FJ40 Air Conditioning choices Vintage Air or CCOT (2 Viewers)

[CHAS404]

My 82 FJ40 Dune Beige still for sale has an unkown AC unit. Note the speaker box I got for $69 online somewhere.

No heat. Ac works fine but with the soft top cool air leaks out.

Fun truck arrives August 2014 to Tampa. Can't wait to drive it here. it is a monster.

Again for those guys considering passenger side AC. It is better than nothing and worth it to me even in a soft top. If you are trying to commute in the FJ40 not sure I would say spend the money on the 4 outlet type AC unit.

 

[lelandEOD]

Has anyone looked at the new Vintage Air SureFit Gen IV kits advertised on their website?

I really like the servo controlled flappers, cleaner electronic control switches, and ECU... but I'm really not sure how well it works without the driver's side steering column vent found on the older model. Plus, I don't know how well the evaporator looks, once installed. The only photo I've been able to find does not show a clear image of the passenger side foot well area and the installation photos only show that big squirrel fan sticking out rather conspicuously.
The V/A brochure shows some sort of cover but I can't make it out and I'm a little suspicious.

I'm torn because while the Sure Fit Gen 4 sounds like a giant leap forward technologically, it almost seems like a regression from an aesthetic standpoint. I like the slim vents on the older
model better than the line of 5 round vents.

Has anyone installed a Gen 4 unit on their 40?

 

[Law Dog]

Good topic for a thread revival. I'm curious as well.

@mmw68 may have an answer?

 

[Michael B]

FYI I spoke with CCOT last week and their AC supplier has gone out of business. They do not have a current plan going forward for a supplier.

 

[lelandEOD]

I've written Mark and have yet to hear back from him. Surely someone has installed one of these kits on their 40...

 

[BamaB1971]

How about this?

A/C KIT UNIVERSAL UNDERDASH EVAPORATOR COMPRESSOR 2A 404-000DC | eBay

 

[BamaB1971]

Or this?

A/C KIT UNIVERSAL UNDERDASH EVAPORATOR COMPRESSOR 2A AIR CONDITIONER HEAT & COOL | eBay

 

[lelandEOD]

Specifically, this is my concern. The advertising brochures all show some sort of a cover over the evaporator fan, but the installation instructions don't show anything and I haven't seen a photo of any sort of trim panel in any literature. I'm sure there's a good reason why V/A oriented it in the direction they did, but it sure seems like it hangs really low and, if not covered, would look kind of tacky.

Thoughts?

 

[cult45]

My plan is to fit a VA SureFit system under the passenger seat [RHD] and run ducting from there - two to the dash and two behind the seat [FJ45], though final positioning of the ducting and vents will be dependant on aesthetics as well as functionality. I will be running a heat/cool unit as I have ditched the stock heater. This method will require raising the pax seat by 2", but it's round tube so that won't be an issue.

As a past insulation industry worker, the biggest thing you can do to make and keep temperature and NVH gains is insulation. You cannot beat a thermal barrier, period. I will be installing Dynamat Extreme and then yoga mats [amazing NVH properties] on top in modular sections and then a factory floor mat. Dynamat will also line the firewall in two layers, inside the doors, the rear panel and the roof. Exhaust will be wrapped as well.

 

[gte037p]

My plan is to fit a VA SureFit system under the passenger seat [RHD] and run ducting from there - two to the dash and two behind the seat [FJ45], though final positioning of the ducting and vents will be dependant on aesthetics as well as functionality. I will be running a heat/cool unit as I have ditched the stock heater. This method will require raising the pax seat by 2", but it's round tube so that won't be an issue.

As a past insulation industry worker, the biggest thing you can do to make and keep temperature and NVH gains is insulation. You cannot beat a thermal barrier, period. I will be installing Dynamat Extreme and then yoga mats [amazing NVH properties] on top in modular sections and then a factory floor mat. Dynamat will also line the firewall in two layers, inside the doors, the rear panel and the roof. Exhaust will be wrapped as well.

How's your project coming along?

