Aftermarket AC in a 53 coupe

[johnod]

I'm new here and this is my first post Presently living in southern Ont. Can. Bought a modified 53 Champ coupe a few months ago, finally, I'd wanted one for a long time.
One of the things I'd like to add is aftermarket AC. Underdash units seem the easiest, naturally thats not what i prefer.I'd like a behind the dash unit, I'm planning on using a 56 hawk dash, but there is not much room back there as I'm sure you know.
Can anyone recommend something they've used that will fit? Pics would be great too. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Pat Dilling]

Welcome to the forum. Take a look at what these folks are doing with a Vintage air set up; http://www.street-rod-concepts.com/g...d+10-16-09***/

I have a Southern Air set up in mine but will be changing to a Vintage Air mid size set up this winter. The Southern Air works OK, but I want something that will move more air and is quieter.

Pat

Pat Dilling
Olivehurst, CA
Custom '53 Starlight aka Stu Cool

LS1 Engine Swap Journal: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ournalid=33611

[Jerry Forrester]

quote:Originally posted by johnod

I'm new here and this is my first post Presently living in southern Ont. Can. Bought a modified 53 Champ coupe a few months ago, finally, I'd wanted one for a long time.
One of the things I'd like to add is aftermarket AC. Underdash units seem the easiest, naturally thats not what i prefer.I'd like a behind the dash unit, I'm planning on using a 56 hawk dash, but there is not much room back there as I'm sure you know.
Can anyone recommend something they've used that will fit? Pics would be great too. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Vintage Air in Leo, the '55 Pres. I installed it making sure I had room for the Winged Hawk dash glove compartment.


...............................................

I am in the process of getting parts and pieces gathered up for the May 2010 South Bend Swap meet. How about you?

Jerry Forrester
Forrester's Chrome
Douglasville, Georgia
Be sure to check out my eBay store

http://stores.ebay.com/CHROME-CHROME-CHROME

for your shiny Stude stuff.

More pix of Leo the '55 Pres HT here...http://tinyurl.com/2gj6cu

[johnod]

quote:Originally posted by Pat Dilling

Welcome to the forum. Take a look at what these folks are doing with a Vintage air set up; http://www.street-rod-concepts.com/g...d+10-16-09***/

I have a Southern Air set up in mine but will be changing to a Vintage Air mid size set up this winter. The Southern Air works OK, but I want something that will move more air and is quieter.

Pat


Pat, thanks for the reply and link, looks like a nice install, don't know if my fab skills are up to that, also not sure how that would work with a fibreglass dash.
Have you any pics of your install i might have a look at?

John

Pat Dilling
Olivehurst, CA
Custom '53 Starlight aka Stu Cool

LS1 Engine Swap Journal: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ournalid=33611

[johnod]

[/quote]
Vintage Air in Leo, the '55 Pres. I installed it making sure I had room for the Winged Hawk dash glove compartment.


Thanks for the pic,that looks pretty good, is there room for a radio in the stock area? Not sure what a 55 dash looks like, whether it's a 56 style or 54 style, steel or glass. If you have a pic of the finished install I'd love to see it, I'm curious to know how much of the evap. is hidden by the dash. Thanks again.
...............................................

I am in the process of getting parts and pieces gathered up for the May 2010 South Bend Swap meet. How about you?

Jerry Forrester
Forrester's Chrome
Douglasville, Georgia
Be sure to check out my eBay store

http://stores.ebay.com/CHROME-CHROME-CHROME

for your shiny Stude stuff.

More pix of Leo the '55 Pres HT here...http://tinyurl.com/2gj6cu

[/quote]

[vegas paul]

Classic Auto Air also has a generic hot rod unit that is very slim, I've considered it for my 51 because the Vintage unit won't fit. Their website has the dimensions.

Las Vegas, NV - Stop by, coffee's on!
'51 Champion Business Coupe G899965 10G-Q4-1434

[TedsHawk]

Theses guys list a Hawk style dash with room for dash vents. they used to show a picure. Im sure someone here must have used a dash like and has pics.

http://www.classglassperformance.com/53%20Studebaker.html

1957 Golden Hawk
"Studebaker? they dont make them anymore"

[Jerry Forrester]

quote: is there room for a radio in the stock area? Not sure what a 55 dash looks like, whether it's a 56 style or 54 style, steel or glass. If you have a pic of the finished install I'd love to see it, I'm curious to know how much of the evap. is hidden by the dash. Thanks again.

I'm not using a '55 dash, I am using a Winged Hawk dash. All the stuff in a Winged Hawk dash fits.
The only part of the evap. case that is visible is the heated air outlets where the firewall meets the transmission tunnel. Like Steve Hudson's dash, the AC outlets will be in a panel added onto the bottom of the dash.
You'll notice in the pic that I did away with the factory dash cross bar and fabbed one with 1/4 X 2 flat bar. The evap. unit is mounted on that bar in the front and the rear hangs off a bracket coming down from the original body brace at the top of the firewall. An elevator bolt welded to the firewall on the passenger side mounts that side of the evap. unit.

