I've been alluding to my replacing what was left of my factory HVAC system with a small compact heat and defrost unit from Vintage Air (part number 506101) for some time now. This weekend was that event.
First a few disclaimers: Several know that my 83 Regal Wagon is my beater. I can't save every car out there and I need to "use" some vehicles for their intended purposes. This wagon is just that. Along with that, all work I do on this car emphasizes function over form, meaning that while I try to do my best work on everything I do, this car needs to function better than it looks. So my installation was to simply make it work. It didn't have to be beautiful. While this car had factory AC, I didn't want to spend the extra money to have working AC. I have other cars that do. This car goes out in the snow so I needed a good heater and defroster first and foremost. The previous owner butchered the stock system so bad that I didn't feel the least bit guilty ripping it entirely out of the car.
I'm a big fan of Vintage Air products having installed a full blown Generation II AC/Heat/Defrost unit in my '68 Cougar. I like that their systems use electronic servos to direct airflow as opposed to vacuum. That was ideal here since all the vacuum stuff was gone on my car.
The 506101 was purchased from Summit and it is listed for $229. By comparison, the system I put in the Cougar was on the heavy side of a Grand complete.
The Heater kit comes with almost everything needed. It does not include the 5/8" heater hose since each application is different. It also uses 5/8" hoses for both pressure and return. So I had to adapt to a 5/8" nipple from 3/4" on the water pump.
The unit is very small and compact.
It includes all the hardware and grommets, and adapters for the hoses.
The control panel is already set to install under dash and comes mostly prewired. There are three fan speeds, three modes: Heat only, Defrost only, and a blend of the two, and a temperature control.
The heater control valve to block coolant through the heater core is electronic and installs in the hose between the intake manifold and the unit.
It includes two little defrost vents and some flexible hose to connect them to the unit.
It did NOT include the firewall block off panel. Normally I would fab this up myself. But JEGS had this budget unit for much cheaper than I could have gotten the material and made it myself. It fit perfectly.
First a few disclaimers: Several know that my 83 Regal Wagon is my beater. I can't save every car out there and I need to "use" some vehicles for their intended purposes. This wagon is just that. Along with that, all work I do on this car emphasizes function over form, meaning that while I try to do my best work on everything I do, this car needs to function better than it looks. So my installation was to simply make it work. It didn't have to be beautiful. While this car had factory AC, I didn't want to spend the extra money to have working AC. I have other cars that do. This car goes out in the snow so I needed a good heater and defroster first and foremost. The previous owner butchered the stock system so bad that I didn't feel the least bit guilty ripping it entirely out of the car.
I'm a big fan of Vintage Air products having installed a full blown Generation II AC/Heat/Defrost unit in my '68 Cougar. I like that their systems use electronic servos to direct airflow as opposed to vacuum. That was ideal here since all the vacuum stuff was gone on my car.
The 506101 was purchased from Summit and it is listed for $229. By comparison, the system I put in the Cougar was on the heavy side of a Grand complete.
The Heater kit comes with almost everything needed. It does not include the 5/8" heater hose since each application is different. It also uses 5/8" hoses for both pressure and return. So I had to adapt to a 5/8" nipple from 3/4" on the water pump.
The unit is very small and compact.
It includes all the hardware and grommets, and adapters for the hoses.
The control panel is already set to install under dash and comes mostly prewired. There are three fan speeds, three modes: Heat only, Defrost only, and a blend of the two, and a temperature control.
The heater control valve to block coolant through the heater core is electronic and installs in the hose between the intake manifold and the unit.
It includes two little defrost vents and some flexible hose to connect them to the unit.
It did NOT include the firewall block off panel. Normally I would fab this up myself. But JEGS had this budget unit for much cheaper than I could have gotten the material and made it myself. It fit perfectly.