51 C-Cab air conditioner?

[dapope]

We are starting to put a 51 C-Cab back together and want to add air. Can someone please tell me what kind I need to buy. I know about all the under dash stuff but thought one might fit better than other for a C-Cab. How do you recomend I do this?

D.A.

[4961Studebaker]

If you can wait, say 2 months........Supposedly Vintage Air is going to release a unit specifically for the C-cab truck. smaller i.e 3rd passenger friendly evaporator unit that fits right under the dash. There's been some talk about it on the Studebaker Truck Talk Forum.

No clue as to price.......but judging from their other kits.....800-1000 (since it's a new design?) for everything??


And being these trucks came with I-6 I'm curious what the ready made bracketry will look like.......or if they planned on V-8 transplants (stude or otherwise)

[dapope]

OK thanks. I may need it before then but i will do some reaserch. That would be nice if I could buy one for the truck

[dapope]

Vintage Air are saying that they are not going to make a unit for this truck. I am going to use a underdash unit. There are several places to buy the underdash unit but none of them have a kit that includes the compreseor and everything. Do you know where to get the whole kit. How do most peaple do this?

D.A.

[4961Studebaker]

http://www.network54.com/Forum/23885/message/1276980961/C-Cab+A-C+pix

Follow this link to the Studebaker truck talk site.........Ebon's name in bue.....click that and send him a message with any question's you may have.
As I recall.........this system that Ebon knows about is the other system being made for C-cabs.

wonder what happened with vintage air doing their's.......guess they didn't see a large market/ ROI

[jclary]

[B]Why not a little "group think" on this subject and maybe we can come up with a great solution. With the relatively small cabin space in a C cab...we are not talking about having to cool a large volume of space. What would you think about gutting the later model square "climatizer" truck heaters and look for components from some of the small sub compact cars to stuff in the old climatizer box? There might be something already "out there" that would work to give you cooling in the summer and de-humidified heated air in the winter. It might be there is some compact components that could work in a way that would use the fresh air vent intakes, available space, and except for the few simple controls, compressor, and condenser be almost unnoticed without the hood up.[B

[dapope]

[B]Why not a little "group think" on this subject and maybe we can come up with a great solution. With the relatively small cabin space in a C cab...we are not talking about having to cool a large volume of space. What would you think about gutting the later model square "climatizer" truck heaters and look for components from some of the small sub compact cars to stuff in the old climatizer box? There might be something already "out there" that would work to give you cooling in the summer and de-humidified heated air in the winter. It might be there is some compact components that could work in a way that would use the fresh air vent intakes, available space, and except for the few simple controls, compressor, and condenser be almost unnoticed without the hood up.[B

I think what you are talking about is doable. Vintage makes a unit that is simular to what you are talking that you could remote mount the condensor in the box and run vent tubes from the fan by cutting some holes in the firewall. I have a underdash unit that is old and looks good in the cab. I think that I am going to go this route because of the simplicity.

D.A.

[PackardV8]

Yes, building an AC unit from junk parts can and has been done.
No, engineering an AC installation from existing components to fit the heater box space in a C-cab is not easy. This is the reason Vintage Air, Southern Air and the many other companies get $800-1000 for their universal under-dash units.
Maybe, a suitable donor can be found in the Pick'n Pull. However, the OEMs have a subcontractor build in the AC unit and controls as part of the entire dash subassembly. It is built from the back side out. The, on the assembly line, the entire unit is dropped onto the firewall and built the rest of the car around them. Removing the entire AC unit is next to impossible. The AC controls are usually solid-state, fit only that dash panel and the AC wiring harness from the control panel to the fan motor, flapper valves, heater valves, is built into the whole underdash harness.

Doesn't mean we shouldn't try it. Just means I've looked at it long and hard for the past year and haven't figured out easy and cheap yet.

jack vines

[rusty nut garage]

During the International at Glendale the owner of Vintage was present and had a prototype evap/heater for the C-cab. He talked like it would be on the market within 2 months. I find it hard to believe they would go this far and then abort the plan to manufacture it. He also had a beautiful radiator for the c-cab that they intend to offer. I'm hopeful that the ac evaporator will show up soon.
Russ

Vintage Air are saying that they are not going to make a unit for this truck. I am going to use a underdash unit. There are several places to buy the underdash unit but none of them have a kit that includes the compreseor and everything. Do you know where to get the whole kit. How do most peaple do this?

D.A.

[4961Studebaker]

What Rusty said.

That was the last I had heard, maybe you talked to someone not in the "know" dapope????