On another subject, you may want to preview and edit your replies to remove all the unwanted text and pictures. I don't know if it eats up bandwidth or what, but it makes reading your replies much easier if they don't have all the unwanted, unneeded and extra stuff in them.
I'm not chiding you for the way you post your replies, I'm just conveying what it has taken me years to learn.

...............................................

I am in the process of getting parts and pieces gathered up for the May 2010 South Bend Swap meet. How about you?

Jerry Forrester
Forrester's Chrome
Douglasville, Georgia
Be sure to check out my eBay store

http://stores.ebay.com/CHROME-CHROME-CHROME

for your shiny Stude stuff.

More pix of Leo the '55 Pres HT here...http://tinyurl.com/2gj6cu

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by johnod

I'm new here and this is my first post Presently living in southern Ont. Can. Bought a modified 53 Champ coupe a few months ago, finally, I'd wanted one for a long time.
One of the things I'd like to add is aftermarket AC. Underdash units seem the easiest, naturally thats not what i prefer.I'd like a behind the dash unit, I'm planning on using a 56 hawk dash, but there is not much room back there as I'm sure you know.
Can anyone recommend something they've used that will fit? Pics would be great too. Any help would be appreciated.

Check with Ebon Jones (posts as Railway on the Forum). He is in the business (in Texas) and has installed air conditioners in many Studebakers. He can probably put together a kit for you that includes everything you need (he did for my '64 Daytona convertible).



Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[Pat Dilling]

[quote]quote:Originally posted by johnod

Originally posted by Pat Dilling

Welcome to the forum. Take a look at what these folks are doing with a Vintage air set up; http://www.street-rod-concepts.com/g...d+10-16-09***/

I have a Southern Air set up in mine but will be changing to a Vintage Air mid size set up this winter. The Southern Air works OK, but I want something that will move more air and is quieter.

Pat

Pat, thanks for the reply and link, looks like a nice install, don't know if my fab skills are up to that, also not sure how that would work with a fibreglass dash.
Have you any pics of your install i might have a look at?

John

Sorry, I don't have any pictures showing the unit installed.

Pat

Pat Dilling
Olivehurst, CA
Custom '53 Starlight aka Stu Cool

LS1 Engine Swap Journal: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ournalid=33611

[johnod]

Thanks for all the info everyone, I'll be looking into all of this, and contacting various people thanks to all the info given here.

If anyone else has anything to add please do, as I'll continue checking this thread.

John

[mweiss]

Used a Gen lV Vintage Air unit with a 56 Golden Hawk dash in a 53 HT. Fits with slight trimming of the heat dump openings at bottom of evap unit, and you can mount to standard crossbar for the dash. The unit will show in the front firewall area of passenger side, but looks like it belongs. Email me for photos of the project if you wish to see.The advantage of the Gen lV is it's their biggest and best unit, plenty of air flow. Thanks, m weiss

ok

[johnod]

[quote]Originally posted by mweiss

Used a Gen lV Vintage Air unit with a 56 Golden Hawk dash in a 53 HT. Fits with slight trimming of the heat dump openings at bottom of evap unit, and you can mount to standard crossbar for the dash. The unit will show in the front firewall area of passenger side, but looks like it belongs. Email me for photos of the project if you wish to see.The advantage of the Gen lV is it's their biggest and best unit, plenty of air flow. Thanks, m weiss

Sent you an email, yes please to any info you can give me.

Thanks

John

[Jim B PEI]

Well, this 'might' seem unusual, but a local fellow Doug Parkman put a Jeep unit in his 'almost original' 61 Hawk. I think it is a Cherokee type--it fits very nicely on the bottom edge, all the way across, with adjustable vents the length of it. It almost looks like it was designed precisely for this car--when you think of it, it makes sense with the Wagoneer/Wagonaire Jeep/Studebaker Brook Stevens design thing going. They are quite shallow in depth, and don't get in the way like under dash units do. It blows cold enough that the A/C has to be turned off. (Don't want to overload that 61 generator either!) Sorry, don't have pictures at present.

Jim B on PEI
63 259 o/d Wagonaire
57 Champion W4 o/d
57 Champion W4 automatic

[Jim B PEI]

The vents/air distribution is Jeep; I'm not sure what is under the hood as a compressor, but again likely Jeep. Its the inside bit that looks and works surprisingly good, and fits extremely well.

Jim B on PEI
63 259 o/d Wagonaire
57 Champion W4 o/d
57 Champion W4 automatic