Hi Everyone, After the typical snowball effect that seems to happen on every project, (new carpet->floor pan rust->leaking heater core->blown A/C compressor->rat ate A/C wiring->etc.), I gave up on the factory A/C system and am installing a Vintage Air system. So far it has been pretty straightforward and painless. However, it doesn't have a need for external air. (It removes the passenger kick panel vent and blocks it off with a panel for routing the A/C & heater hoses. I believe that is the only outside air vent.) With all of the vacuum controls removed, there is nothing to control the cowl vent flap. (The one that is normally open and closes on max A/C.) So I'm wondering what I should do with it. My initial thoughts are to close it and leave it that way. Seems like it would reduce the chances of water coming in and the rust that follows. What do you think? Thanks!
Leave it alone. It doesn't close well enough to seal off a water leak. You should have asked for help restoring the factory AC. It's better and would have been cheaper.
Thanks. Not adding something else to the To-Do list is always a good thing. I was never a fan of the factory A/C. Getting rid of that big ugly evaporator box that consumes passenger side of the engine compartment was worth the price of entry. I can actually see the back of the engine now. It's almost like an A/C delete, but I still have (a more modern) A/C.
Will do. Might be a couple of days. You can download their install manual from their website too. So far it has been spot on.
If you do I'll take the drivers side half . I have to pick up my son at stony brook in November and finally in January
Sorry I'm so late with this. Life happened. Finally starting to work on it again. Did the initial test fit of the interior assembly this weekend. Here are a couple of pics. This is the block off panel that comes with the kit. Definitely not pretty. I'm just using it for reinforcement. It's going to be hidden under the firewall insulation anyway. I used seam sealer between it and the firewall to get a better/more permanent seal than silicone. Engine bay side with sealer oozing out. Not worried about how this looks because I'm covering it with a block off panel. Interior unit test fit. Looks pretty good.
I installed a VA gen4 system in my Z28 years ago. I followed instructions from VA that suggested to seal factory outside air vents by caulking doors shut. I wish I had not. The VA system works pretty good. Sometimes I wish I could get outside air without opening the window.