 

[jdlsantos]

After many hours of research and time to decide, I noticed that vintage air changed the design for FJ40, that seen to be much better technologically, but the looks is not my favorite. I would prefer the rectangle louvers. So now I need back to another options. I really like the old design of Vintage air. : (
Now, I am considering fit a nostalgy AC system, but not the ones design for FJ40, I am whashing the ones design for a old chevy truck, that looks similar underdash but bigger and with 15k BTU for cooling. somebody tried this? any comments?
thanks

 

[GA Architect]

After many hours of research and time to decide, I noticed that vintage air changed the design for FJ40, that seen to be much better technologically, but the looks is not my favorite. I would prefer the rectangle louvers. So now I need back to another options. I really like the old design of Vintage air. : (
Now, I am considering fit a nostalgy AC system, but not the ones design for FJ40, I am whashing the ones design for a old chevy truck, that looks similar underdash but bigger and with 15k BTU for cooling. somebody tried this? any comments?
thanks

Have you look at the Old Air Products?

 

[mmw68]

Hey Yall.. Sorry I've been MIA, we had a death in the family, and I've been dealing with settling up that estate.

I've been down to Vintage Air several times. They have really gone all out to design this new system. The CFM of the fan is several hundred more CFM, and the new design of the vents are fantastic. No cables anymore, everything is servo controlled. The mounting brackets for the condenser and all other parts have been redesigned from the ground up. This makes for a very clean install.

I have spoken to several folks who have expressed interest in getting one of the old systems, there are no more in inventory, and are not being produced anymore.

I've written Mark and have yet to hear back from him. Surely someone has installed one of these kits on their 40...

 

[thecrazygreek]

Looks like the kit fjcompany is putting into their rigs. Lots of pics on their site.

 

[lelandEOD]

I ended up installing the partial kit from Old Air Products. Like the new kit from Vintage Aire, it also uses servos for heat and defrost. I went a little silly and cut holes in my lower dash pads for the vents as I just didn't want ducting hanging from under the dash. I understand that what I did may be a little too extreme for a lot of folks, but I personally like the way it came out.

I didn't like the chrome vent bezels so I dunked them in Purple Cleaner overnight to remove the chrome.

Overall, I'm happy so far with the kit although calling it a kit is somewhat of a misnomer. It's really just some universal parts with (an awful wiring diagram). I ultimately dumped the supplied firewall brackets in favor of a homemade unit because Old Air's were so cheesy. I like how the evaporator doesn't intrude into the passenger footwell area and looks a little more like a factory heater.

 

[mmw68]

Does it include defrost? I like what you did with the vents!

 

[lelandEOD]

Thanks!
Yes, there is a servo powered defrost function.

 

[73tlcv8]

someone should make this add on system. Works well and keeps original heater box. Works well to de-humidify in coastal Carolina and make the heat bearable in the summer.

 

[White Stripe]

I wish vintage air had used cables instead of servos. Seems like a unnecessary luxury on a 40 and just another thing to go wrong-especially since 40s can go topless and get rained on or dunked in a river offroad. I guess I could take the ecm apart it comes with and pour wax on it or something to protect the circuits.

 

[cruiserkreutz]

I do believe that's the cleanest A/C install I've ever seen in an FJ40. Your install makes my older Vintage Air unit look terrible by comparison.

I ended up installing the partial kit from Old Air Products. Like the new kit from Vintage Aire, it also uses servos for heat and defrost. I went a little silly and cut holes in my lower dash pads for the vents as I just didn't want ducting hanging from under the dash. I understand that what I did may be a little too extreme for a lot of folks, but I personally like the way it came out.
View attachment 1606781 View attachment 1606782


I didn't like the chrome vent bezels so I dunked them in Purple Cleaner overnight to remove the chrome.

View attachment 1606784


Overall, I'm happy so far with the kit although calling it a kit is somewhat of a misnomer. It's really just some universal parts with (an awful wiring diagram). I ultimately dumped the supplied firewall brackets in favor of a homemade unit because Old Air's were so cheesy. I like how the evaporator doesn't intrude into the passenger footwell area and looks a little more like a factory heater.