one end as if they were to mount to the tunnel, but too short to reach the firewall. I am using the custom dash and have plenty of bar stock in the garage, so I guess I'll go out there and see what I can get away with! Thanks a million for all of the replies You's Da Man!! Mr. Bones

[petek]

Just remember to tighten the water fittings. If the fittings are not tight the passenger's foot well fills with coolant. Please don't ask me how I know

[brandonF]

Mrbones,
here is the bracket I ended up making

[petek]

(Wish I could snap a picture of mine...)

My mount was just two pieces of aluminum bar stock. On end anchored to the upper area like brandonF's, the other end anchored to the tranny tunnel.

These tiny heaters work great in the Cobra.

[Double Venom]

You guys keep this up and I'm going to retire!

Peteks installation is exactly the way we install it. If you bend the straps right, the heater will sit tight up against the firewal, which leaves more than ample room between it and the dash. The radio if used will still have plenty of clearance.

If you use two 90' fittings off the heater you can bring the hoses up through the firewall - tunnel. This makes for a super clean installaton.

Nice job fella!

(edit) You'll find that there is not a whole lot of room for your bolts to through the mounting holes of the heater, and then try to put a wrench or socket on the head. Solution... simply take a hair dryer, put it on HI and heat the area where the head sits. I then use about a 1/2 deepwell socket, placing it as if I was putting it on the head of the bolt, and push in toward the heater core.

The plastic will flex very easily when it's warm, leaving plenty of room for your final assembly. Just another little tid bit for easy installation.


DV -- 300 Cobras is NOT enough! Are you registered?

[ogravty]

May i have the pictures of your installation also? for some reason the photos are not longer available online. all-trac@msn.com I just bought the kit from FFR. Thanks